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by bronco21016 1700 days ago
I think it’s important to point out the nuance. Observational winds (eg METAR) are recorded in true. Reported winds (ATIS, ASOS, AWOS) are given in magnetic. [1]

The adage goes “If you read it, it’s true. If you heard it, it’s magnetic.”

[1] https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Order/7900_5D.pdf Chapter 7.4

1 comments

What if you read the ATIS though? /s
one of my favorite apocryphal exchanges:

airplane inbound to land: "KXYZ tower, N12345 at 3000' tower: "N12345, KXYZ tower, confirm you have Romeo" airplane: "KXYZ tower, N12345 has Romeo" tower: "N12345, fine, but bravo is current, recommend you recheck atis"

Oh you must have meant KDTW.