Where Your PIREPs Go

Weather and NOTAMs are a huge percentage of the mountains of data controllers process daily, and a significant chunk of that comes from pilot reports. Some pilots wonder how the information they share gets processed by ATC. As one IFR reader expressed: It appears that most reports of icing/tops/bases that are reported to ATC never make it into the PIREP system.

tkarmer

Tuesday, November 15, 2016 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Air traffic controllers (ATC) serve as crucial information purveyors beyond aircraft separation, collecting and disseminating vital pilot reports (PIREPs) on weather conditions and equipment status, and issuing NOTAMs.
Controllers are mandated to process "operationally significant" PIREPs and equipment failure reports through various channels, from notes and forms to electronic systems, though high workload or staffing limitations can sometimes delay formal wider dissemination.
Pilots play an indispensable role in aviation safety by reporting conditions ATC cannot directly observe, such as specific lighting malfunctions, subtle navigational aid issues, radio problems, and critical foreign object debris (FOD), enabling ATC to mitigate potential hazards.

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Separating airplanes is numero uno among an air traffic controller’s many duties, but it’s really only the tip of the iceberg. On a day-to-day basis, we’re purveyors of information, passing it back and forth between parties who can make use of it.

Weather and NOTAMs are a huge percentage of the mountains of data controllers process daily, and a significant chunk of that comes from pilot reports. Some pilots wonder how the information they share gets processed by ATC. As one IFR reader expressed: “It appears that most reports of icing/tops/bases that are reported to ATC never make it into the PIREP system.”