Narrative:

Ramp lighting at almost all airport gates shines in the pilot's eyes during taxi in. These lights are bright so that ground personnel can operate their equipment. But these lights deny the pilots a clear view of the gate and ramp. This is especially so at night in the rain. Taxi lines are lost in the glare of the reflected lights. This is a big problem, but since there is probably little alternative, the pilots may not complain. Meanwhile we can not see very well. Worst case lights on the ramp/gate -- seattle gates (at least 1-4) these lights -- to one degree or another are a problem at most airports -- and more so at the larger airports. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that his air carrier ramp lighting problems at sea were the worst of his operating airports. The problem is that the lights are mounted about 15-20 ft above the cockpit of his 757, about 5 ft below the top of the roof line of the pier. The lights are directed to shine in the crew's eyes, making it impossible to see the ramp or gate clearly. The lights are for the purpose of ground crew activity but thwart the crew's ability to see. An adjustment of the direction of the lights away from the incoming aircraft's cockpit, if possible, would be desired. He had turned in a report to his air carrier but has not received any response to this or other reports he had sent in on this topic and others. He didn't think that a reply from the company was part of the procedure. When asked, he said that the specific gate in question was a hand/visual signal approach gate, without a guide light system. It required several 'jinking' type turns to get to the 'stop' position because of the gate design and congestion. The quality of the signaling by ground crews appears to be good, but they lack any means of communication between the marshaller and the wing walkers.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC DISTR LIGHTING. RAMP GATE LIGHTING CREATES VISUAL INTERFERENCE IN A RAMP OP ACFT PARKING PROC.

Narrative: RAMP LIGHTING AT ALMOST ALL ARPT GATES SHINES IN THE PLT'S EYES DURING TAXI IN. THESE LIGHTS ARE BRIGHT SO THAT GND PERSONNEL CAN OPERATE THEIR EQUIP. BUT THESE LIGHTS DENY THE PLTS A CLR VIEW OF THE GATE AND RAMP. THIS IS ESPECIALLY SO AT NIGHT IN THE RAIN. TAXI LINES ARE LOST IN THE GLARE OF THE REFLECTED LIGHTS. THIS IS A BIG PROB, BUT SINCE THERE IS PROBABLY LITTLE ALTERNATIVE, THE PLTS MAY NOT COMPLAIN. MEANWHILE WE CAN NOT SEE VERY WELL. WORST CASE LIGHTS ON THE RAMP/GATE -- SEATTLE GATES (AT LEAST 1-4) THESE LIGHTS -- TO ONE DEG OR ANOTHER ARE A PROB AT MOST ARPTS -- AND MORE SO AT THE LARGER ARPTS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT HIS ACR RAMP LIGHTING PROBS AT SEA WERE THE WORST OF HIS OPERATING ARPTS. THE PROB IS THAT THE LIGHTS ARE MOUNTED ABOUT 15-20 FT ABOVE THE COCKPIT OF HIS 757, ABOUT 5 FT BELOW THE TOP OF THE ROOF LINE OF THE PIER. THE LIGHTS ARE DIRECTED TO SHINE IN THE CREW'S EYES, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THE RAMP OR GATE CLRLY. THE LIGHTS ARE FOR THE PURPOSE OF GND CREW ACTIVITY BUT THWART THE CREW'S ABILITY TO SEE. AN ADJUSTMENT OF THE DIRECTION OF THE LIGHTS AWAY FROM THE INCOMING ACFT'S COCKPIT, IF POSSIBLE, WOULD BE DESIRED. HE HAD TURNED IN A RPT TO HIS ACR BUT HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY RESPONSE TO THIS OR OTHER RPTS HE HAD SENT IN ON THIS TOPIC AND OTHERS. HE DIDN'T THINK THAT A REPLY FROM THE COMPANY WAS PART OF THE PROC. WHEN ASKED, HE SAID THAT THE SPECIFIC GATE IN QUESTION WAS A HAND/VISUAL SIGNAL APCH GATE, WITHOUT A GUIDE LIGHT SYS. IT REQUIRED SEVERAL 'JINKING' TYPE TURNS TO GET TO THE 'STOP' POS BECAUSE OF THE GATE DESIGN AND CONGESTION. THE QUALITY OF THE SIGNALING BY GND CREWS APPEARS TO BE GOOD, BUT THEY LACK ANY MEANS OF COM BTWN THE MARSHALLER AND THE WING WALKERS.

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.