Tower controller concerned with ASOS WX equipment placement at south end of airport. Reporter cites as much as 50 degree wind difference from the mid-field sensor, and a 2 mi physical location difference. Controller believes users may be confused when accessing observation information and ASOS should be co-located with the mid-field equipment.

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Attributes
ACN	390746
Time
Date	199801
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fai
State Reference	AK
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 10 controller radar : 2 flight time total : 90
ASRS Report	390746
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

ASOS installation: wind instrument installed at south end of airport in partially sheltered location. Differs by 50 degrees or more during northwest winds when compared to mid-field wind sensors. Additionally, this sensor is approximately 2 mi from the approach end of runway 19R/19L. I believe this instrument does not give a good representation of wind conditions. Tower and approach have direct reading instruments from the mid-field sensor, which I believe is the best location. Two issues arise here: first the WX service intends to decommission the mid- field sensor now that ASOS is on-line. Second, the official WX observation uses the ASOS instrument for the WX sequence presently, which is a source of confusion for many users.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TWR CTLR CONCERNED WITH ASOS WX EQUIP PLACEMENT AT S END OF ARPT. RPTR CITES AS MUCH AS 50 DEG WIND DIFFERENCE FROM THE MID-FIELD SENSOR, AND A 2 MI PHYSICAL LOCATION DIFFERENCE. CTLR BELIEVES USERS MAY BE CONFUSED WHEN ACCESSING OBSERVATION INFO AND ASOS SHOULD BE CO-LOCATED WITH THE MID-FIELD EQUIP.

Narrative: ASOS INSTALLATION: WIND INST INSTALLED AT S END OF ARPT IN PARTIALLY SHELTERED LOCATION. DIFFERS BY 50 DEGS OR MORE DURING NW WINDS WHEN COMPARED TO MID-FIELD WIND SENSORS. ADDITIONALLY, THIS SENSOR IS APPROX 2 MI FROM THE APCH END OF RWY 19R/19L. I BELIEVE THIS INST DOES NOT GIVE A GOOD REPRESENTATION OF WIND CONDITIONS. TWR AND APCH HAVE DIRECT READING INSTS FROM THE MID-FIELD SENSOR, WHICH I BELIEVE IS THE BEST LOCATION. TWO ISSUES ARISE HERE: FIRST THE WX SVC INTENDS TO DECOMMISSION THE MID- FIELD SENSOR NOW THAT ASOS IS ON-LINE. SECOND, THE OFFICIAL WX OBSERVATION USES THE ASOS INST FOR THE WX SEQUENCE PRESENTLY, WHICH IS A SOURCE OF CONFUSION FOR MANY USERS.

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.