Narrative:

Ukf has an AWOS-3. The sector does not get a readout of the WX. The only way to get the WX is to have a supervisor call a telephone number and relay the information to the sector. I was vectoring aircraft #1 for the ILS runway 1 at ukf at his request. I was on the land line, coordinating, when air carrier #1 called. I asked him to 'say again.' aircraft #1 reported the airport in sight and asked for the visual. Earlier, I had asked the pilot of aircraft #1 what the AWOS-3 was calling the WX, 1/2 mi and 4600 ft overcast. Controllers must have a plan to work airplanes safely. Rapid changes to that plan are counter productive to a safe and orderly operation. With the advent of ASOS and AWOS, controllers are becoming less and less aware of WX and how it is impacting operations. Both system are notoriously inaccurate. This situation is just compounding the problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR COMMENTS ON DIFFICULTY OBTAINING WX FROM AN AWOS-3.

Narrative: UKF HAS AN AWOS-3. THE SECTOR DOES NOT GET A READOUT OF THE WX. THE ONLY WAY TO GET THE WX IS TO HAVE A SUPVR CALL A TELEPHONE NUMBER AND RELAY THE INFO TO THE SECTOR. I WAS VECTORING ACFT #1 FOR THE ILS RWY 1 AT UKF AT HIS REQUEST. I WAS ON THE LAND LINE, COORDINATING, WHEN ACR #1 CALLED. I ASKED HIM TO 'SAY AGAIN.' ACFT #1 RPTED THE ARPT IN SIGHT AND ASKED FOR THE VISUAL. EARLIER, I HAD ASKED THE PLT OF ACFT #1 WHAT THE AWOS-3 WAS CALLING THE WX, 1/2 MI AND 4600 FT OVCST. CTLRS MUST HAVE A PLAN TO WORK AIRPLANES SAFELY. RAPID CHANGES TO THAT PLAN ARE COUNTER PRODUCTIVE TO A SAFE AND ORDERLY OP. WITH THE ADVENT OF ASOS AND AWOS, CTLRS ARE BECOMING LESS AND LESS AWARE OF WX AND HOW IT IS IMPACTING OPS. BOTH SYS ARE NOTORIOUSLY INACCURATE. THIS SIT IS JUST COMPOUNDING 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.