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Bur controller expressed concern regarding wind equipment.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 606193 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200401 |
| Day | Tue |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : bur.airport |
| State Reference | CA |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller limited radar : 6 controller military : 6 |
| ASRS Report | 606193 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | FAA |
| Primary Problem | FAA |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | other physical facility |
Narrative:
Recently, maintenance installed stand-alone WX sensors to replace our runway 8 wind indicator. At the time of installment, the wind information was averaged every 3 seconds. It is as close to 'instantaneous' wind as the system will allow. After a month, a memo from headquarters was distributed to air traffic facilities stating that the stand-alone WX sensors will serve as a backup to the ASOS. The memo required that the average wind to be changed to a 120 second average. Thus, depriving pilots with the most current wind condition for runway 8. There is a display on the stand-alone WX sensors that gives 'instantaneous' wind, but there is no accurate indicator for wind direction. At burbank, center field wind is used to make WX observations. The stand-alone WX sensors is an indicator for runway 8. Thus, the stand-alone WX sensors cannot be served as a backup to ASOS. Pilots should be given the most current and accurate wind direction and velocity.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: BUR CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING WIND EQUIP.
Narrative: RECENTLY, MAINT INSTALLED STAND-ALONE WX SENSORS TO REPLACE OUR RWY 8 WIND INDICATOR. AT THE TIME OF INSTALLMENT, THE WIND INFO WAS AVERAGED EVERY 3 SECONDS. IT IS AS CLOSE TO 'INSTANTANEOUS' WIND AS THE SYS WILL ALLOW. AFTER A MONTH, A MEMO FROM HEADQUARTERS WAS DISTRIBUTED TO AIR TFC FACILITIES STATING THAT THE STAND-ALONE WX SENSORS WILL SERVE AS A BACKUP TO THE ASOS. THE MEMO REQUIRED THAT THE AVERAGE WIND TO BE CHANGED TO A 120 SECOND AVERAGE. THUS, DEPRIVING PLTS WITH THE MOST CURRENT WIND CONDITION FOR RWY 8. THERE IS A DISPLAY ON THE STAND-ALONE WX SENSORS THAT GIVES 'INSTANTANEOUS' WIND, BUT THERE IS NO ACCURATE INDICATOR FOR WIND DIRECTION. AT BURBANK, CTR FIELD WIND IS USED TO MAKE WX OBSERVATIONS. THE STAND-ALONE WX SENSORS IS AN INDICATOR FOR RWY 8. THUS, THE STAND-ALONE WX SENSORS CANNOT BE SERVED AS A BACKUP TO ASOS. PLTS SHOULD BE GIVEN THE MOST CURRENT AND ACCURATE WIND DIRECTION AND VELOCITY.
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.