ARW
120-Day Re-Assessment Plan
Site Visits
2.3.4 Mercer County Airport, Bluefield, WV
Background
A team visited the Mercer County Airport (BLF), located in Bluefield, WV, on May 22, 1997. BLF is a non-towered, Service Level D airport with a non-commissioned ASOS. The ASOS was scheduled to be commissioned on March 31, 1997, but has been delayed. The FAA contract to provide weather observations is to be canceled when the ASOS is commissioned.
Instrument flight rules arrival and departure traffic for the airport is controlled by the Indianapolis Air Route Traffic Control Center. It has a remote transmitter/receiver located on the field for clearance delivery and flight plan cancellation. Pilot pre-flight weather briefings and Notices to Airmen issuance services are provided by the Automated Flight Service Station at Elkins, WV.
Data from the FAA Airport Master Record dated February 28, 1996 indicates that a total of 28 aircraft are based at the Bluefield airport. Operations for the 12 months ending February 28, 1996 totaled 15, 535 including 1,800 commuter, 35 air taxi, 4,500 general aviation local, 9,100 general aviation transit, and 100 military.
Bluefield is located in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains. Low stratus clouds and fog may obscure higher terrain and render mountain passes unusable for pilots operating under visual flight rules. During the summer, haze associated with extended periods of stagnant weather systems, can restrict visibility to less than three miles. The mountainous terrain can produce a startling variation of weather conditions across only a few miles with heavy rains, hail, and strong winds possible.
When strong low-level winds are northwesterly, this area experiences moderate to severe turbulence. On any given day, pilots of light aircraft report low-level turbulence below five thousand feet across the Appalachians.
The FAA Regional Office received comments in response to the Federal Register notice announcing the installation of ASOS, regarding inadequacy of the ASOS located at the Mercer County Airport. The comments stated that the system provides no freezing rain sensor, no thunderstorm detection, and no tornado reporting. The letter also stated that based on the accidents in the area, the users believe Mercer County needs Level C Service.
Participants
Airport manager, Chairman of Airport Authority, Chairman of Flight Freedom Foundation (owner of Marelco Power Systems), two pilots for Marelco Power Systems, local newspaper reporter, three Airport Authority members, three local pilots, and FAA/NWS team.
Synopsis of User Comments
This section of the report is a record of the comments received during the meetings, interviews and discussions that took place during the site visits. It is intended to present a summary of the input from the users on a particular subject. These comments may include technical inaccuracies and user perceptions that do not reflect actual conditions.
As part of the re-assessment strategy, system access (i.e., access by the contract weather observers to the computer display of the weather observation generated by the ASOS) was shut off in order to conduct a "blind comparison" test. The "blind comparison" test compared the ASOS observation with the human observation.
An airport authority member stated -
"The airport manager had been directed to call Senator Byrd’s office weekly for updates on Bluefield issues and, specifically, regarding the Automated Flight Service Station."
The users participating in this meeting appeared to have a general understanding of the ASOS and understood that it was operating in the test mode.
Some pilots expressed the opinion -
"We need the current weather over the ground-to-air transmitter."
They also stated that -
"The ASOS radio was interfering with the contract weather observer’s radio, which is used to communicate with aircraft."
"We are concerned about the radio being turned off and it was considered a high priority to have it back on line."
A meeting participant stated -
"The fog from the ravine on the approach end of Runway 23 moved over the visibility sensor and lowered the controlling visibility to less than the minimums when the rest of the field was clear, and the temperature/dew point sensor was frequently incorrect."
The opinion that the ASOS was slow in reporting rapidly changing conditions was voiced with no documentation. However, specific comments regarding the ASOS were that -
"The system does not provide off-airport remarks, give pilots real weather, or furnish traffic advisories."
Additional comments received were -
"The multiple frequency changes required on approach create unsafe conditions, and the misalignment of the runway creates windshear on the approach end of Runway 23."
"The lack of a local altimeter setting when the contract weather observer is closed raises the minimums required."
"No UNICOM is available."
There was also concern expressed over -
"The response time for repairs and the availability of support personnel for repairs and maintenance."
Many of the meeting attendees expressed the opinion that -
"Bluefield needs an Automated Flight Service Station."
After being promised "equal to or better" service by the FAA when the Bluefield Flight Service Station was closed, the users stated they feel -
"The unusual weather situation and the daily medical flight operations (health services are the primary industry in Bluefield: Bluefield Hospital/Princeton Hospital/Columbia Group) warrant an Automated Flight Service Station."
Information Provided
The team provided an explanation of algorithms with a focus on the wind sensor. The attendees were advised that the ASOS could be changed to transmit at one-minute intervals and that the commissioning of the ASOS would provide a 24-hour altimeter setting and eliminate changes in the approach minimums. The users were provided information on the freezing precipitation sensor and the Automated Lightning Detection and Reporting System, including projected installation schedules.
Issues Identified
The re-opening of the Flight Service Station or an equivalent was the main issue at Bluefield. Specific ASOS related issues included the shutoff of the ground-to-air communications due to interference with the contract weather observer’s frequency, non-representative visibility in fog conditions, and the lack of off-airport remarks. Airport management was concerned with maintenance response time, equipment availability in relation to airport usability, and the potential loss of revenue to the airport.