Mdw controller concerned with primary wind direction indicator being OTS and required to use back-up...

Attributes
ACN	519911
Time
Date	200107
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mdw.tower
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller limited radar : 3 controller non radar : 5 controller radar : 4
Events
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : back up wind direction indicator other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance ATC Facility Weather
Primary Problem	ATC Facility

Narrative:

On jul/xa/01, the wind direction indicators in the tower cabin attendant were taken OTS. The back-up is located in a small box in the bottom l-hand corner of the ids-4 computer monitor. This is hard to see and does not provide real time information. It is also difficult to monitor wind trends. The wind instruments need to be repaired to provide a better and safer service to pilots.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MDW CTLR CONCERNED WITH PRIMARY WIND DIRECTION INDICATOR BEING OTS AND REQUIRED TO USE BACK-UP EQUIP.

Narrative: ON JUL/XA/01, THE WIND DIRECTION INDICATORS IN THE TWR CAB WERE TAKEN OTS. THE BACK-UP IS LOCATED IN A SMALL BOX IN THE BOTTOM L-HAND CORNER OF THE IDS-4 COMPUTER MONITOR. THIS IS HARD TO SEE AND DOES NOT PROVIDE REAL TIME INFO. IT IS ALSO DIFFICULT TO MONITOR WIND TRENDS. THE WIND INSTS NEED TO BE REPAIRED TO PROVIDE A BETTER AND SAFER SVC TO PLTS.

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.

Mdw controller concerned with primary wind direction indicator being OTS and required to use back-up equipment.