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Tower controller at fai complains of difference in actual visual WX and that reported by ASOS equipment. The two differ as much as 180 degrees at times.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 403854 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199805 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : fai |
| State Reference | AK |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : non radar |
| Experience | controller military : 4 controller radar : 15 |
| ASRS Report | 403854 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | other physical facility procedure or policy : unspecified |
Narrative:
ASOS wind continuously contradictory to tower wind indicators. 12000 ft runway showing only one mid-field wind indicator. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states he believes the location of the ASOS equipment is the problem. It is at the south end of the airport approximately 7/8 to a mile from the tower and in a fairly sheltered area. The ASOS can report a 180 degree difference in wind direction and sometimes the velocity is not at all compatible. The ASOS may indicate 10 KTS when the airport indications are dead calm. The controllers frequently are requested to issue winds by aircraft on approach since the ATIS gives different information than the ASOS. Reporter indicates he is not the only controller who notices the problem.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: TWR CTLR AT FAI COMPLAINS OF DIFFERENCE IN ACTUAL VISUAL WX AND THAT REPORTED BY ASOS EQUIP. THE TWO DIFFER AS MUCH AS 180 DEGREES AT TIMES.
Narrative: ASOS WIND CONTINUOUSLY CONTRADICTORY TO TWR WIND INDICATORS. 12000 FT RWY SHOWING ONLY ONE MID-FIELD WIND INDICATOR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES HE BELIEVES THE LOCATION OF THE ASOS EQUIP IS THE PROBLEM. IT IS AT THE S END OF THE ARPT APPROX 7/8 TO A MILE FROM THE TWR AND IN A FAIRLY SHELTERED AREA. THE ASOS CAN REPORT A 180 DEGREE DIFFERENCE IN WIND DIRECTION AND SOMETIMES THE VELOCITY IS NOT AT ALL COMPATIBLE. THE ASOS MAY INDICATE 10 KTS WHEN THE ARPT INDICATIONS ARE DEAD CALM. THE CTLRS FREQUENTLY ARE REQUESTED TO ISSUE WINDS BY ACFT ON APCH SINCE THE ATIS GIVES DIFFERENT INFO THAN THE ASOS. RPTR INDICATES HE IS NOT THE ONLY CTLR WHO NOTICES THE PROB.
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.