Narrative:

The normal method of obtaining WX products has been compromised at burlington tower (btv). Ordinarily, all WX information is transmitted to the facility via the system atlanta information display system (saids). However, the NWS input to this system failed on nov/xa/98. This has the adverse effect of an increased workload on the air traffic controllers at btv. The only source of current WX information is now a single monitor screen (called the operator interface device, or oid) located in the rear of the tower cabin attendant. The operator interface device interfaces with the airport's ASOS. The ground controller must physically walk to the back of the tower, copy the WX data to a sheet of paper, walk back across the tower to the saids input device, and manually xfer the WX data from the paper copy to the saids, increasing the chance for error by a factor of 4. Until this xfer has been accomplished, there is absolutely no source of current WX in the associated TRACON. Consequently, since the priority of xferring the WX data is secondary to the safe movement of aircraft on the airport, there is a delay in current WX information reaching the approach controller working in the TRACON. This has an adverse effect on transmitting the updated WX information to arriving pilots, who are dependent on ATC for the latest WX data. Additionally, this arrangement provides only for the receipt of the aviation routine WX report (metar) and the aviation selected special WX report (speci). There is no provision for obtaining aerodrome forecast (taf). Without placing an additional burden on the NWS or the burlington AFSS, it is impossible for controllers to effect appropriate position relief briefings, a part of which requires knowledge of the aerodrome forecast contents. Also, this mode requires that the ASOS operator interface device be set to sound a repetitive alarm 50-60 times every time a new WX product is in the process of being constructed and then again another 50-60 times when the WX product is transmitted. Contrast this to 1 3-SECOND alarm from the system atlanta information display system when it is functioning correctly. This is an unacceptable situation which must be rectified in order to ensure the highest level of safety to the flying public.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE APCH CTL RPTR STATES THAT THE BTV TWR METHOD OF RECEIVING WX DATA FROM NWS FAILED. APPARENTLY AN INTERIM METHOD WAS PUT INTO USE BUT IS CAUSING EXTRA WORKLOAD, AND IS NOT AS GOOD.

Narrative: THE NORMAL METHOD OF OBTAINING WX PRODUCTS HAS BEEN COMPROMISED AT BURLINGTON TWR (BTV). ORDINARILY, ALL WX INFO IS XMITTED TO THE FACILITY VIA THE SYS ATLANTA INFO DISPLAY SYS (SAIDS). HOWEVER, THE NWS INPUT TO THIS SYS FAILED ON NOV/XA/98. THIS HAS THE ADVERSE EFFECT OF AN INCREASED WORKLOAD ON THE AIR TFC CTLRS AT BTV. THE ONLY SOURCE OF CURRENT WX INFO IS NOW A SINGLE MONITOR SCREEN (CALLED THE OPERATOR INTERFACE DEVICE, OR OID) LOCATED IN THE REAR OF THE TWR CAB. THE OPERATOR INTERFACE DEVICE INTERFACES WITH THE ARPT'S ASOS. THE GND CTLR MUST PHYSICALLY WALK TO THE BACK OF THE TWR, COPY THE WX DATA TO A SHEET OF PAPER, WALK BACK ACROSS THE TWR TO THE SAIDS INPUT DEVICE, AND MANUALLY XFER THE WX DATA FROM THE PAPER COPY TO THE SAIDS, INCREASING THE CHANCE FOR ERROR BY A FACTOR OF 4. UNTIL THIS XFER HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED, THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO SOURCE OF CURRENT WX IN THE ASSOCIATED TRACON. CONSEQUENTLY, SINCE THE PRIORITY OF XFERRING THE WX DATA IS SECONDARY TO THE SAFE MOVEMENT OF ACFT ON THE ARPT, THERE IS A DELAY IN CURRENT WX INFO REACHING THE APCH CTLR WORKING IN THE TRACON. THIS HAS AN ADVERSE EFFECT ON XMITTING THE UPDATED WX INFO TO ARRIVING PLTS, WHO ARE DEPENDENT ON ATC FOR THE LATEST WX DATA. ADDITIONALLY, THIS ARRANGEMENT PROVIDES ONLY FOR THE RECEIPT OF THE AVIATION ROUTINE WX RPT (METAR) AND THE AVIATION SELECTED SPECIAL WX RPT (SPECI). THERE IS NO PROVISION FOR OBTAINING AERODROME FORECAST (TAF). WITHOUT PLACING AN ADDITIONAL BURDEN ON THE NWS OR THE BURLINGTON AFSS, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR CTLRS TO EFFECT APPROPRIATE POS RELIEF BRIEFINGS, A PART OF WHICH REQUIRES KNOWLEDGE OF THE AERODROME FORECAST CONTENTS. ALSO, THIS MODE REQUIRES THAT THE ASOS OPERATOR INTERFACE DEVICE BE SET TO SOUND A REPETITIVE ALARM 50-60 TIMES EVERY TIME A NEW WX PRODUCT IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING CONSTRUCTED AND THEN AGAIN ANOTHER 50-60 TIMES WHEN THE WX PRODUCT IS XMITTED. CONTRAST THIS TO 1 3-SECOND ALARM FROM THE SYS ATLANTA INFO DISPLAY SYS WHEN IT IS FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY. THIS IS AN UNACCEPTABLE SIT WHICH MUST BE RECTIFIED IN ORDER TO ENSURE THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF SAFETY TO THE FLYING PUBLIC.

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.