Narrative:

I have recently accessed the duat WX reporting system which I believe will be a great advantage to pilots and should reduce the workload of the FSS, however there seems to be 1 major flaw in the system. I have called 2 separate FAA facs, 2 separate FSS, duat and the national WX service to find out if there is a publication that will list and explain all the coded abbreviations and other pertinent data necessary to properly understand the WX and other related items. To my absolute amazement, none of the aforementioned agencies could give me the answer! One of the FAA facs recommended that I inform you since a solution would be arrived at quicker. In short, 50 pages of coded information that is not understandable to the pilot is valueless. 1 small detail of a WX forecast could mean the difference between life and death, and these forecasts are very detailed. What was beyond belief to me was that every agency I called 'passed the buck' to some other agency until it went round robin. One of the fellows from the nagl WX service said he used to have a book but couldn't find it. Whoever writes these forecasts, sigmets, significant WX, winds aloft forecasts, etc, must have some dictionary to go to to assure that they are written the same way. That code book should be available to the pilot so that this vital information is interpreted as it was written.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER NEEDS PUBLICATION OF CODED ABBREVIATIONS OF DUAT WX INFORMATION FOR INTERP AND EDUCATION.

Narrative: I HAVE RECENTLY ACCESSED THE DUAT WX RPTING SYS WHICH I BELIEVE WILL BE A GREAT ADVANTAGE TO PLTS AND SHOULD REDUCE THE WORKLOAD OF THE FSS, HOWEVER THERE SEEMS TO BE 1 MAJOR FLAW IN THE SYS. I HAVE CALLED 2 SEPARATE FAA FACS, 2 SEPARATE FSS, DUAT AND THE NATL WX SVC TO FIND OUT IF THERE IS A PUBLICATION THAT WILL LIST AND EXPLAIN ALL THE CODED ABBREVIATIONS AND OTHER PERTINENT DATA NECESSARY TO PROPERLY UNDERSTAND THE WX AND OTHER RELATED ITEMS. TO MY ABSOLUTE AMAZEMENT, NONE OF THE AFOREMENTIONED AGENCIES COULD GIVE ME THE ANSWER! ONE OF THE FAA FACS RECOMMENDED THAT I INFORM YOU SINCE A SOLUTION WOULD BE ARRIVED AT QUICKER. IN SHORT, 50 PAGES OF CODED INFO THAT IS NOT UNDERSTANDABLE TO THE PLT IS VALUELESS. 1 SMALL DETAIL OF A WX FORECAST COULD MEAN THE DIFFERENCE BTWN LIFE AND DEATH, AND THESE FORECASTS ARE VERY DETAILED. WHAT WAS BEYOND BELIEF TO ME WAS THAT EVERY AGENCY I CALLED 'PASSED THE BUCK' TO SOME OTHER AGENCY UNTIL IT WENT ROUND ROBIN. ONE OF THE FELLOWS FROM THE NAGL WX SVC SAID HE USED TO HAVE A BOOK BUT COULDN'T FIND IT. WHOEVER WRITES THESE FORECASTS, SIGMETS, SIGNIFICANT WX, WINDS ALOFT FORECASTS, ETC, MUST HAVE SOME DICTIONARY TO GO TO TO ASSURE THAT THEY ARE WRITTEN THE SAME WAY. THAT CODE BOOK SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO THE PLT SO THAT THIS VITAL INFO IS INTERPRETED AS IT WAS WRITTEN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.