Narrative:

The grr VOR has been unusable beyond 11.0 DME since 10/06. Grr airport has ILS approachs to runways 26L/8R and runway 35. When the wind is strong from the south; pilots have been able to use the VOR 17 approach for a landing more aligned with the wind. Since the VOR is not usable beyond 11 DME; this approach is not available. With winter upon us now; snow and ice can contaminate a runway making a crosswind landing difficult/unsafe for pilots. With a strong south wind landing on a runway with an ILS (runway 26L/8R and runway 35) approach does not allow a pilot to have a runway with an instrument approach procedure that will align the aircraft with a favorable wind. Another option is to circle from an ILS approach to land on runway 17 when the ceiling/visibility permits. Recently during IFR WX (snow); pilots have been circling with poor visibility; low ceilings and contaminates (snow/ice) on the runway. When the visibility and/or the ceiling is too low; the pilots use a straight-in ILS approach to a runway with a strong crosswind component. A solution to this problem would be to fix the VOR and flight check the NAVAID and the approach procedure. Apparently; the roof on the VOR leaks.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GRR CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING THE LONG TERM VOR LIMITATION THAT RESULTS IN LIMITED RWY OPTIONS FOR THE USER.

Narrative: THE GRR VOR HAS BEEN UNUSABLE BEYOND 11.0 DME SINCE 10/06. GRR ARPT HAS ILS APCHS TO RWYS 26L/8R AND RWY 35. WHEN THE WIND IS STRONG FROM THE S; PLTS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO USE THE VOR 17 APCH FOR A LNDG MORE ALIGNED WITH THE WIND. SINCE THE VOR IS NOT USABLE BEYOND 11 DME; THIS APCH IS NOT AVAILABLE. WITH WINTER UPON US NOW; SNOW AND ICE CAN CONTAMINATE A RWY MAKING A XWIND LNDG DIFFICULT/UNSAFE FOR PLTS. WITH A STRONG S WIND LNDG ON A RWY WITH AN ILS (RWY 26L/8R AND RWY 35) APCH DOES NOT ALLOW A PLT TO HAVE A RWY WITH AN INST APCH PROC THAT WILL ALIGN THE ACFT WITH A FAVORABLE WIND. ANOTHER OPTION IS TO CIRCLE FROM AN ILS APCH TO LAND ON RWY 17 WHEN THE CEILING/VISIBILITY PERMITS. RECENTLY DURING IFR WX (SNOW); PLTS HAVE BEEN CIRCLING WITH POOR VISIBILITY; LOW CEILINGS AND CONTAMINATES (SNOW/ICE) ON THE RWY. WHEN THE VISIBILITY AND/OR THE CEILING IS TOO LOW; THE PLTS USE A STRAIGHT-IN ILS APCH TO A RWY WITH A STRONG XWIND COMPONENT. A SOLUTION TO THIS PROB WOULD BE TO FIX THE VOR AND FLT CHK THE NAVAID AND THE APCH PROC. APPARENTLY; THE ROOF ON THE VOR LEAKS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.