Narrative:

Working in the tower cabin attendant we as controllers had wind instruments from the NWS at ground and local position. These instruments were in plain view and could be easily and swiftly read to the pilot on their request. The FAA (ATC portion) was given ASOS, the NWS moved out of cak and we as controllers, in addition to separating aircraft, are now responsible for the WX being accurate and disseminated to the user in a timely manner -- without additional manpwr. Getting back to the wind indicator mentioned earlier. The NWS decommissioned the wind instruments on jun/xx/96. We as controllers now, when a pilot requests a wind check, need to look away from the operation and look approximately 6 ft away to a display screen to see the wind (1/4 inch in size) to issue to the pilot. This in my opinion is unsafe. We are taught to keep our head on a swivel, always scan the operation outside the tower cabin attendant window. Sits can and do develop swiftly in our environment and we don't want a runway incursion or potential midair. We need the wind instruments back. As I write this the FAA doesn't even know if they or the NWS owns them, nor did the FAA technicians receive training for upkeep. Supplemental information from acn 338628: our wind instruments were turned off on us by NWS. Our staff went almost 1/2 that day not knowing that they disconnected and we were supposed to use the ASOS readings. In the radar room the ASOS monitor is at angle where you have to take full concentration off the scope to find the wind to issue it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 2 RPTRS CLAIM THAT BY REPLACING THE NWS WIND INSTS INDICATORS WITH A SMALL VIDEO SCREEN READOUT FROM ASOS HAS INCREASED ATC'S WORKLOAD AND COMPROMISES SAFETY. THEY CONTEND THAT THE ASOS SCREEN IS LOCATED TOO FAR FROM THE CTL POS AND THE PRINT IS TOO SMALL FOR EASY READING.

Narrative: WORKING IN THE TWR CAB WE AS CTLRS HAD WIND INSTS FROM THE NWS AT GND AND LCL POS. THESE INSTS WERE IN PLAIN VIEW AND COULD BE EASILY AND SWIFTLY READ TO THE PLT ON THEIR REQUEST. THE FAA (ATC PORTION) WAS GIVEN ASOS, THE NWS MOVED OUT OF CAK AND WE AS CTLRS, IN ADDITION TO SEPARATING ACFT, ARE NOW RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WX BEING ACCURATE AND DISSEMINATED TO THE USER IN A TIMELY MANNER -- WITHOUT ADDITIONAL MANPWR. GETTING BACK TO THE WIND INDICATOR MENTIONED EARLIER. THE NWS DECOMMISSIONED THE WIND INSTS ON JUN/XX/96. WE AS CTLRS NOW, WHEN A PLT REQUESTS A WIND CHK, NEED TO LOOK AWAY FROM THE OP AND LOOK APPROX 6 FT AWAY TO A DISPLAY SCREEN TO SEE THE WIND (1/4 INCH IN SIZE) TO ISSUE TO THE PLT. THIS IN MY OPINION IS UNSAFE. WE ARE TAUGHT TO KEEP OUR HEAD ON A SWIVEL, ALWAYS SCAN THE OP OUTSIDE THE TWR CAB WINDOW. SITS CAN AND DO DEVELOP SWIFTLY IN OUR ENVIRONMENT AND WE DON'T WANT A RWY INCURSION OR POTENTIAL MIDAIR. WE NEED THE WIND INSTS BACK. AS I WRITE THIS THE FAA DOESN'T EVEN KNOW IF THEY OR THE NWS OWNS THEM, NOR DID THE FAA TECHNICIANS RECEIVE TRAINING FOR UPKEEP. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 338628: OUR WIND INSTS WERE TURNED OFF ON US BY NWS. OUR STAFF WENT ALMOST 1/2 THAT DAY NOT KNOWING THAT THEY DISCONNECTED AND WE WERE SUPPOSED TO USE THE ASOS READINGS. IN THE RADAR ROOM THE ASOS MONITOR IS AT ANGLE WHERE YOU HAVE TO TAKE FULL CONCENTRATION OFF THE SCOPE TO FIND THE WIND TO ISSUE IT.

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.