Narrative:

I have been flying helicopters IFR; in the ny dca area for over 25 years; and in regard to icing; I am completely baffled as to why we cannot get winds aloft 'temperatures' for 3000 ft we can get the temps at the surface; and then at 6000 ft; and then nothing in between! For example; from jfk to westminster (EMI VOR) we can get the temps at the surface and then again at 6000 ft nothing in between to help us out. That's a big area! Small aircraft spend a lot of time at the lower altitudes. The flight at buf could; possibly have benefited from that information as well. NOAA sends up the balloons; and we can get the wind direction; and speed; at 3000 ft; but not the temperatures! Every one I have ever asked about this has just said the temperatures are unreliable at those altitudes. Well; I have to disagree with that! Its because they are unreliable; that we need that information! The temperature is the temperature! That's why we need it. After 40 years of flying helicopters; the temperature changes very little; and when it does; its because of an inversion or front. That information would be very valuable to us. Almost every aircraft goes through that altitude; either on the way up or on the way down. The temperature there would be very valuable! That information could have been valuable to the aircraft that crashed in buf. It wouldn't cost the FAA; or NOAA; even one penny; to add that information to the winds aloft reports! Small airplanes and helicopters need the temps at 3000 ft. It would be very valuable to all flight planning. They have the information; but we don't get the temps until above 6000 ft. I would love to find a way to get this changed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Helicopter pilot questions why the National Weather Service does not include temperature in the 3000 foot winds aloft report; while it does so at the surface and all other altitudes reported.

Narrative: I have been flying helicopters IFR; in the NY DCA area for over 25 years; and in regard to icing; I am completely baffled as to why we cannot get winds aloft 'temperatures' for 3000 FT We can get the temps at the surface; and then at 6000 FT; and then nothing in between! For Example; from JFK to Westminster (EMI VOR) we can get the temps at the surface and then again at 6000 FT nothing in between to help us out. That's a big area! Small aircraft spend a lot of time at the lower altitudes. The flight at BUF could; possibly have benefited from that information as well. NOAA sends up the balloons; and we can get the wind direction; and speed; at 3000 FT; but not the temperatures! Every one I have ever asked about this has just said the temperatures are unreliable at those altitudes. Well; I have to disagree with that! Its because they are unreliable; that we need that information! The temperature is the temperature! that's why we need it. After 40 years of flying helicopters; the temperature changes very little; and when it does; its because of an inversion or front. That information would be VERY valuable to us. Almost every aircraft goes through that altitude; either on the way up or on the way down. The temperature there would be very valuable! That information could have been valuable to the aircraft that crashed in BUF. It wouldn't cost the FAA; or NOAA; even one penny; to add that information to the winds aloft reports! Small airplanes and helicopters NEED the temps at 3000 FT. It would be very valuable to all flight planning. They have the information; but we don't get the temps until above 6000 FT. I would love to find a way to get this changed.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.