Sun's reflection from an all-glass pyramid shaped hotel blinds pilots on approach to las runways 1L,...

Attributes
ACN	244604
Time
Date	199306
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : las
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : las
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : straight in approach : visual
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time total : 10000
ASRS Report	244604
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

Narrative:

Las landing to the north and west, using runway 25R and runways 1L&right. Just to the west of runways 1L&right is a new hotel under construction named 'thy pyramid.' to give you an idea of the size of this structure, it will employ 3000 people when operational. The exterior is all glass. When las is landing on runway 1R and the time of day is such that the sun strikes this building just right, it reflects the sun's rays right at the landing carriers. For several thousand ft descending to land we were blinded by the reflection. 100 mi south of las at 29000 ft this thing stands out with the proper sun alignment. A pilot on final to runway 1R is blinded to the forward view. The blinding reflection seems to subside (late morning) at about 1000-1500 ft AGL. You would have to see it for yourself to realize how pwrful it is. This is very dangerous!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SUN'S REFLECTION FROM AN ALL-GLASS PYRAMID SHAPED HOTEL BLINDS PLTS ON APCH TO LAS RWYS 1L, 1R, AND 25R.

Narrative: LAS LNDG TO THE N AND W, USING RWY 25R AND RWYS 1L&R. JUST TO THE W OF RWYS 1L&R IS A NEW HOTEL UNDER CONSTRUCTION NAMED 'THY PYRAMID.' TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE SIZE OF THIS STRUCTURE, IT WILL EMPLOY 3000 PEOPLE WHEN OPERATIONAL. THE EXTERIOR IS ALL GLASS. WHEN LAS IS LNDG ON RWY 1R AND THE TIME OF DAY IS SUCH THAT THE SUN STRIKES THIS BUILDING JUST RIGHT, IT REFLECTS THE SUN'S RAYS RIGHT AT THE LNDG CARRIERS. FOR SEVERAL THOUSAND FT DSNDING TO LAND WE WERE BLINDED BY THE REFLECTION. 100 MI S OF LAS AT 29000 FT THIS THING STANDS OUT WITH THE PROPER SUN ALIGNMENT. A PLT ON FINAL TO RWY 1R IS BLINDED TO THE FORWARD VIEW. THE BLINDING REFLECTION SEEMS TO SUBSIDE (LATE MORNING) AT ABOUT 1000-1500 FT AGL. YOU WOULD HAVE TO SEE IT FOR YOURSELF TO REALIZE HOW PWRFUL IT IS. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS!

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.

Sun's reflection from an all-glass pyramid shaped hotel blinds pilots on approach to las runways 1L, 1R, and 25R.