<< >> NASA ASRS Report 315954, August 1995

Airport problem taxiway. Taxiway lighting design marking visibility makes it difficult for taxiing traffic to see taxiway edges in a night operation. WX factors exacerbate the condition.

Attributes
ACN	315954
Time
Date	199508
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	315954
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
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 procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Taxi edges are lost in the glare of reflected lights. This is a big problem, but since there is probably little alternative, the pilots may not complain. Meanwhile, we cannot see very well. Worst case lights (markings) for txwys at ewr. These lights (or reflectors) 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 was pessimistic as to whether anything would or could be done regarding the taxiway markings at ewr. He said that they are the worst of his operational airports. Reporter was not specific regarding the taxiway or txwys in particular, just any taxiway off the runways to the inner and outer txwys. He stated that at night, particularly in the rain, it is almost impossible to see the blue reflectors in use that mark the edges of the txwys. Blue lights are acceptable but the blue reflecting tape/tabs in use are not.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARPT PROB TXWY. TXWY LIGHTING DESIGN MARKING VISIBILITY MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR TAXIING TFC TO SEE TXWY EDGES IN A NIGHT OP. WX FACTORS EXACERBATE THE CONDITION.

Narrative: TAXI EDGES ARE LOST IN THE GLARE OF REFLECTED LIGHTS. THIS IS A BIG PROB, BUT SINCE THERE IS PROBABLY LITTLE ALTERNATIVE, THE PLTS MAY NOT COMPLAIN. MEANWHILE, WE CANNOT SEE VERY WELL. WORST CASE LIGHTS (MARKINGS) FOR TXWYS AT EWR. THESE LIGHTS (OR REFLECTORS) 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 WAS PESSIMISTIC AS TO WHETHER ANYTHING WOULD OR COULD BE DONE REGARDING THE TXWY MARKINGS AT EWR. HE SAID THAT THEY ARE THE WORST OF HIS OPERATIONAL ARPTS. RPTR WAS NOT SPECIFIC REGARDING THE TXWY OR TXWYS IN PARTICULAR, JUST ANY TXWY OFF THE RWYS TO THE INNER AND OUTER TXWYS. HE STATED THAT AT NIGHT, PARTICULARLY IN THE RAIN, IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THE BLUE REFLECTORS IN USE THAT MARK THE EDGES OF THE TXWYS. BLUE LIGHTS ARE ACCEPTABLE BUT THE BLUE REFLECTING TAPE/TABS IN USE ARE NOT.

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.