"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:qI_bd.187839$wV.66243@attbi_s54...
One look out the window to see the crab angle and a peek at the GPS
grounspeed makes ATIS/ASOS/Windsocks superfluous.

How true. Sometimes you've got to wonder what people are looking for
before landing.

What I like are the guys who obviously aren't carrying a sectional chart
(or any other airport information) and insist on calling Unicom for an
"airport advisory" -- despite the airport having a published AWOS
frequency.


AWOS won't necessarily give you the active runway. Many preferred runways
have TAILWINDS, up to certain speeds. Sectionals won't help as they omit
this information.



When this occurs, everyone on the freq knows that the incoming guy:


"Everyone" seems to be uninformed.



a) Doesn't know the runways, and is hoping that the FBO will tell him the
preferred landing runway before he gets to the pattern.
b) Doesn't have a sectional, and therefore doesn't know the AWOS frequency
to check weather -- which would tell him the preferred runway in 30
seconds.


Is there some compelling reason the FBO wants to confuse the pilot? Only the
uninformed would assume that a pilot requesting an airport advisory doesn't
have a sectional. Advisories can and do include much pertanent information
like airport maintenance, bird and animal activity, parachute activity,
glider towing, runway braking condition, and preferred runway, even if it is
the downwind runway, ETC. AWOS gives none of that.


Our FBO manager loves to play with these guys,


No, your FBO manager is an ass.


telling them stuff like "winds are variable -- you have your choice of 6
runways..." or he'll simply give them the AWOS frequency, laconically
stating that "our AWOS will give you the complete weather every 30
seconds...


Again, AWOS will not necessarily give the active runway, which is often a
downwind runway. Nor will a sectional. Sometimes the AF/D provides this
information. Your FBO manager needs to be schooled.


When you listen to Unicom for 8 hours a day, every day, it's AMAZING the
stuff you hear.

Many here need a few years of flying 8-12 hours a day and some remedial
schooling.

--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Karl
"Curator" N185KG