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Tim Dawson
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I stand corrected! If they're only accessible through ACARS and not broadcast via FIS-B (as I think they are in the US, even for smaller airfields) then they still can't be accessed from your average light aircraft.
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PaulSS
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What you're asking for is access to digital ATIS information, which doesn't currently exist in the UK.
It does exist in the UK, as we access various D-ATIS through ACARS. The problem will be that not all ATIS are D-ATIS (only at the bigger airports I suspect) and you need the equipment to be able to access them........and then incorporate it into SD.
For the amount of use this would be I think it will be firmly lodged in the too difficult box.
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grahamb
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+x and not 1968 which is when I trained to be a pilot and since when time has more or less stood still from the point of view of GA pilots
I think if that were really true, we would not be having this conversation 
You do realise that ATIS is normally updated at 20 minutes and 50 minutes past the hour, don't you? It's unlikely to change unexpectedly between 'tunings in' if you keep those times in mind.
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Tim Dawson
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What you're asking for is access to digital ATIS information, which doesn't currently exist in the UK.
No comment on the usefulness of Google Bard.
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fdemon
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I really can’t see why you need to know which runway is in use when over Benson.
You are right. Over Benson I am probably more interested in London QNH, having come from Birmingham QNH. A better example might be approaching Luton and being able to see ATIS without switching channels so if I wait and make a call with Information Echo I don't risk their saying it's now Information Foxtrot. So no, certainly not worth SD going to the trouble of implementing this. However a) it would be nice if were already available and b) this is 2023 and not 1968 which is when I trained to be a pilot and since when time has more or less stood still from the point of view of GA pilots 
A genuine question - are you are a real pilot or a simmer? I fly real small planes and a Boeing 737-800 static simulator, The latter is frozen in time about 10 years ago so I'm not too fussy about verisimilitude
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PaulSS
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If there was a capability of being able to receive ATIS I assume it would be via the Internet and require a 4G/5G connection to the device on which SD is working. It would be nice if it could be done and, probably, just be posted on the weather page.
It would be something that I probably would not use, as the speeds at which I travel in GA do not really require it, neither does my approach set up and execution.
Having said that, there are probably SD users out there who would benefit from it if they are flying more complex or performance limited aircraft. For the complex aircraft it is useful to know the runway and approach type in use so they can set up and prepare it in whichever navigation equipment they are using (think RNAV approach, where some prep and prior briefing is needed). For the performance-limited aircraft they may need to know the Runway Condition Report (dry, wet, contaminated etc) to ensure they have landing performance. Neither of these pieces of information are available on a METAR.
I suppose it boils down to just how many SD users would fall into those categories and I would imagine that number is very small and probably not worth Tim & Co adding it as a feature.
Nice gadget though and cheaper than ACARS.
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grahamb
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+x+xIt sounds as though you're really asking for METAR. SD shows METARs but they are not the same as ATIS. ATIS is what is currently in force at the airport. METAR shows forecast wind but not at this moment in time and it doesn't indicate what the runway in use is, or the current QNH.
My guess is BARD is wrong. SD does not report ATIS. I beg to differ. METAR stands for METeorological Actual Report; and shows the actual wind, visibility, cloud and QNH etc. at the reported time, and is normally issued at the same time as the ATIS.
No runway information, but why do you need to know that, if you can’t infer in from the reported wind, any earlier than the point at which you could pick up the live ATIS? I really can’t see why you need to know which runway is in use when over Benson.
A genuine question - are you are a real pilot or a simmer?
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fdemon
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+xIt sounds as though you're really asking for METAR. SD shows METARs but they are not the same as ATIS. ATIS is what is currently in force at the airport. METAR shows forecast wind but not at this moment in time and it doesn't indicate what the runway in use is, or the current QNH.
My guess is BARD is wrong. SD does not report ATIS.
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grahamb
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Some airports will broadcast their ATIS on a phone number which you can dial airborned if you have a signal.
It sounds as though you're really asking for METAR, which can be received by SD when airborne assuming you have 1) a SIM card in your device 2) The 'Internet connection while airborne' setting toggled on, and 3) a mobile signal.
Other devices such as PilotAware, or the Golze ADL devices can also receive METARs when airborne.
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fdemon
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I'm interested in the ATIS content, not the frequencies. So things like active runway, QFE, QNH.
I can't see much of use on VOLMET except as a non-VHF service. It also seems just to give weather forecasts. Are you saying there is a VHF frequency I could tune over Benson that would give real-time ATIS data for Bristol?
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