ATIS Incorrect

[silver-eagle]

Class D, 10 miles out, ATIS says landing VFR 24 only the airport runway is 34. Do you tell the tower?

Actually, I think it said 24. Worse than that, I couldn't read the airport identification because most of it wasn't very clear. Made me question that I was even getting the right one.

What would you do?

 

[RotaryWingBob]

Class D, 10 miles out, ATIS says landing VFR 24 only the airport runway is 34. Do you tell the tower?

Actually, I think it said 24. Worse than that, I couldn't read the airport identification because most of it wasn't very clear. Made me question that I was even getting the right one.

What would you do?

Um, yeah. If there's no 24, I'd tell 'em.

 

[gibbons]

What would you do?

John,
I believe it's too easy to forget that the folks on the other end of the microphone are just people - good days, bad days. I NEVER, EVER hesitate to ask for clarification on something I don't understand on the radio. I'm sure I would have said something like "I'm having a hard time understanding the ATIS transmission, but it sounded like runway 24. The rest of it was unintelligible. Anyone else complain about it or is it my problem?"

The thing I remind myself of is that it's all about safety, not about appearing to be dumb or a bad pilot. If I am not clear on something, I always, ALWAYS ask.

Visiting towers and approach facilities has helped me a great deal in putting a person behind the speaker. The controllers job is to keep everyone as safe as possible, not to bust your chops. At least that's been my experience.

Ask.

 

[Shipoke]

Visiting towers and approach facilities has helped me a great deal in putting a person behind the speaker. The controllers job is to keep everyone as safe as possible, not to bust your chops. At least that's been my experience.
I agree chip i've become friends with the controllers at CXY,most of them call me by name when i'm coming in.They are people too. Dave G

 

[wsuffa]

Class D, 10 miles out, ATIS says landing VFR 24 only the airport runway is 34. Do you tell the tower?

Actually, I think it said 24. Worse than that, I couldn't read the airport identification because most of it wasn't very clear. Made me question that I was even getting the right one.

What would you do?

I would tell them - and I have. A couple of times I've told ATC of an error or an inaudible section on the ATIS.

 

[Skip Miller]

I would tell them - and I have. A couple of times I've told ATC of an error or an inaudible section on the ATIS.

I've told them, too. I noticed the ATIS baro setting was one inch off, plus or minus, from the airports nearby and asked the tower to verify it. Before I landed they had a new ATIS current. They were glad to find out the error before something happened.

-Skip

 

[RotaryWingBob]

I would tell them - and I have. A couple of times I've told ATC of an error or an inaudible section on the ATIS.

I had a tour of the tower at Mcguire AFB (KWRI) a year or two ago. One of the controllers told me that they would be installing an automated ATIS system to try to eliminate errors.

 

[judypilot]

John,
I believe it's too easy to forget that the folks on the other end of the microphone are just people - good days, bad days.

Oh yeah. I had one of those yesterday. "B****" is not a term I throw around lightly in reference to other women, but a tower controller I had to deal with yesterday was a Grade AAA example of the type. First, she clears a plane into a downwind approach that would put us on a course for a head on collision. So I mentioned to her where I was in case she couldn't see me yet (and it seemed to me from what the other pilot reported, we could arrive more or less at the same time--turns out the other plane was probably closer than reported). I was 8.5 miles out, and she came back and said "I told you to report 2 miles out, and you should follow instructions." Then she warned me about traffic, and when I said "Traffic in sight", she reamed me out because she thought I was talking about traffic on the runway in front of me (no, I was talking about the traffic in the air that you warned me about) and then said "You need to listen before you talk because you just stepped on me." Well, I didn't. She wasn't talking when I keyed my mike. It apparently did not occur to her that she might have stepped on me or that we happened to key our mikes at the same time (it happens). Her tone was unbelievable--I've never heard such sarcasm. My tongue was bloody from me biting it.

Sorry. Rant off.

Judy

 

[bbchien]

Oh yeah. I had one of those yesterday. "B****" is not a term I throw around lightly in reference to other women, but a tower controller I had to deal with yesterday was a Grade AAA example of the type. First, she clears a plane into a downwind approach that would put us on a course for a head on collision. So I mentioned to her where I was in case she couldn't see me yet (and it seemed to me from what the other pilot reported, we could arrive more or less at the same time--turns out the other plane was probably closer than reported). I was 8.5 miles out, and she came back and said "I told you to report 2 miles out, and you should follow instructions." Then she warned me about traffic, and when I said "Traffic in sight", she reamed me out because she thought I was talking about traffic on the runway in front of me (no, I was talking about the traffic in the air that you warned me about) and then said "You need to listen before you talk because you just stepped on me." Well, I didn't. She wasn't talking when I keyed my mike. It apparently did not occur to her that she might have stepped on me or that we happened to key our mikes at the same time (it happens). Her tone was unbelievable--I've never heard such sarcasm. My tongue was bloody from me biting it.

