Post by TCU 2U2 on Feb 14, 2013 7:48:04 GMT -5
Here is a sample letter that was sent to Congress during a threat to the program in 2006.
The few improvements to automation since this writing (2006) has not resolved the safety compromise issue, if ATC was to handle all observation services
There are indications that the Federal Aviation Administration is in the process to curtail weather services at the nations busiest airports. Since you have shown great concern with some proposed cuts within the FAA, I am seeking your help in this matter to halt this action, as safety would be compromised if the contract weather observers are removed and the responsibilities are tasked with an already overworked and understaffed control tower.
In 1996 the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the National Weather Service (NWS) and the community of users of services which the FAA and NWS supplies agreed upon regulations which would govern the quality of weather observation services that are provided at airports across the nation. These regulations were governed by Executive Order 12866 (EO 12866). EO 12866 specifically prohibited the degradation of weather services due to the modernization and consolidation of NWS offices.
These regulations were published in the Federal Register in June 1996. In short, the regulations stated the responsibility for providing weather observation services at the nations airports would be transferred from the NWS to the FAA. The quality of the weather services to be provided were determined by several factors, among which include, the amount of air traffic the airport receives, the rating of the air traffic control tower at the airport, and the number of severe weather events the location experiences.
Accordingly the airports were scored with a letter grade, which defined the services they would receive. In accordance with EO 12866 these service levels were graded A though D. These letter scores indicated whether the airport was to receive a purely automated weather observation derived from the Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) and denoted by a D score. If air traffic control personnel provide limited augmentation and backup service for the ASOS, the airport was given a level C score. Airports provided with a contract weather office (CWO) in which a dedicated weather observer would provide full-scale augmentation and backup of the ASOS are labeled as level A or B score.
The level of weather service (e.g. A, B, C, and D) provided by the FAA generally corresponded to the size of the airport and the amount of traffic they received. Therefore, the larger airports around the nation were determined to be at a service level A and B, and as such have been provided with a full time contract weather observer to ensure the accuracy of weather reports provided to the airlines and the public.
According to the service level agreement air traffic controllers at service level A and B airports were restricted from taking weather observations due to the safety issues involved and the air traffic delays which would result by having an air traffic controller do two jobs at one time; that of a weather observer and an air traffic controller. The national air traffic controllers union (NATCA) has always rejected the notion of over burdening air traffic controllers with the additional workload of a weather observer, citing safety as the most important factor in their decision.
Since these regulations came into force in 1996, nothing has changed regarding the job description of a weather observer, an air traffic controller and very little with the capabilities of the automated weather system (ASOS). However, in spite of these facts the FAA is currently conducting a survey whose express purpose is to remove weather observers from large airports (those in accordance with EO 12866 which have an A or B service level ranking) and add extra duties to the current staff of air traffic controllers.
If a decision is made to in fact transfer services at level A and B airports from contract weather observers to air traffic controllers it would not only violate EO 12866 but also will result in real air
safety and operational issues. The inevitable result of these air safety and operational issues would be an increase in aircraft accidents as well as time delays for airlines flying in and out of the nations busiest airports. It should be noted here that most aviation fatalities are related to weather events.
The regulations which currently govern the quality of weather services around the nation according to EO 12866 were agreed upon by the FAA, the NWS and a user group which include:
The Air Transportation Association (ATA)
Aircraft Owners and Private Pilot Association (AOPA)
Airline Pilot Association (ALPA)
American Association of Aircraft Executives (AAAE)
Aircraft Dispatchers Federation (ADF)
AOPA Air safety Foundation (ASF)
Airports Council International (ACI)
Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA, Helicopter Association International (HAI)
National Business Aviation Association (NBAA)
Allied Pilots Association (APA)
General Aviation Manufactures Association (GAMA)
National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO)
Alaska Aviation Safety Foundation (AASF)
Regional Airline Association (RAA)
These regulations have served the nation well since they were implemented in 1996, however the FAA now intends to explore ways to renege on the promise they made to abide by these regulations which are documented in the Federal Register in June 1996.
Since your congressional record demonstrates your strong support and commitment to public safety, I am requesting your assistance in this matter. Could you please research this issue with the FAA and assist in the effort to ensure those weather services at the largest airports in the nation are not degraded.
To require an air traffic controller at one of the busiest airports in the nation to interrupt their job of controlling air traffic to perform the duties of a weather observer, especially in times of poor weather conditions is not only impractical but impossible.
