MD88 flight crew unable to understand computerized ATIS voice on arrival and on the ground.

Attributes
ACN	358200
Time
Date	199701
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 9200 flight time type : 470
ASRS Report	358200
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

The automated ATIS broadcasts, with the synthesized voice, sucks. (Scientific term.) it appears FAA went with 70's technology. It sounds like same system used in military P3 simulators for gca practice. We unaffectionately called it igor. It is just as difficult to understand now as it was 18 yrs ago. Let's use current technology or return to human voice recordings.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD88 FLC UNABLE TO UNDERSTAND COMPUTERIZED ATIS VOICE ON ARR AND ON THE GND.

Narrative: THE AUTOMATED ATIS BROADCASTS, WITH THE SYNTHESIZED VOICE, SUCKS. (SCIENTIFIC TERM.) IT APPEARS FAA WENT WITH 70'S TECHNOLOGY. IT SOUNDS LIKE SAME SYS USED IN MIL P3 SIMULATORS FOR GCA PRACTICE. WE UNAFFECTIONATELY CALLED IT IGOR. IT IS JUST AS DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND NOW AS IT WAS 18 YRS AGO. LET'S USE CURRENT TECHNOLOGY OR RETURN TO HUMAN VOICE RECORDINGS.

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.