Narrative:

The new taxiway centerline lights at the intxns of txwys a B, F, and F1 are too bright to the point of being distracting. While the rest of the airport's lights step up and down to be appropriate for conditions, these lights are stuck on full bright all the time. The ATC personnel have no control over them. These bright green centerline lights ruin your night vision and wash out the surrounding runway and taxiway edge lights. This is not a good place to be confused, as it is close to the intxns of all 4 runways. I believe these excessively bright lights could lead to a runway incursion one day. They should be fixed so as to operate as they were designed -- at the same brightness level as the rest of the surrounding lights. The sfo tower controllers told me that they have complained, but nothing has been done. Callback conversation with sfo specialist revealed the following information: advised that the airport is aware of the problem. Light output of the new 'style III' is being tested at lower amperage levels to resolve the issue. There is difficulty in reprogramming a 5 step regulator to a 3 step. Monthly meetings are being held with the airport and its users. The latest test is currently under evaluation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FLC CONCERNED WITH NEW TXWY CTRLINE LIGHTING ON SFO TXWYS A, F, AND F1 THAT IT COULD CAUSE A RWY INCURSION.

Narrative: THE NEW TXWY CTRLINE LIGHTS AT THE INTXNS OF TXWYS A B, F, AND F1 ARE TOO BRIGHT TO THE POINT OF BEING DISTRACTING. WHILE THE REST OF THE ARPT'S LIGHTS STEP UP AND DOWN TO BE APPROPRIATE FOR CONDITIONS, THESE LIGHTS ARE STUCK ON FULL BRIGHT ALL THE TIME. THE ATC PERSONNEL HAVE NO CTL OVER THEM. THESE BRIGHT GREEN CTRLINE LIGHTS RUIN YOUR NIGHT VISION AND WASH OUT THE SURROUNDING RWY AND TXWY EDGE LIGHTS. THIS IS NOT A GOOD PLACE TO BE CONFUSED, AS IT IS CLOSE TO THE INTXNS OF ALL 4 RWYS. I BELIEVE THESE EXCESSIVELY BRIGHT LIGHTS COULD LEAD TO A RWY INCURSION ONE DAY. THEY SHOULD BE FIXED SO AS TO OPERATE AS THEY WERE DESIGNED -- AT THE SAME BRIGHTNESS LEVEL AS THE REST OF THE SURROUNDING LIGHTS. THE SFO TWR CTLRS TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE COMPLAINED, BUT NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH SFO SPECIALIST REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: ADVISED THAT THE ARPT IS AWARE OF THE PROB. LIGHT OUTPUT OF THE NEW 'STYLE III' IS BEING TESTED AT LOWER AMPERAGE LEVELS TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE. THERE IS DIFFICULTY IN REPROGRAMMING A 5 STEP REGULATOR TO A 3 STEP. MONTHLY MEETINGS ARE BEING HELD WITH THE ARPT AND ITS USERS. THE LATEST TEST IS CURRENTLY UNDER EVALUATION.

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.