Rpd's comments should open up another round of discussion. Are pilots happy that the only pireps being sent out would be severe,etc. What may be light to a DC9 in the climb out may be severe to a C310! How could we justify not telling a pilot about icing/turbulence due to it not being extreme. Also, if the only GI's you're seing are severe/extreme, then maybe you aren't getting all the ones we get. As I stated before, we've gotten reports about moderate icing 1.5 hours late, but we still got it. I've seen urgent pireps stating 'OAT @ 6000 -5C, smooth, neg ice'.
From one of our trainees/ex FSS, if FSS receives pirep info that is missing one piece of data, say the Outside Air Temperature (OAT), and he enters the pirep, the computer will reject it and will make warning flag about entry, and his supe will then talk to him about improper entry of a pirep! He said that you have two options, enter it as received, but in remarks put 'transcribed verbatim as received' and the computer will still reject it, or file the pirep in the round file container/recycle bin. Either way, the pirep never goes through. How about flight plans? It was stated that at times, the computer will dump the last hour or two of information. Everything, flightplans, weather briefs, notams etc,. All dumped with no record that they existed. Trying to build a computer system that will do all that FSS does is extremely tough. Trying to build one that will seperate planes without controllers may take a few years... Can you imagine the liability placed on a company that creates a system for ATC should there be a glitch?
This is more a problem with Lockmart and their computer system then it is with the LM staff. I applaud the FSSers and the work that they do.