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Controller at dab reports ASOS observations are inaccurate and system does not keep up with changing atmospheric conditions.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 345345 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199608 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : dab |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : stl |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 23 |
| ASRS Report | 345345 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | other physical facility |
Narrative:
The ASOS WX system is unsatisfactory. It is too slow from the time the WX is observed to the time it is disseminated. In changing conditions the ASOS cannot keep up. The ASOS is also unreliable at this facility during thunderstorms. At times unreliable and unreadable data is displayed at the oid position. Today I was in the tower cabin attendant with level 4 WX at the airport. The tower visibility was 1/2 mi. The ASOS was reporting 9 mi. While attempting to augment the ASOS it went into its hourly update phase and somehow didn't get the visibility correct for about 10 mins. When lightning struck near the facility, the display at one time was unreadable with characters and symbols unrelated to WX or ATC. At another time the format was displayed in an unusual sequence making its performance questionable. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: analyst unable to contact reporter but called facility to inquire what the oid position was in the tower cabin attendant. Oid stands for operator input device and is the position where the ASOS data is displayed in the cabin attendant. It also is the place where ASOS is augmented, when necessary. Analyst was advised that NWS contract personnel have taken over the augmentation duties as of oct/xx/96.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CTLR AT DAB RPTS ASOS OBSERVATIONS ARE INACCURATE AND SYS DOES NOT KEEP UP WITH CHANGING ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS.
Narrative: THE ASOS WX SYS IS UNSATISFACTORY. IT IS TOO SLOW FROM THE TIME THE WX IS OBSERVED TO THE TIME IT IS DISSEMINATED. IN CHANGING CONDITIONS THE ASOS CANNOT KEEP UP. THE ASOS IS ALSO UNRELIABLE AT THIS FACILITY DURING TSTMS. AT TIMES UNRELIABLE AND UNREADABLE DATA IS DISPLAYED AT THE OID POS. TODAY I WAS IN THE TWR CAB WITH LEVEL 4 WX AT THE ARPT. THE TWR VISIBILITY WAS 1/2 MI. THE ASOS WAS RPTING 9 MI. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO AUGMENT THE ASOS IT WENT INTO ITS HRLY UPDATE PHASE AND SOMEHOW DIDN'T GET THE VISIBILITY CORRECT FOR ABOUT 10 MINS. WHEN LIGHTNING STRUCK NEAR THE FACILITY, THE DISPLAY AT ONE TIME WAS UNREADABLE WITH CHARACTERS AND SYMBOLS UNRELATED TO WX OR ATC. AT ANOTHER TIME THE FORMAT WAS DISPLAYED IN AN UNUSUAL SEQUENCE MAKING ITS PERFORMANCE QUESTIONABLE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: ANALYST UNABLE TO CONTACT RPTR BUT CALLED FACILITY TO INQUIRE WHAT THE OID POS WAS IN THE TWR CAB. OID STANDS FOR OPERATOR INPUT DEVICE AND IS THE POS WHERE THE ASOS DATA IS DISPLAYED IN THE CAB. IT ALSO IS THE PLACE WHERE ASOS IS AUGMENTED, WHEN NECESSARY. ANALYST WAS ADVISED THAT NWS CONTRACT PERSONNEL HAVE TAKEN OVER THE AUGMENTATION DUTIES AS OF OCT/XX/96.
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.