Narrative:

The reason for making numerous selections on the reverse side of this form is to show that there is no 1 or 2 elements involved in the unsafe conditions in alaska with the AWOS/ASOS program. Currently, when 1 or more reporting elements of an observation are incorrect, the FAA will not pull the observation off of the transmitting modes. Incorrect data is still available over FAA service a (WX line) phone and frequencys. It is sometimes reporting IFR when really VFR, and even worse, will report VFR when conditions are IFR. 2 unsafe condition reports have been filed against the agency over this in the last 14 months and the FAA will not even respond. Briefers, pilots and passenger using the system are at great risk in these conditions. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: asked if the AWOS/ASOS is transmitting incorrect elements, can these be manually fixed from their facility? Reporter indicated that they do not have that capability. What they do, if they receive a PIREP that indicates the information at a particular location is not correct, the facility will call the airways facility maintenance coordination center position at zan and inform them of the problem. Reporter said that most of the sites can be fixed remotely, while others need someone to travel to the site. Reporter stated that, what really happens is after the call is made to the maintenance coordination center, nothing seems to get done, the incorrect data continues to be transmitted. If the maintenance coordination center can't fix it, then the procedure is to NOTAM the site OTS until it's repaired. According to the reporter, this is rarely done. Reporter claims this problem exists throughout the alaska region. Reporter said that this situation has generated ucr's. Reporter also claims that the atm of the facility and the regional office has been asked to help, the response has been inconclusive.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR STATES THAT AWOS ASOS EQUIP XMITS INCORRECT READINGS. RPTR ALLEGES THAT FAA WILL NOT STOP THIS INFO FROM BEING XMITTED.

Narrative: THE REASON FOR MAKING NUMEROUS SELECTIONS ON THE REVERSE SIDE OF THIS FORM IS TO SHOW THAT THERE IS NO 1 OR 2 ELEMENTS INVOLVED IN THE UNSAFE CONDITIONS IN ALASKA WITH THE AWOS/ASOS PROGRAM. CURRENTLY, WHEN 1 OR MORE RPTING ELEMENTS OF AN OBSERVATION ARE INCORRECT, THE FAA WILL NOT PULL THE OBSERVATION OFF OF THE XMITTING MODES. INCORRECT DATA IS STILL AVAILABLE OVER FAA SVC A (WX LINE) PHONE AND FREQS. IT IS SOMETIMES RPTING IFR WHEN REALLY VFR, AND EVEN WORSE, WILL RPT VFR WHEN CONDITIONS ARE IFR. 2 UNSAFE CONDITION RPTS HAVE BEEN FILED AGAINST THE AGENCY OVER THIS IN THE LAST 14 MONTHS AND THE FAA WILL NOT EVEN RESPOND. BRIEFERS, PLTS AND PAX USING THE SYS ARE AT GREAT RISK IN THESE CONDITIONS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: ASKED IF THE AWOS/ASOS IS XMITTING INCORRECT ELEMENTS, CAN THESE BE MANUALLY FIXED FROM THEIR FACILITY? RPTR INDICATED THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE THAT CAPABILITY. WHAT THEY DO, IF THEY RECEIVE A PIREP THAT INDICATES THE INFO AT A PARTICULAR LOCATION IS NOT CORRECT, THE FACILITY WILL CALL THE AIRWAYS FACILITY MAINT COORD CTR POS AT ZAN AND INFORM THEM OF THE PROB. RPTR SAID THAT MOST OF THE SITES CAN BE FIXED REMOTELY, WHILE OTHERS NEED SOMEONE TO TRAVEL TO THE SITE. RPTR STATED THAT, WHAT REALLY HAPPENS IS AFTER THE CALL IS MADE TO THE MAINT COORD CTR, NOTHING SEEMS TO GET DONE, THE INCORRECT DATA CONTINUES TO BE XMITTED. IF THE MAINT COORD CTR CAN'T FIX IT, THEN THE PROC IS TO NOTAM THE SITE OTS UNTIL IT'S REPAIRED. ACCORDING TO THE RPTR, THIS IS RARELY DONE. RPTR CLAIMS THIS PROB EXISTS THROUGHOUT THE ALASKA REGION. RPTR SAID THAT THIS SIT HAS GENERATED UCR'S. RPTR ALSO CLAIMS THAT THE ATM OF THE FACILITY AND THE REGIONAL OFFICE HAS BEEN ASKED TO HELP, THE RESPONSE HAS BEEN INCONCLUSIVE.

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.