Narrative:

The msp ATIS broadcast is excessively long to listen to for departure and arrival. It takes on average 1 min 35 seconds to listen to the ATIS. When listening on the ground for departure, it is more of just an inconvenience, but on the arrival, it is very time consuming. The airport WX conditions take about 30 seconds, which is typical of most airports, but after that, it is all the airport runway construction notices, taxiway closures, NOTAMS, available runway lengths, runways that do and do not cross and so on. Usually you do not tune into the ATIS as it is starting which requires you to listen to it until it starts over which has now taken about 2 1/2 mins. In a 2 person crew, this is usually accomplished by the PNF which leaves the PF busy in a terminal environment flying and talking with ATC. When the WX is bad and the conditions are changing rapidly, it may require the PNF to be off several times on the arrival for a while which has resulted in many missed calls when both pilots are busy. I am sure the single pilot is very busy trying to aviate and communicate while listening to this overly long message on the ATIS. These NOTAMS that have been out now for over 2 months should be available through FSS and not be on the ATIS. Msp has 2 ATIS frequencys, departure and arrival, which contain the same information. I suggest that if they must transmit such a long broadcast that they take 1 frequency and use it for the airport WX and pertinent information and use the other frequency for the NOTAMS on construction and all the other information that is congesting the ATIS. That would allow those of us who are familiar with the NOTAMS to be able to quickly get the information we need without delay and those who do need it can still access it on the other frequency.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO OF A SAAB SF340 SF34L COMPLAINS THAT THE ATIS CONTAINS TOO MUCH ARPT INFO MAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN TOO LONG AND DELAYING OTHER IMPORTANT FLT DUTIES.

Narrative: THE MSP ATIS BROADCAST IS EXCESSIVELY LONG TO LISTEN TO FOR DEP AND ARR. IT TAKES ON AVERAGE 1 MIN 35 SECONDS TO LISTEN TO THE ATIS. WHEN LISTENING ON THE GND FOR DEP, IT IS MORE OF JUST AN INCONVENIENCE, BUT ON THE ARR, IT IS VERY TIME CONSUMING. THE ARPT WX CONDITIONS TAKE ABOUT 30 SECONDS, WHICH IS TYPICAL OF MOST ARPTS, BUT AFTER THAT, IT IS ALL THE ARPT RWY CONSTRUCTION NOTICES, TXWY CLOSURES, NOTAMS, AVAILABLE RWY LENGTHS, RWYS THAT DO AND DO NOT CROSS AND SO ON. USUALLY YOU DO NOT TUNE INTO THE ATIS AS IT IS STARTING WHICH REQUIRES YOU TO LISTEN TO IT UNTIL IT STARTS OVER WHICH HAS NOW TAKEN ABOUT 2 1/2 MINS. IN A 2 PERSON CREW, THIS IS USUALLY ACCOMPLISHED BY THE PNF WHICH LEAVES THE PF BUSY IN A TERMINAL ENVIRONMENT FLYING AND TALKING WITH ATC. WHEN THE WX IS BAD AND THE CONDITIONS ARE CHANGING RAPIDLY, IT MAY REQUIRE THE PNF TO BE OFF SEVERAL TIMES ON THE ARR FOR A WHILE WHICH HAS RESULTED IN MANY MISSED CALLS WHEN BOTH PLTS ARE BUSY. I AM SURE THE SINGLE PLT IS VERY BUSY TRYING TO AVIATE AND COMMUNICATE WHILE LISTENING TO THIS OVERLY LONG MESSAGE ON THE ATIS. THESE NOTAMS THAT HAVE BEEN OUT NOW FOR OVER 2 MONTHS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE THROUGH FSS AND NOT BE ON THE ATIS. MSP HAS 2 ATIS FREQS, DEP AND ARR, WHICH CONTAIN THE SAME INFO. I SUGGEST THAT IF THEY MUST XMIT SUCH A LONG BROADCAST THAT THEY TAKE 1 FREQ AND USE IT FOR THE ARPT WX AND PERTINENT INFO AND USE THE OTHER FREQ FOR THE NOTAMS ON CONSTRUCTION AND ALL THE OTHER INFO THAT IS CONGESTING THE ATIS. THAT WOULD ALLOW THOSE OF US WHO ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE NOTAMS TO BE ABLE TO QUICKLY GET THE INFO WE NEED WITHOUT DELAY AND THOSE WHO DO NEED IT CAN STILL ACCESS IT ON THE OTHER FREQ.

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.