Small airport, windsock too small difficult to see.

Attributes
ACN	281848
Time
Date	199409
Day	Fri
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 6s5
State Reference	MT
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	281848
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

The primary windsock in the center of the airport is not a standard size. It is too small and is a dark color. It cannot be seen from any distance to find out where the wind is from. You need to fly directly over the indicator to see it. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that the airport does have windsocks and they are located properly in the segmented circle. However, they are not standard size and are hard to see from the air. Reporter's company does contract and charter work for the forest service and are in and out of these small mountain fields frequently. It is difficult to operate when unable to determine correct runway use. He has not been able to locate the airport manager when on his trips. Analyst also offered the FAA hotline number.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMALL ARPT, WINDSOCK TOO SMALL DIFFICULT TO SEE.

Narrative: THE PRIMARY WINDSOCK IN THE CTR OF THE ARPT IS NOT A STANDARD SIZE. IT IS TOO SMALL AND IS A DARK COLOR. IT CANNOT BE SEEN FROM ANY DISTANCE TO FIND OUT WHERE THE WIND IS FROM. YOU NEED TO FLY DIRECTLY OVER THE INDICATOR TO SEE IT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT THE ARPT DOES HAVE WINDSOCKS AND THEY ARE LOCATED PROPERLY IN THE SEGMENTED CIRCLE. HOWEVER, THEY ARE NOT STANDARD SIZE AND ARE HARD TO SEE FROM THE AIR. RPTR'S COMPANY DOES CONTRACT AND CHARTER WORK FOR THE FOREST SVC AND ARE IN AND OUT OF THESE SMALL MOUNTAIN FIELDS FREQUENTLY. IT IS DIFFICULT TO OPERATE WHEN UNABLE TO DETERMINE CORRECT RWY USE. HE HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO LOCATE THE ARPT MGR WHEN ON HIS TRIPS. ANALYST ALSO OFFERED THE FAA HOTLINE NUMBER.

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.