Airport beacon relocation on top of tower gives controller headache.

Attributes
ACN	261134
Time
Date	199401
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : geg
State Reference	WA
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
ASRS Report	261134
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	procedure or policy : unspecified
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

A few months ago, the airport received permission to put the rotating beacon on top of the control tower. When it is on at night and it is foggy, the beacon produces an unacceptable glare in the tower cabin attendant. It is like having someone shine a flashlight in your eyes every 5 seconds - - it distracts, and doesn't allow your eyes to adjust to the dark. Personally, it gives me a headache after just a short period. The greatest problem lies with the intensity of the light combined with the thick fog.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARPT BEACON RELOCATION ON TOP OF TWR GIVES CTLR HEADACHE.

Narrative: A FEW MONTHS AGO, THE ARPT RECEIVED PERMISSION TO PUT THE ROTATING BEACON ON TOP OF THE CTL TWR. WHEN IT IS ON AT NIGHT AND IT IS FOGGY, THE BEACON PRODUCES AN UNACCEPTABLE GLARE IN THE TWR CAB. IT IS LIKE HAVING SOMEONE SHINE A FLASHLIGHT IN YOUR EYES EVERY 5 SECONDS - - IT DISTRACTS, AND DOESN'T ALLOW YOUR EYES TO ADJUST TO THE DARK. PERSONALLY, IT GIVES ME A HEADACHE AFTER JUST A SHORT PERIOD. THE GREATEST PROB LIES WITH THE INTENSITY OF THE LIGHT COMBINED WITH THE THICK FOG.

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.