Narrative:

PA31 requested taxi clearance from abc. I issued pilot runway 32, intersection departure from taxiway D based on pilot's reported location and wind conditions (320 degrees at 18 KTS). Moments later pilot advised that he was at runway 27, looking for runway 32. He was apparently at the cargo ramp instead of the FBO's ramp when he initially called, and taxied across another runway to have gotten to where he was. 'Abc' is the common reference used on the airport for the FBO operation. When abc became the cargo handler, they named the cargo operation abc, the same name used for the FBO operation, which is located on the opposite side of the airport. This immediately became confusing to everyone. Some cargo crews have become aware of the potential confusion, and make it a point to advise the ground control that they are taxiing from 'abc cargo,' but many pilots are not aware of this fine distinction, and it's unrealistic to expect them to know this. This confusion and its impact on safety have been brought to the attention of FAA management, and they in turn to airport and abc management, but no change to date, and the problem continues. The obvious and only solution is to change the name of the cargo ramp to eliminate any and all references to abc. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that the problem has not been resolved and there does not seem to be much action at this time. That is why he sent the NASA report. Reporter states that this has happened to him at least 3 or 4 times, and from other controllers he has spoken with, it happens all too frequently. The cargo area is located east of runway 1 and north of taxiway K4. The FBO is located west of runway 32 and off of taxiway H. Since these areas are at opposite sides of the runway complex it can be very confusing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR RPT REGARDING CONFUSION OF 2 FACILITIES ON THE ARPT USING THE SAME NAME. HE ISSUED A TAXI CLRNC TO THE PLT OF A PA31 LEAVING THE CARGO RAMP BUT CTLR BELIEVED THE ACFT WAS AT THE FBO ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ARPT.

Narrative: PA31 REQUESTED TAXI CLRNC FROM ABC. I ISSUED PLT RWY 32, INTXN DEP FROM TXWY D BASED ON PLT'S RPTED LOCATION AND WIND CONDITIONS (320 DEGS AT 18 KTS). MOMENTS LATER PLT ADVISED THAT HE WAS AT RWY 27, LOOKING FOR RWY 32. HE WAS APPARENTLY AT THE CARGO RAMP INSTEAD OF THE FBO'S RAMP WHEN HE INITIALLY CALLED, AND TAXIED ACROSS ANOTHER RWY TO HAVE GOTTEN TO WHERE HE WAS. 'ABC' IS THE COMMON REF USED ON THE ARPT FOR THE FBO OP. WHEN ABC BECAME THE CARGO HANDLER, THEY NAMED THE CARGO OP ABC, THE SAME NAME USED FOR THE FBO OP, WHICH IS LOCATED ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ARPT. THIS IMMEDIATELY BECAME CONFUSING TO EVERYONE. SOME CARGO CREWS HAVE BECOME AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL CONFUSION, AND MAKE IT A POINT TO ADVISE THE GND CTL THAT THEY ARE TAXIING FROM 'ABC CARGO,' BUT MANY PLTS ARE NOT AWARE OF THIS FINE DISTINCTION, AND IT'S UNREALISTIC TO EXPECT THEM TO KNOW THIS. THIS CONFUSION AND ITS IMPACT ON SAFETY HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO THE ATTN OF FAA MGMNT, AND THEY IN TURN TO ARPT AND ABC MGMNT, BUT NO CHANGE TO DATE, AND THE PROB CONTINUES. THE OBVIOUS AND ONLY SOLUTION IS TO CHANGE THE NAME OF THE CARGO RAMP TO ELIMINATE ANY AND ALL REFS TO ABC. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT THE PROB HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED AND THERE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE MUCH ACTION AT THIS TIME. THAT IS WHY HE SENT THE NASA RPT. RPTR STATES THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO HIM AT LEAST 3 OR 4 TIMES, AND FROM OTHER CTLRS HE HAS SPOKEN WITH, IT HAPPENS ALL TOO FREQUENTLY. THE CARGO AREA IS LOCATED E OF RWY 1 AND N OF TXWY K4. THE FBO IS LOCATED W OF RWY 32 AND OFF OF TXWY H. SINCE THESE AREAS ARE AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE RWY COMPLEX IT CAN BE VERY CONFUSING.

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.