Narrative:

The CAT ii/III equipment at bdl airport is chronically unreliable. As a supervisor in TRACON I am responsible for determining status of CAT ii/III system when RVR on runway 6 goes below CAT I minima. We use a checklist to verify availability of all required equipment, including runway edge lights and approach light system. The controls and indicators for the light system and generators are unreliable and near impossible for controllers to accurately determine status of lights. In addition, the generator for the runway edge lights failed 3 times during periods of CAT III WX this week. Over the last 5 yrs, I estimate that CAT ii/III service was available only 50% of time actually required.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACON SUPVR STATES BDL ARPT RWY 6 ILS CAT II-III EQUIP CHRONICALLY UNRELIABLE, ESTIMATED OTS 50% OF NEEDED TIME DURING THE PAST 5 YRS. EQUIP PROBS INCLUDE UNRELIABLE EQUIP STATUS LIGHTS AND GENERATOR FOR RWY EDGE LIGHTS.

Narrative: THE CAT II/III EQUIP AT BDL ARPT IS CHRONICALLY UNRELIABLE. AS A SUPVR IN TRACON I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR DETERMINING STATUS OF CAT II/III SYS WHEN RVR ON RWY 6 GOES BELOW CAT I MINIMA. WE USE A CHKLIST TO VERIFY AVAILABILITY OF ALL REQUIRED EQUIP, INCLUDING RWY EDGE LIGHTS AND APCH LIGHT SYS. THE CTLS AND INDICATORS FOR THE LIGHT SYS AND GENERATORS ARE UNRELIABLE AND NEAR IMPOSSIBLE FOR CTLRS TO ACCURATELY DETERMINE STATUS OF LIGHTS. IN ADDITION, THE GENERATOR FOR THE RWY EDGE LIGHTS FAILED 3 TIMES DURING PERIODS OF CAT III WX THIS WK. OVER THE LAST 5 YRS, I ESTIMATE THAT CAT II/III SVC WAS AVAILABLE ONLY 50% OF TIME ACTUALLY REQUIRED.

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.