Narrative:

Whoever is in charge of establishing the new automated FSS system either doesn't know what is necessary in order to provide an 'equal or better' service or is trying to save a few dollars at the expense of aviation safety by providing an inferior service. The tul FSS has 2 sources of live radar to provide in-flight pilots as well as preflight pilots with accurate, real time, radar briefings of thunderstorm location and movement, in the heart of tornado alley. We have a live radar monitor connected to the tulsa NWS-57 radar located at tulsa int'l airport. We also have an alden electronics radar remote WX detection system (rrwds) which allows us to dial up on commercial phone lines, alden digitizers, at 134 NWS and FAA radar sites and obtain a live, real time, radar color CRT display. Most of the pilots in and around tulsa as well as much of oklahoma are aware of our equipment and rely heavily on our service during the thunderstorm seasons. Mlc AFSS does not have real time live radar and is unable to provide 'equal or better service' which has been mandated by congress. They are planning on closing tul FSS in dec 89 and the pilots in our area are extremely concerned about this problem, as well they should be. I am concerned and I suggest that either mlc AFSS should be provided with remote live radar monitors from okc NWS and tul NWS radar sites as well as the alden rrwds equipment 'or' tul FSS should not be closed until mlc AFSS can provide equal or better service. This is of critical importance to the safety of aviation in oklahoma. During severe thunderstorms our service is used by airlines, military aviation, as well as general aviation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER STATES THAT THE AUTOMATED FSS DOES NOT HAVE REAL TIME WX RADAR PRESENTATION CAPABILITY.

Narrative: WHOEVER IS IN CHARGE OF ESTABLISHING THE NEW AUTOMATED FSS SYSTEM EITHER DOESN'T KNOW WHAT IS NECESSARY IN ORDER TO PROVIDE AN 'EQUAL OR BETTER' SERVICE OR IS TRYING TO SAVE A FEW DOLLARS AT THE EXPENSE OF AVIATION SAFETY BY PROVIDING AN INFERIOR SERVICE. THE TUL FSS HAS 2 SOURCES OF LIVE RADAR TO PROVIDE INFLT PLTS AS WELL AS PREFLT PLTS WITH ACCURATE, REAL TIME, RADAR BRIEFINGS OF TSTM LOCATION AND MOVEMENT, IN THE HEART OF TORNADO ALLEY. WE HAVE A LIVE RADAR MONITOR CONNECTED TO THE TULSA NWS-57 RADAR LOCATED AT TULSA INT'L ARPT. WE ALSO HAVE AN ALDEN ELECTRONICS RADAR REMOTE WX DETECTION SYSTEM (RRWDS) WHICH ALLOWS US TO DIAL UP ON COMMERCIAL PHONE LINES, ALDEN DIGITIZERS, AT 134 NWS AND FAA RADAR SITES AND OBTAIN A LIVE, REAL TIME, RADAR COLOR CRT DISPLAY. MOST OF THE PLTS IN AND AROUND TULSA AS WELL AS MUCH OF OKLAHOMA ARE AWARE OF OUR EQUIPMENT AND RELY HEAVILY ON OUR SERVICE DURING THE TSTM SEASONS. MLC AFSS DOES NOT HAVE REAL TIME LIVE RADAR AND IS UNABLE TO PROVIDE 'EQUAL OR BETTER SERVICE' WHICH HAS BEEN MANDATED BY CONGRESS. THEY ARE PLANNING ON CLOSING TUL FSS IN DEC 89 AND THE PLTS IN OUR AREA ARE EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, AS WELL THEY SHOULD BE. I AM CONCERNED AND I SUGGEST THAT EITHER MLC AFSS SHOULD BE PROVIDED WITH REMOTE LIVE RADAR MONITORS FROM OKC NWS AND TUL NWS RADAR SITES AS WELL AS THE ALDEN RRWDS EQUIPMENT 'OR' TUL FSS SHOULD NOT BE CLOSED UNTIL MLC AFSS CAN PROVIDE EQUAL OR BETTER SERVICE. THIS IS OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE TO THE SAFETY OF AVIATION IN OKLAHOMA. DURING SEVERE TSTMS OUR SERVICE IS USED BY AIRLINES, MIL AVIATION, AS WELL AS GENERAL AVIATION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.