Narrative:

The FAA has come up with a system that is going to kill pilots. I am referring to the automatic WX observation system (AWOS) that is being installed across the country. Redmond and north bend, or served as demonstration sites for this equipment june to september, 1990. Extensive input from journeymen, supervisors, mgrs, and users of this equipment deemed in unworthy of taking out of the shipping box. AWOS does not work! Specifically, WX observations have been taken at rdm by a human eye for over 50 yrs. We situation on the east side of the cascades and are influenced by pacific northwest fronts, low pressures off north california, and convective activity. WX can change rapidly. The rdm report is used by 5 surrounding airports for determining flyability. In the past, a good WX indication would be 35-45 mi on our visibility. The AWOS now carries a maximum of 10 with no remarks such as cascades obscured (we can manually enter remarks). The major problems are encountered during IFR WX, snow storms, thunderstorms, smoke, or changing conditions. Here at rdm we have (and frequently use) the capability to override the system. We had to develop our own criteria and send it to the national WX service and washington headquarters. Herein lies the problem. The FAA is installing this highly inaccurate piece of equipment at many airports that do not have certified WX observers and no override capability. It is not uncommon to pull up WX for the willamette valley, sle and eug and find IFR conditions with the cvo AWOS reporting clear below 120. This scenario can be repeated at other AWOS station. The problem is further compounded by duats. VFR pilot checks his own WX on his pc, trusts the AWOS, and is caught in IFR conditions. We have tons of documentation here at redmond. It has been forwarded through all appropriate channels to the seattle regional office and washington headquarters. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the FAA has acknowledged some problems with the AWOS system and are working to correct the problems. The documentation has been submitted to FAA and a working group has been scheduled in seattle, wa, in nov. Certified WX observers have been trained and override procedures put in place where AWOS and actual WX conditions are different. Reporter feels this should be done at all AWOS facilities. Rdm FSS is scheduled for closure in 1995.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EQUIP PROBLEM AWOS WX RPTING.

Narrative: THE FAA HAS COME UP WITH A SYS THAT IS GOING TO KILL PLTS. I AM REFERRING TO THE AUTOMATIC WX OBSERVATION SYS (AWOS) THAT IS BEING INSTALLED ACROSS THE COUNTRY. REDMOND AND NORTH BEND, OR SERVED AS DEMONSTRATION SITES FOR THIS EQUIP JUNE TO SEPTEMBER, 1990. EXTENSIVE INPUT FROM JOURNEYMEN, SUPVRS, MGRS, AND USERS OF THIS EQUIP DEEMED IN UNWORTHY OF TAKING OUT OF THE SHIPPING BOX. AWOS DOES NOT WORK! SPECIFICALLY, WX OBSERVATIONS HAVE BEEN TAKEN AT RDM BY A HUMAN EYE FOR OVER 50 YRS. WE SIT ON THE E SIDE OF THE CASCADES AND ARE INFLUENCED BY PACIFIC NW FRONTS, LOW PRESSURES OFF N CALIFORNIA, AND CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY. WX CAN CHANGE RAPIDLY. THE RDM RPT IS USED BY 5 SURROUNDING ARPTS FOR DETERMINING FLYABILITY. IN THE PAST, A GOOD WX INDICATION WOULD BE 35-45 MI ON OUR VISIBILITY. THE AWOS NOW CARRIES A MAX OF 10 WITH NO REMARKS SUCH AS CASCADES OBSCURED (WE CAN MANUALLY ENTER REMARKS). THE MAJOR PROBLEMS ARE ENCOUNTERED DURING IFR WX, SNOW STORMS, TSTMS, SMOKE, OR CHANGING CONDITIONS. HERE AT RDM WE HAVE (AND FREQUENTLY USE) THE CAPABILITY TO OVERRIDE THE SYS. WE HAD TO DEVELOP OUR OWN CRITERIA AND SEND IT TO THE NATIONAL WX SVC AND WASHINGTON HEADQUARTERS. HEREIN LIES THE PROBLEM. THE FAA IS INSTALLING THIS HIGHLY INACCURATE PIECE OF EQUIP AT MANY ARPTS THAT DO NOT HAVE CERTIFIED WX OBSERVERS AND NO OVERRIDE CAPABILITY. IT IS NOT UNCOMMON TO PULL UP WX FOR THE WILLAMETTE VALLEY, SLE AND EUG AND FIND IFR CONDITIONS WITH THE CVO AWOS RPTING CLR BELOW 120. THIS SCENARIO CAN BE REPEATED AT OTHER AWOS STATION. THE PROBLEM IS FURTHER COMPOUNDED BY DUATS. VFR PLT CHKS HIS OWN WX ON HIS PC, TRUSTS THE AWOS, AND IS CAUGHT IN IFR CONDITIONS. WE HAVE TONS OF DOCUMENTATION HERE AT REDMOND. IT HAS BEEN FORWARDED THROUGH ALL APPROPRIATE CHANNELS TO THE SEATTLE REGIONAL OFFICE AND WASHINGTON HEADQUARTERS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THE FAA HAS ACKNOWLEDGED SOME PROBLEMS WITH THE AWOS SYS AND ARE WORKING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEMS. THE DOCUMENTATION HAS BEEN SUBMITTED TO FAA AND A WORKING GROUP HAS BEEN SCHEDULED IN SEATTLE, WA, IN NOV. CERTIFIED WX OBSERVERS HAVE BEEN TRAINED AND OVERRIDE PROCS PUT IN PLACE WHERE AWOS AND ACTUAL WX CONDITIONS ARE DIFFERENT. RPTR FEELS THIS SHOULD BE DONE AT ALL AWOS FACILITIES. RDM FSS IS SCHEDULED FOR CLOSURE IN 1995.

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.