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Reporter says that omnidirectional approach light system located near runway 26L runup pad interferes with night vision.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 235096 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199302 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : elp |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | ground : holding |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 7000 |
| ASRS Report | 235096 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Airport |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
| Situations | |
| Airport | other physical facility |
Narrative:
While waiting for takeoff on runway 26L at elp, the omnidirectional approach light system, SFL (rabbit) strobes right into your eyes at night. Also, the reils are strobing right into your eyes. I don't know who designed an ALS that blinds pilots while they're sitting #1 for takeoff, but it's bad. Perhaps a 'blinder' or something could be put on the side/position that would help to shield the pilot who's about to blast off into the dark night after having to stare at the strobing lights a few ft away. I still don't see the purpose of a 'rabbit' that you can see from the back side, anyway?! Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: from the reporter's standpoint, the omnidirectional approach light system is too bright and distracting and it reduces a pilot's night vision when he has to hold on the taxiway adjacent to the lights. However ATCT personnel feel that the lights serve a good purpose and it would not be feasible to move them east of the runway 26L threshold. There are 2 lights, one on each side of the runway.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: RPTR SAYS THAT OMNIDIRECTIONAL APCH LIGHT SYS LOCATED NEAR RWY 26L RUNUP PAD INTERFERES WITH NIGHT VISION.
Narrative: WHILE WAITING FOR TKOF ON RWY 26L AT ELP, THE OMNIDIRECTIONAL APCH LIGHT SYS, SFL (RABBIT) STROBES RIGHT INTO YOUR EYES AT NIGHT. ALSO, THE REILS ARE STROBING RIGHT INTO YOUR EYES. I DON'T KNOW WHO DESIGNED AN ALS THAT BLINDS PLTS WHILE THEY'RE SITTING #1 FOR TKOF, BUT IT'S BAD. PERHAPS A 'BLINDER' OR SOMETHING COULD BE PUT ON THE SIDE/POS THAT WOULD HELP TO SHIELD THE PLT WHO'S ABOUT TO BLAST OFF INTO THE DARK NIGHT AFTER HAVING TO STARE AT THE STROBING LIGHTS A FEW FT AWAY. I STILL DON'T SEE THE PURPOSE OF A 'RABBIT' THAT YOU CAN SEE FROM THE BACK SIDE, ANYWAY?! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: FROM THE RPTR'S STANDPOINT, THE OMNIDIRECTIONAL APCH LIGHT SYS IS TOO BRIGHT AND DISTRACTING AND IT REDUCES A PLT'S NIGHT VISION WHEN HE HAS TO HOLD ON THE TXWY ADJACENT TO THE LIGHTS. HOWEVER ATCT PERSONNEL FEEL THAT THE LIGHTS SERVE A GOOD PURPOSE AND IT WOULD NOT BE FEASIBLE TO MOVE THEM E OF THE RWY 26L THRESHOLD. THERE ARE 2 LIGHTS, ONE ON EACH SIDE OF THE RWY.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.