Narrative:

This is a report by a B737 senior captain on a questionable technique of wind reporting by maui tower (ogg). This airport is famous for strong, gusty tradewinds and surface winds. Over the past several yrs, the tower has stopped giving out the 'gust' portion of the spoken winds to aircraft (when asked to 'say winds') much of the time. I estimate that 2/3 of the time, gusts are not noted. With a GA aircraft or air carrier, an additional gust of 5-15 KTS demands additional airspeed be carried for safety on approach/landing. A typical scenario today: ATIS lists winds at 050 degrees, 17 KTS gusting to 29 KTS. When tower stated winds an hour later, upon my request, they said '050 degrees at 15 KTS.' when I said, 'say peak wind, please,' reply was: 'hard to say -- I guess 50 degrees 15 KTS gusting to 20 KTS.' last yr I telephoned this tower facility expressing my interest in their lack of gust reporting. I was informed that they felt the gusts on the ATIS were adequate. Not necessary during spoken winds. Well, in 32 yrs of aviation experience, gusts are always important to consider. I'd like to see this tower report gusts on every spoken transmission -- to alert airmen to be vigilant for surprises. Also, sometimes their ATIS omits gusts.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR STATES THAT WIND GUST INFO IS NOT GIVEN UNLESS IT IS REQUESTED. THE RPTR ALLEGES THE TWR INFORMED RPTR THAT WIND GUST INFO ON THE ATIS WAS ADEQUATE AND IMPLIED THAT IT WAS NOT NECESSARY DURING ISSUANCE OF REQUESTED WIND INFO.

Narrative: THIS IS A RPT BY A B737 SENIOR CAPT ON A QUESTIONABLE TECHNIQUE OF WIND RPTING BY MAUI TWR (OGG). THIS ARPT IS FAMOUS FOR STRONG, GUSTY TRADEWINDS AND SURFACE WINDS. OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YRS, THE TWR HAS STOPPED GIVING OUT THE 'GUST' PORTION OF THE SPOKEN WINDS TO ACFT (WHEN ASKED TO 'SAY WINDS') MUCH OF THE TIME. I ESTIMATE THAT 2/3 OF THE TIME, GUSTS ARE NOT NOTED. WITH A GA ACFT OR ACR, AN ADDITIONAL GUST OF 5-15 KTS DEMANDS ADDITIONAL AIRSPD BE CARRIED FOR SAFETY ON APCH/LNDG. A TYPICAL SCENARIO TODAY: ATIS LISTS WINDS AT 050 DEGS, 17 KTS GUSTING TO 29 KTS. WHEN TWR STATED WINDS AN HR LATER, UPON MY REQUEST, THEY SAID '050 DEGS AT 15 KTS.' WHEN I SAID, 'SAY PEAK WIND, PLEASE,' REPLY WAS: 'HARD TO SAY -- I GUESS 50 DEGS 15 KTS GUSTING TO 20 KTS.' LAST YR I TELEPHONED THIS TWR FACILITY EXPRESSING MY INTEREST IN THEIR LACK OF GUST RPTING. I WAS INFORMED THAT THEY FELT THE GUSTS ON THE ATIS WERE ADEQUATE. NOT NECESSARY DURING SPOKEN WINDS. WELL, IN 32 YRS OF AVIATION EXPERIENCE, GUSTS ARE ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER. I'D LIKE TO SEE THIS TWR RPT GUSTS ON EVERY SPOKEN XMISSION -- TO ALERT AIRMEN TO BE VIGILANT FOR SURPRISES. ALSO, SOMETIMES THEIR ATIS OMITS GUSTS.

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.