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|
Attributes | |
ACN | 628185 |
Time | |
Date | 200408 |
Day | Wed |
Local Time Of Day | 0001 To 0600 |
Place | |
Locale Reference | airport : sjc.airport |
State Reference | CA |
Environment | |
Light | Night |
Aircraft 1 | |
Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
Make Model Name | Helicopter |
Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
Person 1 | |
Affiliation | company : air taxi |
Function | flight crew : single pilot |
Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : multi engine |
Experience | flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 9600 flight time type : 2600 |
ASRS Report | 628185 |
Events | |
Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
Supplementary | |
Problem Areas | Airport FAA |
Primary Problem | FAA |
Situations | |
Chart | airport : sjc.airport |
Narrative:
For those of us that use sjc between the hours of 2400 and 0600, when the tower is closed, have a problem getting real time WX over the radio. ATIS is operational from 0600-2400, and is available by phone at (408) 980-8459. It is also broadcasted on 126.95 MHZ. ASOS is available by phone as well at (408) 969-0838, but has no frequency dedicated for broadcast. After midnight, monitoring 126.95 only provides general information on tower hours and NOTAMS, but no WX information. Other airports routinely put their AWOS or ASOS information on their 'ATIS frequency' when the tower is not operational, why can't sjc? So often I have wished to access WX by radio while flying and cannot as it's only accessible through the telephone. I would like to see that implemented if possible, and cannot see any good reason why it couldn't be. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter revealed that there is only information about construction activity and the fact that the airport is closed available on 126.95, the ATIS frequency. The reporter indicated that there is a note on the commercial airport diagram that indicates that ASOS information should be provided on the frequency after the tower is closed. This pilot frequently uses this airport after hours and said that ASOS information has never been available. Reporter feels that there should be ASOS information provided on this frequency, especially since it is indicated that there is.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A HELICOPTER PLT IS CONCERNED THAT THERE IS NO ASOS WX INFO AVAILABLE AT SJC ON THE ATIS FREQ OF 126.95 AFTER THE TWR IS CLOSED AS INDICATED ON THE ARPT CHART.
Narrative: FOR THOSE OF US THAT USE SJC BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 2400 AND 0600, WHEN THE TWR IS CLOSED, HAVE A PROB GETTING REAL TIME WX OVER THE RADIO. ATIS IS OPERATIONAL FROM 0600-2400, AND IS AVAILABLE BY PHONE AT (408) 980-8459. IT IS ALSO BROADCASTED ON 126.95 MHZ. ASOS IS AVAILABLE BY PHONE AS WELL AT (408) 969-0838, BUT HAS NO FREQ DEDICATED FOR BROADCAST. AFTER MIDNIGHT, MONITORING 126.95 ONLY PROVIDES GENERAL INFO ON TWR HOURS AND NOTAMS, BUT NO WX INFO. OTHER ARPTS ROUTINELY PUT THEIR AWOS OR ASOS INFO ON THEIR 'ATIS FREQ' WHEN THE TWR IS NOT OPERATIONAL, WHY CAN'T SJC? SO OFTEN I HAVE WISHED TO ACCESS WX BY RADIO WHILE FLYING AND CANNOT AS IT'S ONLY ACCESSIBLE THROUGH THE TELEPHONE. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT IMPLEMENTED IF POSSIBLE, AND CANNOT SEE ANY GOOD REASON WHY IT COULDN'T BE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR REVEALED THAT THERE IS ONLY INFO ABOUT CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY AND THE FACT THAT THE ARPT IS CLOSED AVAILABLE ON 126.95, THE ATIS FREQ. THE RPTR INDICATED THAT THERE IS A NOTE ON THE COMMERCIAL ARPT DIAGRAM THAT INDICATES THAT ASOS INFO SHOULD BE PROVIDED ON THE FREQ AFTER THE TWR IS CLOSED. THIS PLT FREQUENTLY USES THIS ARPT AFTER HOURS AND SAID THAT ASOS INFO HAS NEVER BEEN AVAILABLE. RPTR FEELS THAT THERE SHOULD BE ASOS INFO PROVIDED ON THIS FREQ, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT IS INDICATED THAT THERE IS.
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.