Your support is deeply appreciated in holding the FAA to the promises, which they made to the aviation community and the American public.
The few improvements to automation since this writing (2006) has not resolved the safety compromise issue, if ATC was to handle all observation services
There are indications that the Federal Aviation Administration is in the process to curtail weather services at the nations busiest airports. Since you have shown great concern with some proposed cuts within the FAA, I am seeking your help in this matter to halt this action, as safety would be compromised if the contract weather observers are removed and the responsibilities are tasked with an already overworked and understaffed control tower.
In 1996 the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the National Weather Service (NWS) and the community of users of services which the FAA and NWS supplies agreed upon regulations which would govern the quality of weather observation services that are provided at airports across the nation. These regulations were governed by Executive Order 12866 (EO 12866). EO 12866 specifically prohibited the degradation of weather services due to the modernization and consolidation of NWS offices.
These regulations were published in the Federal Register in June 1996. In short, the regulations stated the responsibility for providing weather observation services at the nations airports would be transferred from the NWS to the FAA. The quality of the weather services to be provided were determined by several factors, among which include, the amount of air traffic the airport receives, the rating of the air traffic control tower at the airport, and the number of severe weather events the location experiences.
Accordingly the airports were scored with a letter grade, which defined the services they would receive. In accordance with EO 12866 these service levels were graded A though D. These letter scores indicated whether the airport was to receive a purely automated weather observation derived from the Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) and denoted by a D score. If air traffic control personnel provide limited augmentation and backup service for the ASOS, the airport was given a level C score. Airports provided with a contract weather office (CWO) in which a dedicated weather observer would provide full-scale augmentation and backup of the ASOS are labeled as level A or B score.
The level of weather service (e.g. A, B, C, and D) provided by the FAA generally corresponded to the size of the airport and the amount of traffic they received. Therefore, the larger airports around the nation were determined to be at a service level A and B, and as such have been provided with a full time contract weather observer to ensure the accuracy of weather reports provided to the airlines and the public.
According to the service level agreement air traffic controllers at service level A and B airports were restricted from taking weather observations due to the safety issues involved and the air traffic delays which would result by having an air traffic controller do two jobs at one time; that of a weather observer and an air traffic controller. The national air traffic controllers union (NATCA) has always rejected the notion of over burdening air traffic controllers with the additional workload of a weather observer, citing safety as the most important factor in their decision.
Since these regulations came into force in 1996, nothing has changed regarding the job description of a weather observer, an air traffic controller and very little with the capabilities of the automated weather system (ASOS). However, in spite of these facts the FAA is currently conducting a survey whose express purpose is to remove weather observers from large airports (those in accordance with EO 12866 which have an A or B service level ranking) and add extra duties to the current staff of air traffic controllers.
If a decision is made to in fact transfer services at level A and B airports from contract weather observers to air traffic controllers it would not only violate EO 12866 but also will result in real air
safety and operational issues. The inevitable result of these air safety and operational issues would be an increase in aircraft accidents as well as time delays for airlines flying in and out of the nations busiest airports. It should be noted here that most aviation fatalities are related to weather events.
The regulations which currently govern the quality of weather services around the nation according to EO 12866 were agreed upon by the FAA, the NWS and a user group which include:
The Air Transportation Association (ATA)
Aircraft Owners and Private Pilot Association (AOPA)
Airline Pilot Association (ALPA)
American Association of Aircraft Executives (AAAE)
Aircraft Dispatchers Federation (ADF)
AOPA Air safety Foundation (ASF)
Airports Council International (ACI)
Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA, Helicopter Association International (HAI)
National Business Aviation Association (NBAA)
Allied Pilots Association (APA)
General Aviation Manufactures Association (GAMA)
National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO)
Alaska Aviation Safety Foundation (AASF)
Regional Airline Association (RAA)
These regulations have served the nation well since they were implemented in 1996, however the FAA now intends to explore ways to renege on the promise they made to abide by these regulations which are documented in the Federal Register in June 1996.
Since your congressional record demonstrates your strong support and commitment to public safety, I am requesting your assistance in this matter. Could you please research this issue with the FAA and assist in the effort to ensure those weather services at the largest airports in the nation are not degraded.
To require an air traffic controller at one of the busiest airports in the nation to interrupt their job of controlling air traffic to perform the duties of a weather observer, especially in times of poor weather conditions is not only impractical but impossible.
Your support is deeply appreciated in holding the FAA to the promises, which they made to the aviation community and the American public.
