Cvg controller expressed concern regarding ATIS wind information.

Attributes
ACN	614226
Time
Date	200404
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cvg.airport
State Reference	KY
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cvg.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Experience	flight time total : 280
ASRS Report	614226
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : supervisor
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Weather Airport ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

Calm wind at cvg is south runways. There is considerable pressure to stay south due to noise abatement concerns and longer taxi times when north. Currently, the direct taxiway to runway 36L is closed, so even more pressure not to change to a runway 36 operation because of the taxi route. While working clearance delivery/flight data combined, I was told that a pilot informed approach the winds on the ATIS (020 degrees at 10 KTS, gusting to 15 KTS) did not allow him to make a legal approach. The controller in charge told me to change the ATIS wind to our currently displayed wind. When I told him I would do that if he put the order on a recorded line, he changed it himself. I do not feel this is a safe operating practice. Controller in charge is a staff specialist who traded days off with a supervisor to work a saturday evening shift. He is current on tower and radar position.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CVG CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING ATIS WIND INFO.

Narrative: CALM WIND AT CVG IS S RWYS. THERE IS CONSIDERABLE PRESSURE TO STAY S DUE TO NOISE ABATEMENT CONCERNS AND LONGER TAXI TIMES WHEN N. CURRENTLY, THE DIRECT TXWY TO RWY 36L IS CLOSED, SO EVEN MORE PRESSURE NOT TO CHANGE TO A RWY 36 OP BECAUSE OF THE TAXI RTE. WHILE WORKING CLRNC DELIVERY/FLT DATA COMBINED, I WAS TOLD THAT A PLT INFORMED APCH THE WINDS ON THE ATIS (020 DEGS AT 10 KTS, GUSTING TO 15 KTS) DID NOT ALLOW HIM TO MAKE A LEGAL APCH. THE CIC TOLD ME TO CHANGE THE ATIS WIND TO OUR CURRENTLY DISPLAYED WIND. WHEN I TOLD HIM I WOULD DO THAT IF HE PUT THE ORDER ON A RECORDED LINE, HE CHANGED IT HIMSELF. I DO NOT FEEL THIS IS A SAFE OPERATING PRACTICE. CIC IS A STAFF SPECIALIST WHO TRADED DAYS OFF WITH A SUPVR TO WORK A SATURDAY EVENING SHIFT. HE IS CURRENT ON TWR AND RADAR POS.

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.