Narrative:

There is a long standing, intermittent problem at the rdu international airport that is a severe impediment to safety. The problem deals with a radio communications 'blank spot' on the approach end of runway 5R. This issue has been addressed in this and other forums over the past few yrs. Airways facilities has done some testing and determined that the problem was with the local control east frequency (119.3). Air traffic has subsequently changed its operation to use 127.45 as the lce frequency. The other option put forth by maintenance was to move the transmitter antenna. The issue was assumed to be resolved pending another occurrence. Today (jan/tue/98) we have had that occurrence. A C550 was taxied into position to hold on runway 5R. Traffic was on final. When the C550 was cleared for takeoff, there was no response and the aircraft did not move. The arrival was 'sent around' and communication was re-established with the C550 using the backup transceiver. (This has always been the method of communicating with aircraft who find themselves in this 'blank spot.') the problem is recognized as serious enough to be addressed in our local standard operating procedures order rdu 7110.65 as a potential problem area.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TWR CTLR CITES RECURRENT PROBS WITH E END RADIO COM BLANK BLIND SPOT. RECENT SIT OCCURRED WHEN A C550 WAS TAXIED INTO TKOF POS AND THE LCL CTLR COULD NOT COMMUNICATE WITH THE C550. LNDG TFC WAS REQUIRED TO EXECUTE A MISSED APCH. MAINT HAS CHANGED LCL E FREQ WITHOUT IMPROVEMENT. FACILITY STANDARD OPERATING PROCS ORDER IDENTS THIS AS A POTENTIAL PROB AREA.

Narrative: THERE IS A LONG STANDING, INTERMITTENT PROB AT THE RDU INTL ARPT THAT IS A SEVERE IMPEDIMENT TO SAFETY. THE PROB DEALS WITH A RADIO COMS 'BLANK SPOT' ON THE APCH END OF RWY 5R. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN ADDRESSED IN THIS AND OTHER FORUMS OVER THE PAST FEW YRS. AIRWAYS FACILITIES HAS DONE SOME TESTING AND DETERMINED THAT THE PROB WAS WITH THE LCL CTL EAST FREQ (119.3). AIR TFC HAS SUBSEQUENTLY CHANGED ITS OP TO USE 127.45 AS THE LCE FREQ. THE OTHER OPTION PUT FORTH BY MAINT WAS TO MOVE THE XMITTER ANTENNA. THE ISSUE WAS ASSUMED TO BE RESOLVED PENDING ANOTHER OCCURRENCE. TODAY (JAN/TUE/98) WE HAVE HAD THAT OCCURRENCE. A C550 WAS TAXIED INTO POS TO HOLD ON RWY 5R. TFC WAS ON FINAL. WHEN THE C550 WAS CLRED FOR TKOF, THERE WAS NO RESPONSE AND THE ACFT DID NOT MOVE. THE ARR WAS 'SENT AROUND' AND COM WAS RE-ESTABLISHED WITH THE C550 USING THE BACKUP TRANSCEIVER. (THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE METHOD OF COMMUNICATING WITH ACFT WHO FIND THEMSELVES IN THIS 'BLANK SPOT.') THE PROB IS RECOGNIZED AS SERIOUS ENOUGH TO BE ADDRESSED IN OUR LCL STANDARD OPERATING PROCS ORDER RDU 7110.65 AS A POTENTIAL PROB AREA.

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.