Narrative:

My first officer was obtaining the ATIS for bwi. New information was due out soon. When the new information was broadcast; he had to wait for the entire transmission to hear the new code and time of observation to determine its currency. During the time he was waiting; his attention and participation in operations were disrupted. This issue happens several times every day. Currently; many stations use a computer generated male voice to broadcast the ATIS. If every other broadcast ATIS used a computer generated female voice; it would make identify of new data virtually instantaneous. This requires the kind of programming code a high school computer enthusiast could accomplish in just a few mins. If there is a rapid series of ATIS updates (special observations); as when a cold front moves across a station and the temperature/altimeter setting/active runway change quickly; a crew member might incorrectly identify new data as previously reported and recorded if it has changed twice in a short time frame (less than a min or two). To prevent confusion; simply include the phrase 'ATIS information (ATIS identifier)' after the altimeter setting on all ATIS broadcasts. This requires approximately an additional 3 seconds to broadcast. These 2 items are zero cost and can be implemented immediately. I can tell you that with nearly 24 yrs of airline experience; this can result in a significant improvement in reducing distrs during high threat operations; aka approaching any station for landing. Thank you for taking the time to consider these suggestions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR SUGGESTS ALTERNATING MALE AND FEMALE VOICES ON ATIS REPORTS TO MAKE IT INSTANTANEOUSLY OBVIOUS THAT A CHANGE HAS OCCURRED. BELIEVES THIS WOULD SAVE THE TIME IT TAKES A CREW MEMBER TO LISTEN TO THE ENTIRE BROADCAST TO GET THE PHONETIC IDENTIFIER. FURTHER SUGGESTS REPEATING THE IDENTIFIER AFTER THE ALT SETTING WHEN RAPID CHANGES IN ATIS ARE NECESSARY.

Narrative: MY FO WAS OBTAINING THE ATIS FOR BWI. NEW INFO WAS DUE OUT SOON. WHEN THE NEW INFO WAS BROADCAST; HE HAD TO WAIT FOR THE ENTIRE XMISSION TO HEAR THE NEW CODE AND TIME OF OBSERVATION TO DETERMINE ITS CURRENCY. DURING THE TIME HE WAS WAITING; HIS ATTN AND PARTICIPATION IN OPS WERE DISRUPTED. THIS ISSUE HAPPENS SEVERAL TIMES EVERY DAY. CURRENTLY; MANY STATIONS USE A COMPUTER GENERATED MALE VOICE TO BROADCAST THE ATIS. IF EVERY OTHER BROADCAST ATIS USED A COMPUTER GENERATED FEMALE VOICE; IT WOULD MAKE IDENT OF NEW DATA VIRTUALLY INSTANTANEOUS. THIS REQUIRES THE KIND OF PROGRAMMING CODE A HIGH SCHOOL COMPUTER ENTHUSIAST COULD ACCOMPLISH IN JUST A FEW MINS. IF THERE IS A RAPID SERIES OF ATIS UPDATES (SPECIAL OBSERVATIONS); AS WHEN A COLD FRONT MOVES ACROSS A STATION AND THE TEMP/ALTIMETER SETTING/ACTIVE RWY CHANGE QUICKLY; A CREW MEMBER MIGHT INCORRECTLY IDENT NEW DATA AS PREVIOUSLY RPTED AND RECORDED IF IT HAS CHANGED TWICE IN A SHORT TIME FRAME (LESS THAN A MIN OR TWO). TO PREVENT CONFUSION; SIMPLY INCLUDE THE PHRASE 'ATIS INFO (ATIS IDENTIFIER)' AFTER THE ALTIMETER SETTING ON ALL ATIS BROADCASTS. THIS REQUIRES APPROX AN ADDITIONAL 3 SECONDS TO BROADCAST. THESE 2 ITEMS ARE ZERO COST AND CAN BE IMPLEMENTED IMMEDIATELY. I CAN TELL YOU THAT WITH NEARLY 24 YRS OF AIRLINE EXPERIENCE; THIS CAN RESULT IN A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN REDUCING DISTRS DURING HIGH THREAT OPS; AKA APCHING ANY STATION FOR LNDG. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO CONSIDER THESE SUGGESTIONS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.