Cpr pilot complaint regarding length of ATIS. Claims too much information given.

Attributes
ACN	253149
Time
Date	199310
Day	Tue
Place
Locale Reference	airport : elp
State Reference	TX
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : elp
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 15000
ASRS Report	253149
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Automatic terminal information service (ATIS) the elp ATIS is excessive in length -- 1 min and 40 seconds long. It frequently takes several tries to copy and adds to cockpit workload. This frustrates pilots and controllers alike. What happened to NOTAMS? Figure 3 mins to copy, we've traveled 15-20 mi and have at times missed calls from ATC. I talked with tower chief, he said the city determines content. Talked with city (airport). They said the tower determines content. What gives? I will bet that elp has the distinction of having the nation's longest ATIS. Any takers? Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states yes, there is construction going on. It has been this way for over a yr and he is told another yr will pass before completion. Says controllers are as frustrated as pilot. States other airports have used a comment that 'numerous construction areas, use caution.' problem with referring pilots to ground for more information is that elp frequently uses 1 man, single frequency procedure. Reporter has talked with ATC personnel enough that they are checking with abq who has had construction problems as well.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CPR PLT COMPLAINT REGARDING LENGTH OF ATIS. CLAIMS TOO MUCH INFO GIVEN.

Narrative: AUTOMATIC TERMINAL INFO SVC (ATIS) THE ELP ATIS IS EXCESSIVE IN LENGTH -- 1 MIN AND 40 SECONDS LONG. IT FREQUENTLY TAKES SEVERAL TRIES TO COPY AND ADDS TO COCKPIT WORKLOAD. THIS FRUSTRATES PLTS AND CTLRS ALIKE. WHAT HAPPENED TO NOTAMS? FIGURE 3 MINS TO COPY, WE'VE TRAVELED 15-20 MI AND HAVE AT TIMES MISSED CALLS FROM ATC. I TALKED WITH TWR CHIEF, HE SAID THE CITY DETERMINES CONTENT. TALKED WITH CITY (ARPT). THEY SAID THE TWR DETERMINES CONTENT. WHAT GIVES? I WILL BET THAT ELP HAS THE DISTINCTION OF HAVING THE NATION'S LONGEST ATIS. ANY TAKERS? CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES YES, THERE IS CONSTRUCTION GOING ON. IT HAS BEEN THIS WAY FOR OVER A YR AND HE IS TOLD ANOTHER YR WILL PASS BEFORE COMPLETION. SAYS CTLRS ARE AS FRUSTRATED AS PLT. STATES OTHER ARPTS HAVE USED A COMMENT THAT 'NUMEROUS CONSTRUCTION AREAS, USE CAUTION.' PROB WITH REFERRING PLTS TO GND FOR MORE INFO IS THAT ELP FREQUENTLY USES 1 MAN, SINGLE FREQ PROC. RPTR HAS TALKED WITH ATC PERSONNEL ENOUGH THAT THEY ARE CHKING WITH ABQ WHO HAS HAD CONSTRUCTION PROBS AS WELL.

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.