Did they get a good deal on this lump of shit, or what? It dosen't bloody work folks....and they are going to use this for approach bans,,real soon?
We had to get a special to get out and the wx was better than thirty thousand and fifteen!!
AWOS..YHD
Moderators: lilfssister, North Shore, sky's the limit, sepia, Sulako, I WAS Birddog
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Canus Chinookus
- Rank 7
- Posts: 707
- Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 6:30 pm
Get used to it. This is the way of the future. Machines do not require holidays, time off, bathrooms, wages, and duty days. They work as long as there is power to them.
As a general rule, the Auto 5 machines measure wind, temp and dew point, visibility, cloud base, barometric pressure.
The "killer items" are barometric pressure, temperature and dew point and wind. These items are usually quite accurate. The machine measures visibility over a 26 inch space near the machine and cloud hight just above the machine. This can be inaccurate, usually when the vis is better than 9 miles (15km.), cloud base can be problematic if the bases are above about 2000 ft. A human observer would look at the celestial dome to determine cloud height whereas the machine uses laser derectly above the machine. Since these are not "killer items", they let inaccuracies go.
The problem comes when there is no human observer there to verify the measurements. Some operators have not taken into consideration some of this new technology or else they have taken away a lot of the decision making process from the pilots. As an example, Horizon Air were inbound to Kelowna late one evening after the tower/FSS had closed down. The AWOS screwed up and called vis 1/4 mile when in fact it was better than 15 miles as observed by a Lear jet crew but the "official" wx was below limits so they went back to SEA.
The problem arrises when people are required to make decisions. Most of us make a good decisions based on the information available but occasionally, someones bright idea is way off the wall. To combat this problem in a small organization, the CP usually has saner heads watch the off the wall guy but in a very large organization, strict rules have to be in place to govern the meatheads. Just look at some of the posts on this forum. Some have it and some don't.
As a general rule, the Auto 5 machines measure wind, temp and dew point, visibility, cloud base, barometric pressure.
The "killer items" are barometric pressure, temperature and dew point and wind. These items are usually quite accurate. The machine measures visibility over a 26 inch space near the machine and cloud hight just above the machine. This can be inaccurate, usually when the vis is better than 9 miles (15km.), cloud base can be problematic if the bases are above about 2000 ft. A human observer would look at the celestial dome to determine cloud height whereas the machine uses laser derectly above the machine. Since these are not "killer items", they let inaccuracies go.
The problem comes when there is no human observer there to verify the measurements. Some operators have not taken into consideration some of this new technology or else they have taken away a lot of the decision making process from the pilots. As an example, Horizon Air were inbound to Kelowna late one evening after the tower/FSS had closed down. The AWOS screwed up and called vis 1/4 mile when in fact it was better than 15 miles as observed by a Lear jet crew but the "official" wx was below limits so they went back to SEA.
The problem arrises when people are required to make decisions. Most of us make a good decisions based on the information available but occasionally, someones bright idea is way off the wall. To combat this problem in a small organization, the CP usually has saner heads watch the off the wall guy but in a very large organization, strict rules have to be in place to govern the meatheads. Just look at some of the posts on this forum. Some have it and some don't.
The average pilot, despite the somewhat swaggering exterior, is very much capable of such feelings as love, affection, intimacy and caring.
These feelings just don't involve anyone else.
These feelings just don't involve anyone else.
I can't recall where I saw it, maybe on the NavCanada site but some AWOS stations now have video feeds that allow a person to see predefined landmarks of the area with an explanation stating the required vis to see that landmark in good conditions. It at least will give you a better idea of whether or not the info you obtain from the AWOS system is truly legit or not. Still doesn't beat having a real person there to give their interpretation, plus the camera doesn't give the best resolution.
I'll see if I can find it and post the link here. I'm not sure of it's relevance but thought it might be interesting to see..
http://www.flightplanning.navcanada.ca/ ... peDoc=html
BJ
I'll see if I can find it and post the link here. I'm not sure of it's relevance but thought it might be interesting to see..
http://www.flightplanning.navcanada.ca/ ... peDoc=html
BJ
To mind one's view is to view only one's mind.
Re: AWOS..YHD
I hear you doc....trying to fly vfr into dryden one morning out of sioux I was told that it was now below vfr and I had to obtain special vfr to get in since the ceiling was now 900 ft. Funny thing is, I don't know what cloud that thing was seeing but it was CAVOK! Man what a retarded system, half the time the viz sensor is down and you can't even use it as an alternate!!! The only ILS between thunder bay and winnipeg and it's useless. Apparently when the blower is out on the runway, it goes down to 0/0 haha. Oh well, keep sending in them blue cardsDoc wrote:Did they get a good deal on this lump of shit, or what? It dosen't bloody work folks....and they are going to use this for approach bans,,real soon?
We had to get a special to get out and the wx was better than thirty thousand and fifteen!!
You start with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience before you empty the bag of luck.
