Pilot concerned about a weak VOR signal and lack of radar in the lafayette area.

Attributes
ACN	146259
Time
Date	199005
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : eon
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zau
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	146259
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

Unable to receive peotone VOR at 5000'. Cleared to vages. This happens every time we fly from ord to laf. Also, numerous aircraft flying VFR in area in marginal conditions. Radar approach would eliminate virtually all problems around laf. Perhaps ZID could provide radar service. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. Reporter stated that his company has about 30 aircraft and this particular VOR is weak to all aircraft. The VOR receiver is located below the nose of each aircraft. Most of the problem exist when aircraft is flying away from the VOR site. Inbound to the VOR the signal is much better. He has reported the VOR receiver problem to his company and to FAA controllers. He has not contacted FAA management to resolve the issue. Reporter is very concerned about the lack of radar in the lafayette, in, area. The area is student training for the purdue university folks. He has contacted local FAA officials and they told him that FAA will not install radar until a problem is idented. He stated for us to look for many more reports in the future from his company pilots. Apparently local FAA folks are encouraging pilots to file reports.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT CONCERNED ABOUT A WEAK VOR SIGNAL AND LACK OF RADAR IN THE LAFAYETTE AREA.

Narrative: UNABLE TO RECEIVE PEOTONE VOR AT 5000'. CLRED TO VAGES. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME WE FLY FROM ORD TO LAF. ALSO, NUMEROUS ACFT FLYING VFR IN AREA IN MARGINAL CONDITIONS. RADAR APCH WOULD ELIMINATE VIRTUALLY ALL PROBS AROUND LAF. PERHAPS ZID COULD PROVIDE RADAR SVC. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. RPTR STATED THAT HIS COMPANY HAS ABOUT 30 ACFT AND THIS PARTICULAR VOR IS WEAK TO ALL ACFT. THE VOR RECEIVER IS LOCATED BELOW THE NOSE OF EACH ACFT. MOST OF THE PROB EXIST WHEN ACFT IS FLYING AWAY FROM THE VOR SITE. INBND TO THE VOR THE SIGNAL IS MUCH BETTER. HE HAS RPTED THE VOR RECEIVER PROB TO HIS COMPANY AND TO FAA CTLRS. HE HAS NOT CONTACTED FAA MGMNT TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE. RPTR IS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE LACK OF RADAR IN THE LAFAYETTE, IN, AREA. THE AREA IS STUDENT TRNING FOR THE PURDUE UNIVERSITY FOLKS. HE HAS CONTACTED LCL FAA OFFICIALS AND THEY TOLD HIM THAT FAA WILL NOT INSTALL RADAR UNTIL A PROB IS IDENTED. HE STATED FOR US TO LOOK FOR MANY MORE RPTS IN THE FUTURE FROM HIS COMPANY PLTS. APPARENTLY LCL FAA FOLKS ARE ENCOURAGING PLTS TO FILE RPTS.

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.