Narrative:

An experimental aircraft (C23) was parked in front of the control tower doing an engine run. This aircraft is equipped with pratt and whitney PT6 turboprop engines. The tower cabin attendant floor is approximately 45 ft above the ground. The top of the aircraft is approximately 15 ft. That leaves approximately 30 ft between the top of the aircraft and the tower cabin attendant. With the engines running this generates a noise level that can and does drown out ATC communications. This practice that is going on creates a definite safety hazard to all aircraft. The controllers have been told that the air traffic manager and the airport manager have approved this operation despite protests from the controllers in the concern of safety. There are numerous suitable sites on the field to do engine runs. Examples: taxiway a at the approach end of runway 21, taxiway B, west end of the air center hangar complex. This area needs addressed prior to an incident/accident. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that the area in front of the tower is part of an engine maintenance facility. Reporter indicated that the C23 is one of many aircraft on which engine run-ups are performed. Reporter alleges they were told by the facility manager that they could have the engine run-up aircraft moved from in front of the tower if the noise level was too high. Reporter said he told one aircraft to move and the response was that the location was approved by the airport manager. Reporter stated he told the aircraft to move or shut down, the aircraft was moved 50 ft for the run-up. Reporter stated he has filed a ucr.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR ALLEGES THE FACILITY MGR AND ARPT MGR APPROVED A C23 EXPERIMENTAL ACFT TO PERFORM ENG RUN-UPS IN FRONT OF THE CTL TWR. RPTR CLAIMS THE NOISE LEVEL OF THE ENGS RUNNING DROWNS OUT ATC COM IN THE TWR AND THAT IT CREATES A SAFETY HAZARD.

Narrative: AN EXPERIMENTAL ACFT (C23) WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF THE CTL TWR DOING AN ENG RUN. THIS ACFT IS EQUIPPED WITH PRATT AND WHITNEY PT6 TURBOPROP ENGS. THE TWR CAB FLOOR IS APPROX 45 FT ABOVE THE GND. THE TOP OF THE ACFT IS APPROX 15 FT. THAT LEAVES APPROX 30 FT BTWN THE TOP OF THE ACFT AND THE TWR CAB. WITH THE ENGS RUNNING THIS GENERATES A NOISE LEVEL THAT CAN AND DOES DROWN OUT ATC COMS. THIS PRACTICE THAT IS GOING ON CREATES A DEFINITE SAFETY HAZARD TO ALL ACFT. THE CTLRS HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE AIR TFC MGR AND THE ARPT MGR HAVE APPROVED THIS OP DESPITE PROTESTS FROM THE CTLRS IN THE CONCERN OF SAFETY. THERE ARE NUMEROUS SUITABLE SITES ON THE FIELD TO DO ENG RUNS. EXAMPLES: TXWY A AT THE APCH END OF RWY 21, TXWY B, W END OF THE AIR CTR HANGAR COMPLEX. THIS AREA NEEDS ADDRESSED PRIOR TO AN INCIDENT/ACCIDENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE AREA IN FRONT OF THE TWR IS PART OF AN ENG MAINT FACILITY. RPTR INDICATED THAT THE C23 IS ONE OF MANY ACFT ON WHICH ENG RUN-UPS ARE PERFORMED. RPTR ALLEGES THEY WERE TOLD BY THE FACILITY MGR THAT THEY COULD HAVE THE ENG RUN-UP ACFT MOVED FROM IN FRONT OF THE TWR IF THE NOISE LEVEL WAS TOO HIGH. RPTR SAID HE TOLD ONE ACFT TO MOVE AND THE RESPONSE WAS THAT THE LOCATION WAS APPROVED BY THE ARPT MGR. RPTR STATED HE TOLD THE ACFT TO MOVE OR SHUT DOWN, THE ACFT WAS MOVED 50 FT FOR THE RUN-UP. RPTR STATED HE HAS FILED A UCR.

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.