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ATCT controller concerned about the location of the wind instruments on the airport. Says tower has an evacuate/evacuation wind speed of 70 KTS, but wind indicators are located on the ground 200 ft below tower and feels that this is not a realistic indication of winds at the tower cabin attendant ht.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 361254 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199702 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : dtw |
| State Reference | MI |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : non radar |
| Experience | controller military : 5 controller non radar : 5 |
| ASRS Report | 361254 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | other physical facility |
Narrative:
Tower windspeed evacuate/evacuation is 70 KTS. The tower instruments are located on the ground. The windows in the tower are over 200 ft above ground. On numerous occasions I have asked aircraft on final for winds aloft reports. It's not unusual to get windspeed differences of 20-30 KTS within 200 ft. When we receive high winds we cannot be sure of what the windspeed is at tower level. If the winds on the ground are at 50 KTS then it is possible winds at tower level could be over 70 KTS. I recommend a tower level windspeed sensor be added. It could be a simple analog dial or something tied into tdwr. I feel we need accurate information available on this safety issue.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ATCT CTLR CONCERNED ABOUT THE LOCATION OF THE WIND INSTS ON THE ARPT. SAYS TWR HAS AN EVAC WIND SPD OF 70 KTS, BUT WIND INDICATORS ARE LOCATED ON THE GND 200 FT BELOW TWR AND FEELS THAT THIS IS NOT A REALISTIC INDICATION OF WINDS AT THE TWR CAB HT.
Narrative: TWR WINDSPEED EVAC IS 70 KTS. THE TWR INSTS ARE LOCATED ON THE GND. THE WINDOWS IN THE TWR ARE OVER 200 FT ABOVE GND. ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS I HAVE ASKED ACFT ON FINAL FOR WINDS ALOFT RPTS. IT'S NOT UNUSUAL TO GET WINDSPEED DIFFERENCES OF 20-30 KTS WITHIN 200 FT. WHEN WE RECEIVE HIGH WINDS WE CANNOT BE SURE OF WHAT THE WINDSPEED IS AT TWR LEVEL. IF THE WINDS ON THE GND ARE AT 50 KTS THEN IT IS POSSIBLE WINDS AT TWR LEVEL COULD BE OVER 70 KTS. I RECOMMEND A TWR LEVEL WINDSPEED SENSOR BE ADDED. IT COULD BE A SIMPLE ANALOG DIAL OR SOMETHING TIED INTO TDWR. I FEEL WE NEED ACCURATE INFO AVAILABLE ON THIS SAFETY ISSUE.
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.