Narrative:

Citation was holding in position on runway 22. Due to a 'blind spot' the pilot cannot hear takeoff clearance. This presents a conflict when aircraft are on final to runway 22. This problem has existed for more than one year. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter advised that mntnc activity was conducted approximately 8 months ago. If the pilot holds in position at the approach end of runway 22, either from taxiway alpha or foxtrot, it is not uncommon that the local control has to ask another aircraft on the airport to have the 'in position' aircraft pull forward 20 ft or so to reestablish communication with the tower. Usually 20 forward on the runway is all it takes. Supplemental information: mntnc moved the transmitting antenna (118.7) to a new location on top a building south of taxiway's kilo and juliet, without significant improvement. The controller advised that local controller has direct visual contact with the aircraft in position on the runway 22 approach end. The controller advises that this condition is almost exclusive to corporate type aircraft, such as: citation, hawker, beechjet, etc-and not air carrier aircraft. Supplemental information from acn 520666: there is a blind spot when small aircraft are in position on runway 22 at hobby airport. They cannot hear tower and tower can not hear the aircraft. This results in very serious problems when issuing takeoff clearance while trying to hit a hole between arrivals on a crossing runway. Has been like this for years!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HOU TWR CTLR CONCERNED WITH COM BLIND SPOT ON APCH END RWY 22.

Narrative: CITATION WAS HOLDING IN POSITION ON RWY 22. DUE TO A 'BLIND SPOT' THE PLT CANNOT HEAR TKOF CLRNC. THIS PRESENTS A CONFLICT WHEN ACFT ARE ON FINAL TO RWY 22. THIS PROB HAS EXISTED FOR MORE THAN ONE YEAR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR ADVISED THAT MNTNC ACTIVITY WAS CONDUCTED APPROX 8 MONTHS AGO. IF THE PLT HOLDS IN POSITION AT THE APCH END OF RWY 22, EITHER FROM TXWY ALPHA OR FOXTROT, IT IS NOT UNCOMMON THAT THE LC HAS TO ASK ANOTHER ACFT ON THE ARPT TO HAVE THE 'IN POSITION' ACFT PULL FORWARD 20 FT OR SO TO REESTABLISH COM WITH THE TOWER. USUALLY 20 FORWARD ON THE RWY IS ALL IT TAKES. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO: MNTNC MOVED THE TRANSMITTING ANTENNA (118.7) TO A NEW LOCATION ON TOP A BUILDING S OF TXWY'S KILO AND JULIET, WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT. THE CTLR ADVISED THAT LCL CTLR HAS DIRECT VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE ACFT IN POSITION ON THE RWY 22 APCH END. THE CTLR ADVISES THAT THIS CONDITION IS ALMOST EXCLUSIVE TO CORPORATE TYPE ACFT, SUCH AS: CITATION, HAWKER, BEECHJET, ETC-AND NOT ACR ACFT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 520666: THERE IS A BLIND SPOT WHEN SMALL ACFT ARE IN POS ON RWY 22 AT HOBBY ARPT. THEY CANNOT HEAR TWR AND TWR CAN NOT HEAR THE ACFT. THIS RESULTS IN VERY SERIOUS PROBLEMS WHEN ISSUING TKOF CLRNC WHILE TRYING TO HIT A HOLE BTWN ARRIVALS ON A XING RWY. HAS BEEN LIKE THIS FOR YEARS!

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.