Narrative:

Unsafe practice at all supplemental aviation WX reporting stations (sawrs) in the great lakes region and possibly nationwide. Most sawrs operators report specific WX to pilots of expected arrs by phone or over radio. WX may or may not be reported to a WX net. Procedures do not exist for the sawrs operator to report WX except monthly to the national WX service. Timely monitoring, compliance and enforcement is impossible with the present procedures of sawrs stations. FAA instruction 8430.1D nor AC 91.14D are clear in this matter. Far 135.213, demands the need for specific WX for 135 operators. The federal meteorological handbook number 9, (this handbook is issued to every sawrs operator), indicates on page A6-13 that an out of tolerance altimeter will be reported as missing. This report, is submitted on a monthly schedule. Far too long a duration to have effective monitoring! I know of one sawrs operator in michigan that has reported for a 3 to 4 week period 'the altimeter reading missing'. Many IFR apches were completed by 135 operators during the period of missing altimeter reading. This increased level of safety that is incorporated into far 135, is not there if this is allowed to continue. If sawrs operators were required to report to flight service, then monitoring and compliance and enforcement can be successful. Instructions and procedures are needed for WX observers to ensure that 135 operators are not using missing altimeters on IFR apches.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DEFICIENCY IN SAWRS POLICY REGARDING ALTIMETER SETTINGS AND WX INFORMATION DISTRIBUTION.

Narrative: UNSAFE PRACTICE AT ALL SUPPLEMENTAL AVIATION WX REPORTING STATIONS (SAWRS) IN THE GREAT LAKES REGION AND POSSIBLY NATIONWIDE. MOST SAWRS OPERATORS REPORT SPECIFIC WX TO PLTS OF EXPECTED ARRS BY PHONE OR OVER RADIO. WX MAY OR MAY NOT BE REPORTED TO A WX NET. PROCS DO NOT EXIST FOR THE SAWRS OPERATOR TO REPORT WX EXCEPT MONTHLY TO THE NATIONAL WX SERVICE. TIMELY MONITORING, COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH THE PRESENT PROCS OF SAWRS STATIONS. FAA INSTRUCTION 8430.1D NOR AC 91.14D ARE CLEAR IN THIS MATTER. FAR 135.213, DEMANDS THE NEED FOR SPECIFIC WX FOR 135 OPERATORS. THE FEDERAL METEOROLOGICAL HANDBOOK NUMBER 9, (THIS HANDBOOK IS ISSUED TO EVERY SAWRS OPERATOR), INDICATES ON PAGE A6-13 THAT AN OUT OF TOLERANCE ALTIMETER WILL BE REPORTED AS MISSING. THIS REPORT, IS SUBMITTED ON A MONTHLY SCHEDULE. FAR TOO LONG A DURATION TO HAVE EFFECTIVE MONITORING! I KNOW OF ONE SAWRS OPERATOR IN MICHIGAN THAT HAS REPORTED FOR A 3 TO 4 WEEK PERIOD 'THE ALTIMETER READING MISSING'. MANY IFR APCHES WERE COMPLETED BY 135 OPERATORS DURING THE PERIOD OF MISSING ALTIMETER READING. THIS INCREASED LEVEL OF SAFETY THAT IS INCORPORATED INTO FAR 135, IS NOT THERE IF THIS IS ALLOWED TO CONTINUE. IF SAWRS OPERATORS WERE REQUIRED TO REPORT TO FLT SERVICE, THEN MONITORING AND COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT CAN BE SUCCESSFUL. INSTRUCTIONS AND PROCS ARE NEEDED FOR WX OBSERVERS TO ENSURE THAT 135 OPERATORS ARE NOT USING MISSING ALTIMETERS ON IFR APCHES.

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.