Service Bulletin 20040529

Regarding: Controller ATIS

For some reason, this continues to be a source of misunderstanding. A real ATIS is a recorded announcement that is produced by the local controllers. It is broadcast on a separate frequency to pilots so that the controllers don't have to answer the same questions over and over. It is a type of FAQ. Common information includes the local weather, runways in use, and other Notices to Airmen specific to the airport broadcasting the ATIS. In our virtual world, this is quite different. For us, this is the information that is sent ONLY when a pilot first selects the controller from the ATC menu. Lately, with the development of the AVC tuner and ServInfo, pilots aren't even using a menu, and most never see the information in your ATIS. While I'm sure we all want to instruct and inform every pilot, ATIS is not the place to do it. For the time being, pilots still have the ACARS system available through Squawkbox to provide a complete weather briefing.

So that there is a clear understanding, here are the contents of the ATIS for each position. It is the directive of this ARTCC that your ATIS conform exactly as shown below.

Delivery Controllers and Ground Controllers

$mypvtrw
$metar(ICAO)

If you are not providing ATC using voice, put NO VOICE on the first line instead of $mypvtrw
Replace ICAO with the 4-letter code for the airport you are serving. MIA=KMIA

Tower Controllers

$mypvtrw
$metar(ICAO)
Runways in use: X, Y and Z

If you are not providing ATC using voice, put NO VOICE on the first line instead of $mypvtrw
Replace ICAO with the 4-letter code for the airport you are serving. MIA=KMIA
Replace X, Y and Z with the runway identifiers of those runways in use. Do not put anything else on this line.

Approach, Departure and Enroute Center Controllers

$mypvtrw
$metar($arr)

If you are not providing ATC using voice, put NO VOICE on the first line instead of $mypvtrw
Departure Controllers may want to replace the second line above with $metar($dep)