Narrative:

The new cargo ramp east of runway 26 (iah) has lights which parallel the final approach course to runway 26. On a recent approach to that runway, I noticed that in low visibility conditions, those cargo ramp lights could possibly cause confusion (ie, are they runway edge lights? Part of the approach lighting system? Are we misaligned?). I think a note in the iah page would be important to alert pilots to these lights since they might be a distraction during a CAT 2 or CAT 3 approach. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the captain stated that after a conversation with the chief pilot, the company had researched his viewpoint and had the chart manufacturer place a special note on page 10-7 related to the ILS for runway 26L. The note warned flight crews of the existence and appearance of the ramp lights and how they might be misconstrued as being associated with the approach lighting system for the subject runway.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR PIC VOICES HIS CONCERN OVER THE DISTR AND ILLUSION CREATED BY THE RAMP LIGHTING OFF APCH END OF RWY 26L DURING AN ILS APCH IN LOW VISIBILITY CONDITIONS AT IAH, TX.

Narrative: THE NEW CARGO RAMP E OF RWY 26 (IAH) HAS LIGHTS WHICH PARALLEL THE FINAL APCH COURSE TO RWY 26. ON A RECENT APCH TO THAT RWY, I NOTICED THAT IN LOW VISIBILITY CONDITIONS, THOSE CARGO RAMP LIGHTS COULD POSSIBLY CAUSE CONFUSION (IE, ARE THEY RWY EDGE LIGHTS? PART OF THE APCH LIGHTING SYS? ARE WE MISALIGNED?). I THINK A NOTE IN THE IAH PAGE WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO ALERT PLTS TO THESE LIGHTS SINCE THEY MIGHT BE A DISTR DURING A CAT 2 OR CAT 3 APCH. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE CAPT STATED THAT AFTER A CONVERSATION WITH THE CHIEF PLT, THE COMPANY HAD RESEARCHED HIS VIEWPOINT AND HAD THE CHART MANUFACTURER PLACE A SPECIAL NOTE ON PAGE 10-7 RELATED TO THE ILS FOR RWY 26L. THE NOTE WARNED FLT CREWS OF THE EXISTENCE AND APPEARANCE OF THE RAMP LIGHTS AND HOW THEY MIGHT BE MISCONSTRUED AS BEING ASSOCIATED WITH THE APCH LIGHTING SYS FOR THE SUBJECT RWY.

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.