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C182 pilot complains of the AWOS system that consistently reports 10 plus NM visibility while neighboring airports are reporting far less than 10 NM visibility near gai, md.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 551810 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200206 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : gai.airport |
| State Reference | MD |
| Altitude | msl single value : 2000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal |
| Weather Elements | other |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 310 |
| ASRS Report | 551810 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | observation : observer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter other other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Facility Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor Weather Airport |
| Primary Problem | ATC Facility |
| Situations | |
| Airport | other physical facility |
Narrative:
AWOS at gai visibility consistently inaccurate. Was reporting more than 10 mi even though clearly less than 5 mi. Other airports in region reporting less than 10 mi. Repeated complaints have not resulted in action to correct problem (many other pilots have noticed). Poses safety hazard because it induces pilots to fly VFR when conditions are MVFR or even IFR. May also result in some pilots violating regulations. Similar problems affect other AWOS system, but the situation at gai is worse than most. Airport authority/authorized needs to have budget for recalibrating/fixing the AWOS system. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that the AWOS system had been replaced about 2 yrs ago. The older system was far worse in its visibility reporting but this one is still off by up to 5 NM. Reporter had planned on speaking with the airport manager regarding this new system, to see if it can't be upgraded or recalibrated. Other pilots and the airport manager are aware of this problem.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: C182 PLT COMPLAINS OF THE AWOS SYS THAT CONSISTENTLY RPTS 10 PLUS NM VISIBILITY WHILE NEIGHBORING ARPTS ARE RPTING FAR LESS THAN 10 NM VISIBILITY NEAR GAI, MD.
Narrative: AWOS AT GAI VISIBILITY CONSISTENTLY INACCURATE. WAS RPTING MORE THAN 10 MI EVEN THOUGH CLRLY LESS THAN 5 MI. OTHER ARPTS IN REGION RPTING LESS THAN 10 MI. REPEATED COMPLAINTS HAVE NOT RESULTED IN ACTION TO CORRECT PROB (MANY OTHER PLTS HAVE NOTICED). POSES SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE IT INDUCES PLTS TO FLY VFR WHEN CONDITIONS ARE MVFR OR EVEN IFR. MAY ALSO RESULT IN SOME PLTS VIOLATING REGS. SIMILAR PROBS AFFECT OTHER AWOS SYS, BUT THE SIT AT GAI IS WORSE THAN MOST. ARPT AUTH NEEDS TO HAVE BUDGET FOR RECALIBRATING/FIXING THE AWOS SYS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE AWOS SYS HAD BEEN REPLACED ABOUT 2 YRS AGO. THE OLDER SYS WAS FAR WORSE IN ITS VISIBILITY RPTING BUT THIS ONE IS STILL OFF BY UP TO 5 NM. RPTR HAD PLANNED ON SPEAKING WITH THE ARPT MGR REGARDING THIS NEW SYS, TO SEE IF IT CAN'T BE UPGRADED OR RECALIBRATED. OTHER PLTS AND THE ARPT MGR ARE AWARE OF THIS 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.