Length of ATIS and field condition report information.

Attributes
ACN	167598
Time
Date	199102
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bos
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16000 msl bound upper : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival star : star enroute airway : zbw
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 15500 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	167598
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

When I was getting the bos ATIS, it (the ATIS) said to get the bos field condition report and to advise approach that we had both the ATIS and fcr. After attempting to listen to it and handle normal radio communication, I told my copilot I would be off the air to get the fcr. I was amazed that it took 2:30 mins to go through the whole fcr and another 45 second to get the ATIS. It seems to me that 3:15 mins is an extremely long time to take one crew member out of the loop in a two man aircraft. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. Contacted bos TRACON in reference the reporter's complaint on the ATIS and field condition report being on separate frequency and time it took to obtain the reports. Assistant manager of training advised that they are considering in establishing two ATIS's, one for arrs and one for departures. The fcr information would be placed on the arrival ATIS. This was proposed by FAA air traffic headquarters personnel.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LENGTH OF ATIS AND FIELD CONDITION REPORT INFORMATION.

Narrative: WHEN I WAS GETTING THE BOS ATIS, IT (THE ATIS) SAID TO GET THE BOS FIELD CONDITION RPT AND TO ADVISE APCH THAT WE HAD BOTH THE ATIS AND FCR. AFTER ATTEMPTING TO LISTEN TO IT AND HANDLE NORMAL RADIO COM, I TOLD MY COPLT I WOULD BE OFF THE AIR TO GET THE FCR. I WAS AMAZED THAT IT TOOK 2:30 MINS TO GO THROUGH THE WHOLE FCR AND ANOTHER 45 SEC TO GET THE ATIS. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT 3:15 MINS IS AN EXTREMELY LONG TIME TO TAKE ONE CREW MEMBER OUT OF THE LOOP IN A TWO MAN ACFT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. CONTACTED BOS TRACON IN REFERENCE THE RPTR'S COMPLAINT ON THE ATIS AND FIELD CONDITION RPT BEING ON SEPARATE FREQ AND TIME IT TOOK TO OBTAIN THE RPTS. ASSISTANT MGR OF TRNING ADVISED THAT THEY ARE CONSIDERING IN ESTABLISHING TWO ATIS'S, ONE FOR ARRS AND ONE FOR DEPS. THE FCR INFO WOULD BE PLACED ON THE ARR ATIS. THIS WAS PROPOSED BY FAA AIR TFC HEADQUARTERS PERSONNEL.

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.