Reporter wants more on airport navaids at smf.

Attributes
ACN	112915
Time
Date	198905
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : smf
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 1300
ASRS Report	112915
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

ILS for 16R at smf was out of service for approximately 2 weeks. Aircraft landing on 16R had no visual glide path guidance because of the FAA's refusal to fund installation of VASI or PAPI on runways with ILS's installed. The problem is compounded by the lack of on-airport navaids at smf. Other than the LOM for 16R, thee are no means for determining a proper glide slope, particularly if a pilot is unaware of the sac VORTAC DME indication for the approach end of 16R (approximately 15.8 DME). I am tired of the FAA taking insane measures in the name of safety while they refuse to fund projects which the NTSB and others have been pleading for (eg VASI/PAPI, runway distance remaining markers, 'stop light' system to control runway access, etc) for several years.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER WANTS MORE ON ARPT NAVAIDS AT SMF.

Narrative: ILS FOR 16R AT SMF WAS OUT OF SERVICE FOR APPROX 2 WEEKS. ACFT LNDG ON 16R HAD NO VISUAL GLIDE PATH GUIDANCE BECAUSE OF THE FAA'S REFUSAL TO FUND INSTALLATION OF VASI OR PAPI ON RWYS WITH ILS'S INSTALLED. THE PROBLEM IS COMPOUNDED BY THE LACK OF ON-ARPT NAVAIDS AT SMF. OTHER THAN THE LOM FOR 16R, THEE ARE NO MEANS FOR DETERMINING A PROPER GLIDE SLOPE, PARTICULARLY IF A PLT IS UNAWARE OF THE SAC VORTAC DME INDICATION FOR THE APCH END OF 16R (APPROX 15.8 DME). I AM TIRED OF THE FAA TAKING INSANE MEASURES IN THE NAME OF SAFETY WHILE THEY REFUSE TO FUND PROJECTS WHICH THE NTSB AND OTHERS HAVE BEEN PLEADING FOR (EG VASI/PAPI, RWY DISTANCE REMAINING MARKERS, 'STOP LIGHT' SYSTEM TO CONTROL RWY ACCESS, ETC) FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.