A PAPI lighting system was recently installed at csg, GA, and is remotely controled by the tower. Re...

Attributes
ACN	408671
Time
Date	199807
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : csg
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Experience	controller radar : 10 flight time total : 60
ASRS Report	408671
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

The FAA recently installed and commissioned a new PAPI light system for runway 5 at columbus. The new system and the existing MALSR are radio controled from the tower. When a button is pushed in the tower, a radio signal is transmitted which is supposed to control the PAPI. Unfortunately, there is no signal of any kind sent back to the tower. Thus the only way to determine if the lights are working properly, is to ask a pilot. This system apparently can be confused by power fluctuations, garbled radio control signals or pushing the buttons in succession too rapidly. Also, switching between air-to-ground and ground-to-ground mode can have unexpected results. We can see the runway lights and REIL lights from the tower. We have electronic monitors for the ILS navaids. There should be some type of accurate monitoring system for the PAPI and MALSR system as these are provided for safety of flight. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter said the PAPI system was installed around jun/98 and has been working fine. Claims the technicians who maintain the system are located in atl, 100 mi away and have a monitor system to determine if the system at csg has a malfunction. Reporter believes the system should include a monitor in the tower. The airport is used mostly by GA and air taxi aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PAPI LIGHTING SYS WAS RECENTLY INSTALLED AT CSG, GA, AND IS REMOTELY CTLED BY THE TWR. RPTR STATES THE LIGHT SYS IS NOT VISIBLE FROM THE TWR AND THERE IS NO MONITOR TO DETERMINE IF THE LIGHTS ARE WORKING PROPERLY.

Narrative: THE FAA RECENTLY INSTALLED AND COMMISSIONED A NEW PAPI LIGHT SYS FOR RWY 5 AT COLUMBUS. THE NEW SYS AND THE EXISTING MALSR ARE RADIO CTLED FROM THE TWR. WHEN A BUTTON IS PUSHED IN THE TWR, A RADIO SIGNAL IS XMITTED WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO CTL THE PAPI. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE IS NO SIGNAL OF ANY KIND SENT BACK TO THE TWR. THUS THE ONLY WAY TO DETERMINE IF THE LIGHTS ARE WORKING PROPERLY, IS TO ASK A PLT. THIS SYS APPARENTLY CAN BE CONFUSED BY PWR FLUCTUATIONS, GARBLED RADIO CTL SIGNALS OR PUSHING THE BUTTONS IN SUCCESSION TOO RAPIDLY. ALSO, SWITCHING BTWN AIR-TO-GND AND GND-TO-GND MODE CAN HAVE UNEXPECTED RESULTS. WE CAN SEE THE RWY LIGHTS AND REIL LIGHTS FROM THE TWR. WE HAVE ELECTRONIC MONITORS FOR THE ILS NAVAIDS. THERE SHOULD BE SOME TYPE OF ACCURATE MONITORING SYS FOR THE PAPI AND MALSR SYS AS THESE ARE PROVIDED FOR SAFETY OF FLT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR SAID THE PAPI SYS WAS INSTALLED AROUND JUN/98 AND HAS BEEN WORKING FINE. CLAIMS THE TECHNICIANS WHO MAINTAIN THE SYS ARE LOCATED IN ATL, 100 MI AWAY AND HAVE A MONITOR SYS TO DETERMINE IF THE SYS AT CSG HAS A MALFUNCTION. RPTR BELIEVES THE SYS SHOULD INCLUDE A MONITOR IN THE TWR. THE ARPT IS USED MOSTLY BY GA AND AIR TAXI ACFT.

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.

A PAPI lighting system was recently installed at csg, GA, and is remotely controled by the tower. Reporter states the light system is not visible from the tower and there is no monitor to determine if the lights are working properly.