Improper location of WX reporting equipment ASOS.

Attributes
ACN	322238
Time
Date	199510
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : frg
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : flight data
Qualification	controller : non radar
Experience	controller military : 3 controller radar : 12 controller supervisory : 2
ASRS Report	322238
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

In oct/95 installation of an ASOS was initiated at republic airport, farmingdale, ny. This installation was begun without any apparent regard for the accuracy of reports it will eventually transmit. Its present position shields certain sensors from the elements of aviation WX it is supposed to report. It is also on the movement area of the airport and as such it presents a collision hazard for hover taxiing helicopters. Without calling into question the accuracy of the system had it been properly installed, I am concerned about false wind readings which are all but guaranteed by positioning it in an area where it will be shielded by buildings when the wind is out of the north quadrant. As an air traffic controller who may have to base runway in use decisions on this equipment I feel my concern for the safety of the flying public whom I serve justifies an investigation into this matter. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated tower controllers are larws certified and will continue to augment ASOS WX when it is commissioned. Tower has ctrfield wind indicators which could be used for wind direction and velocity if they are not removed when ASOS is commissioned.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IMPROPER LOCATION OF WX RPTING EQUIP ASOS.

Narrative: IN OCT/95 INSTALLATION OF AN ASOS WAS INITIATED AT REPUBLIC ARPT, FARMINGDALE, NY. THIS INSTALLATION WAS BEGUN WITHOUT ANY APPARENT REGARD FOR THE ACCURACY OF RPTS IT WILL EVENTUALLY XMIT. ITS PRESENT POS SHIELDS CERTAIN SENSORS FROM THE ELEMENTS OF AVIATION WX IT IS SUPPOSED TO RPT. IT IS ALSO ON THE MOVEMENT AREA OF THE ARPT AND AS SUCH IT PRESENTS A COLLISION HAZARD FOR HOVER TAXIING HELIS. WITHOUT CALLING INTO QUESTION THE ACCURACY OF THE SYS HAD IT BEEN PROPERLY INSTALLED, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT FALSE WIND READINGS WHICH ARE ALL BUT GUARANTEED BY POSITIONING IT IN AN AREA WHERE IT WILL BE SHIELDED BY BUILDINGS WHEN THE WIND IS OUT OF THE N QUADRANT. AS AN AIR TFC CTLR WHO MAY HAVE TO BASE RWY IN USE DECISIONS ON THIS EQUIP I FEEL MY CONCERN FOR THE SAFETY OF THE FLYING PUBLIC WHOM I SERVE JUSTIFIES AN INVESTIGATION INTO THIS MATTER. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED TWR CTLRS ARE LARWS CERTIFIED AND WILL CONTINUE TO AUGMENT ASOS WX WHEN IT IS COMMISSIONED. TWR HAS CTRFIELD WIND INDICATORS WHICH COULD BE USED FOR WIND DIRECTION AND VELOCITY IF THEY ARE NOT REMOVED WHEN ASOS IS COMMISSIONED.

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.