Narrative:

I, a professional pilot, fly frequently in my own aircraft, many times IFR to lwm. Since the controller tower opened in the early 1980's, there has never been temperature or dewpoint information on the ATIS. I have called the FAA on 2 occasions and AOPA, but all I was told is that the budget did not include the temperature equipment, and furthermore, the FAA did not see it necessary. I am urging you to investigate this unsafe condition at lwm, as this airport sits within the coastal influence of the atlantic ocean and very often fogs in during the early evening with no warning (no temperature-dewpoint). Winter flying is equally hazardous during periods of freezing precipitation. The FAA will be the first to violate the PIC who doesn't get a proper preflight briefing when he/she is caught in fog or icing, but fails to provide one of the most basic WX tools there. Perhaps far 7110.65 may require this equipment there. Ps: lwm has FBO's with turbine equipment and hosted president bush last yr with an medium large transport. I know engine anti-ice and EPR settings are predicated on field temperature. I'm surprised others haven't brought this to your attention. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states an FAA rep he spoke to was airport maintenance and facs personnel who was not a pilot. He did not understand the importance of such equipment. Reporter feels rapid changes with fog developing indicate a definite need for temperature and dewpoint information. Even when flying into non tower airports as a commuter pilot, there was authority/authorized WX observer to give temperature and dewpoint information. Feels FAA is failing the aviation community.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR PLT WHO IS ALSO A GA PLT COMPLAINS ABOUT LACK OF TEMPERATURE AND DEWPOINT INFORMATION ON ATIS.

Narrative: I, A PROFESSIONAL PLT, FLY FREQUENTLY IN MY OWN ACFT, MANY TIMES IFR TO LWM. SINCE THE CTLR TWR OPENED IN THE EARLY 1980'S, THERE HAS NEVER BEEN TEMP OR DEWPOINT INFO ON THE ATIS. I HAVE CALLED THE FAA ON 2 OCCASIONS AND AOPA, BUT ALL I WAS TOLD IS THAT THE BUDGET DID NOT INCLUDE THE TEMP EQUIP, AND FURTHERMORE, THE FAA DID NOT SEE IT NECESSARY. I AM URGING YOU TO INVESTIGATE THIS UNSAFE CONDITION AT LWM, AS THIS ARPT SITS WITHIN THE COASTAL INFLUENCE OF THE ATLANTIC OCEAN AND VERY OFTEN FOGS IN DURING THE EARLY EVENING WITH NO WARNING (NO TEMP-DEWPOINT). WINTER FLYING IS EQUALLY HAZARDOUS DURING PERIODS OF FREEZING PRECIPITATION. THE FAA WILL BE THE FIRST TO VIOLATE THE PIC WHO DOESN'T GET A PROPER PREFLT BRIEFING WHEN HE/SHE IS CAUGHT IN FOG OR ICING, BUT FAILS TO PROVIDE ONE OF THE MOST BASIC WX TOOLS THERE. PERHAPS FAR 7110.65 MAY REQUIRE THIS EQUIP THERE. PS: LWM HAS FBO'S WITH TURBINE EQUIP AND HOSTED PRESIDENT BUSH LAST YR WITH AN MLG. I KNOW ENG ANTI-ICE AND EPR SETTINGS ARE PREDICATED ON FIELD TEMP. I'M SURPRISED OTHERS HAVEN'T BROUGHT THIS TO YOUR ATTN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES AN FAA REP HE SPOKE TO WAS ARPT MAINT AND FACS PERSONNEL WHO WAS NOT A PLT. HE DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF SUCH EQUIP. RPTR FEELS RAPID CHANGES WITH FOG DEVELOPING INDICATE A DEFINITE NEED FOR TEMP AND DEWPOINT INFO. EVEN WHEN FLYING INTO NON TWR ARPTS AS A COMMUTER PLT, THERE WAS AUTH WX OBSERVER TO GIVE TEMP AND DEWPOINT INFO. FEELS FAA IS FAILING THE AVIATION COMMUNITY.

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.