Complaint regarding the automated ATIS voice at various locations.

Attributes
ACN	363356
Time
Date	199703
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : jax
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	363356
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	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

The present computer generated voice that is being used for the automated ATIS information is not clear and understandable. Ie, 'whiskey' is pronounced 'wilky' and 'victor' is 'wictor.' some of the WX phenomena and observations are also mispronounced. This requires listening to the ATIS information 2 or more times. During an arrival into a high density area it results in diverting one's attention from flying and ATC for longer than necessary. I believe this is a 'macintosh' computerized voice of which there are several acceptable ones to choose from. A sufficient number of my fellow pilots at air carrier have expressed the same opinion. I would like to recommend that the voice be changed before it contributes to an incident due to a misunderstanding or missing an ATC function while off the frequency. This problem is more of a distraction to the GA pilot in a single piloted aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMPLAINT REGARDING THE AUTOMATED ATIS VOICE AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS.

Narrative: THE PRESENT COMPUTER GENERATED VOICE THAT IS BEING USED FOR THE AUTOMATED ATIS INFO IS NOT CLR AND UNDERSTANDABLE. IE, 'WHISKEY' IS PRONOUNCED 'WILKY' AND 'VICTOR' IS 'WICTOR.' SOME OF THE WX PHENOMENA AND OBSERVATIONS ARE ALSO MISPRONOUNCED. THIS REQUIRES LISTENING TO THE ATIS INFO 2 OR MORE TIMES. DURING AN ARR INTO A HIGH DENSITY AREA IT RESULTS IN DIVERTING ONE'S ATTN FROM FLYING AND ATC FOR LONGER THAN NECESSARY. I BELIEVE THIS IS A 'MACINTOSH' COMPUTERIZED VOICE OF WHICH THERE ARE SEVERAL ACCEPTABLE ONES TO CHOOSE FROM. A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF MY FELLOW PLTS AT ACR HAVE EXPRESSED THE SAME OPINION. I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT THE VOICE BE CHANGED BEFORE IT CONTRIBUTES TO AN INCIDENT DUE TO A MISUNDERSTANDING OR MISSING AN ATC FUNCTION WHILE OFF THE FREQ. THIS PROB IS MORE OF A DISTR TO THE GA PLT IN A SINGLE PILOTED ACFT.

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.