Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types
General None Reported / Taken
Airport; Equipment / Tooling; Human Factors; Procedure
I have been a controller at PIA for several years and have worked during many snow storms. Over the years we have received many MU readings from the PIA airport operation vehicles. I have learned to be able to look at surface conditions and know what range of MU reading to expect from the vehicle. It seems that no matter how bad the surface conditions of the airport/runways are the MU reading always come back 'All MU's above 40'. I have questioned the numbers with the operation vehicle before and have been answered with 'the equipment is working correctly'. I have also told our management that the MU numbers we are receiving do not fit the conditions at the time. Last night it happened again during a snow storm; an air carrier landed Runway 13 and reported braking action 'fair'. This report was before any snow removal had begun. The airport vehicle did a runway check and gave us MU readings all above 40. I asked for the numbers; they were 42 40 41; with wet snow. A Commercial Aircraft landed Runway 31 and reported braking action 'POOR' after we had received the MU's and brooms had begun working to remove the snow from the runway. Another air carrier also reported braking action on Runway 31 as 'POOR'. The Ops vehicle did a runway and MU check on Runway 4; which had not been touched by any aircraft or vehicle before the check. The MU readings also came back 'All above 40'. I again asked for the numbers and they were 63 70 55 with 'wet snow' on the runways. I believe something (equipment) or someone (training) is not providing PIA air traffic with accurate MU numbers.
PIA Controller voiced concern regarding the accuracy of the MU readings provided by the airport given the observed weather conditions.