Agc controller concerned by perceived non response of facility manager over issue of WX reporting wi...

Attributes
ACN	451018
Time
Date	199910
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : agc.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Fog
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	controller limited radar : 10 controller radar : 1 controller time certified in position1 : 6 flight time total : 50
ASRS Report	451018
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : asos other controllera other other : 2
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory
Consequence	faa : investigated Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Weather FAA Airport
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

ASOS equipment is located at agc and augmented by a team of WX observers. Hourly observation was called to tower as 2 mi, VV002. Tower visibility was greater than 4 mi and no noticeable cloud cover was observed. A low fog bank was located east of airport coming off a river. Numerous aircraft reported airport in sight at 3000 ft, 8 mi from airport. PIREPS were relayed to WX observer. No changes were made to WX until next hourly report. Numerous aircraft filed IFR flight plans in the air with pit approach to get into the airport and SVFR's were issued to other aircraft causing delays. WX observers need to look out the window to supplement the ASOS equipment. The ASOS is far from being perfect. These sits occur on a regular basis and when they happen in reverse (WX worse than reported) can be a hazard to aviation safety. My tower manager, when informed of this situation, told me the answer to this problem was to not accept the WX observation and argue with the observer until he changed the observation. I do not feel that this is a workable solution. I think that the WX observers need to be trained to recognize that the ASOS equipment is not perfect and cannot be relied on 100%. Nothing beats looking out the window.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AGC CTLR CONCERNED BY PERCEIVED NON RESPONSE OF FACILITY MGR OVER ISSUE OF WX RPTING WITH NWS OBSERVER.

Narrative: ASOS EQUIP IS LOCATED AT AGC AND AUGMENTED BY A TEAM OF WX OBSERVERS. HRLY OBSERVATION WAS CALLED TO TWR AS 2 MI, VV002. TWR VISIBILITY WAS GREATER THAN 4 MI AND NO NOTICEABLE CLOUD COVER WAS OBSERVED. A LOW FOG BANK WAS LOCATED E OF ARPT COMING OFF A RIVER. NUMEROUS ACFT RPTED ARPT IN SIGHT AT 3000 FT, 8 MI FROM ARPT. PIREPS WERE RELAYED TO WX OBSERVER. NO CHANGES WERE MADE TO WX UNTIL NEXT HRLY RPT. NUMEROUS ACFT FILED IFR FLT PLANS IN THE AIR WITH PIT APCH TO GET INTO THE ARPT AND SVFR'S WERE ISSUED TO OTHER ACFT CAUSING DELAYS. WX OBSERVERS NEED TO LOOK OUT THE WINDOW TO SUPPLEMENT THE ASOS EQUIP. THE ASOS IS FAR FROM BEING PERFECT. THESE SITS OCCUR ON A REGULAR BASIS AND WHEN THEY HAPPEN IN REVERSE (WX WORSE THAN RPTED) CAN BE A HAZARD TO AVIATION SAFETY. MY TWR MGR, WHEN INFORMED OF THIS SIT, TOLD ME THE ANSWER TO THIS PROB WAS TO NOT ACCEPT THE WX OBSERVATION AND ARGUE WITH THE OBSERVER UNTIL HE CHANGED THE OBSERVATION. I DO NOT FEEL THAT THIS IS A WORKABLE SOLUTION. I THINK THAT THE WX OBSERVERS NEED TO BE TRAINED TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE ASOS EQUIP IS NOT PERFECT AND CANNOT BE RELIED ON 100%. NOTHING BEATS LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW.

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.

Agc controller concerned by perceived non response of facility manager over issue of WX reporting with NWS observer.