ASE TRACON Controller reported issues with aircraft landing at Aspen airport that do not have the proper information to land or depart safely. On high wind days with opposite direction departures; aircraft experience rapidly changing wind from only one sensor.

Date: 2022-08 · Aircraft: Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer

Anomalies: atc-issue-all-types|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy|ground-event-encounter-ground-equipment-issue

Synopsis

ASE TRACON Controller reported issues with aircraft landing at Aspen airport that do not have the proper information to land or depart safely. On high wind days with opposite direction departures; aircraft experience rapidly changing wind from only one sensor.

Narrative

Aircraft landing at Aspen airport do not have the proper information to land or depart safely. On high wind days with opposite direction departures; aircraft experience rapidly changing wind from only one sensor. It has been observed the SAWS (Stand Alone Weather Sensors) wind will report a head wind for the arrival/ departure; but the wind socks indicate contrary throughout the field. So aircraft with 10kts tail wind limitations are continually being told that they have a head wind when the wind socks on the field show a tail wind. Also landing and departing aircraft are reporting low level wind shear. These events occur at critical phases of flight and the controllers are not equipped properly to help pilots. The pilots therefore are not making and educated decision whether or not to land/ depart. the risk has been put on air traffic controllers at Aspen to use best judgment with minimal information. (A single sensor and wind socks) which introduces risk on the pilots when they receive in accurate wind information. It is unfair to the public; nor safe if they realized this could be corrected with low level wind shear warning equipment as well as a secondary wind sensors on the other side of the airport. It is not uncommon for bigger airports to have multiple wind sensors.Add more wind sensors and low level wind shear warning equipment to reduce the risk of pilots and controllers in the NAS.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.