Sorry. Rant off.

Judy

I have only once said "MARK THE TAPES, I will CALL". It was just egregious. On the whole they are trying to be the good guys. They have bad days, too.

 

[judypilot]

I have only once said "MARK THE TAPES, I will CALL". It was just egregious. On the whole they are trying to be the good guys. They have bad days, too.

I didn't know we could do that. Sort of like "call the tower" in reverse. Judy gets evil gleam in her eye, rubs hands together cackling.

I've had to bite my tongue a few times, although this was the worst in almost 1500 hours of flying and many 1000s of landings at towered airfields. The second worst solved itself when another controller stepped in and apologized to me after the first controller unjustifiably got sarcastic with me (he cleared the plane behind me in the pattern to land, then got sarcastic when I "went long").

Don't expect to run into anything quite this bad again. Incidentally, she was working ground when I took off an hour later. Wonder if there was a connection.

So, what happened when you did call?

Judy

 

[Dave Siciliano]

Judy:

We've all run into this on occassion. If one hasn't yet, it will come if they fly much.

Unlike Bruce, I didn't confront the tower operator on the air--all yes ma'ams. Did do a 360 for spacing and listened to her glower and spit on the tower frequency. After I landed, I called for the chief of tower or tower super or what ever the current title. At Center, it's the shift super. Explained what happened and how the controller put me in danger. That being confrontational on the radio was not productive.

Funny thing, more than one person like me had brought this to the super's attention. She's been moved. I've also called Center after they did a great job in getting me in in bad weather and turbulance. Suggested a better airport, better facilities and got me in there.

I've also called after something occurred that I didn't think was proper; didn't confront anyone. Just said I was trying to be the best pilot I could be and this put me in a position where I couldn't--what should I have done. In each case, the super has explained or gone back and listened to the tapes and called me back. Great learning experience for each of us in several cases.

Don't call in as a 'mad pilot' even if they were wrong.

Like anything else, customer feedback helps them--good and bad.

Don't snack on your tongue--organize your thoughts. Write down what happened and call a supervisor. Explain in an organized, factual manner. If it created a safety issue, make that point.

Best,

Dave
Baron 322KS

 

[flyingcheesehead]

I had a tour of the tower at Mcguire AFB (KWRI) a year or two ago. One of the controllers told me that they would be installing an automated ATIS system to try to eliminate errors.

Ever listened to one of those? I know MKE has one, and I think MSP. I think they suck. They're even harder to understand than a fast-talking controller (as long as said controller doesn't have a funny accent), and they're sllllooooowwwwww. Yuck.

 

[HPNPilot1200]

The automated or "D-ATIS" systems are being installed in more and more places these days. Mostly class B and C's. I personally don't like them because they are slow and can also make mis-pernounciation mistakes. Many NY controllers say "tree" instead of "three" for further clarification. I will be studing ATM (Air Traffic Management...hope for it to become my career ) and many of the controllers I know from the ATCT's and TRACON's up here like the "tree" saying since it sounds funny as well as clarification.

I wouldn't hesitate to ask. Sometimes the Baro setting numbers get mixed up too. If in doubt; ask. I was on a lesson one day and the setting was 30.17....only problem was that this was 100 feet higher than the elevation of the field. "Ground, just confirm altimeter setting of 30.17 for 77B, lookin' a little low"

They were happy to help and it's always better to get clarification. If you do not, many things could happen (and/or couldn't, although clarification should be established if in doubt.)

 

[gismo]

John,
I believe it's too easy to forget that the folks on the other end of the microphone are just people - good days, bad days. I NEVER, EVER hesitate to ask for clarification on something I don't understand on the radio. I'm sure I would have said something like "I'm having a hard time understanding the ATIS transmission, but it sounded like runway 24. The rest of it was unintelligible. Anyone else complain about it or is it my problem?"

The thing I remind myself of is that it's all about safety, not about appearing to be dumb or a bad pilot. If I am not clear on something, I always, ALWAYS ask.

Sage advice. I'd rather be alive to ask dumb questions than to be dead as the result of not asking them. Another tidbit: it seems that the recording of ATIS duty usually falls to the most junior (least experienced) member of the tower crew, so mistakes and/or garble is even more likely.