Narrative:

Houston hobby airport runway 12R has a 1000 ft displaced threshold for landing, why? To me, it does not appear that the threshold needs to be displaced. I have asked hou tower a couple times why. They don't know why. I have been at this company 22 yrs and when I first started flying here, it was not displaced 1000 ft. I believe it was changed in the late 80's or early 90's. When you look at the area leading up to the approach end of runway 12R, there does not appear to be any obstructions, certainly none any closer than mdw or san. I was told there are 2 things that are no good to a pilot, runway behind you and sky above you. Houston's runway 12R only has 5612 ft of runway after GS touchdown. Our new procedures call for no ducking below the GS, which most pilots, I think, do on runway 12R. By displacing the threshold on runway 12R, the runway is about as short as mdw. I feel there is a potential for going off the end of runway 12R if you are heavy, the runway is wet, and one lands a little long. (Our procedures call for a touchdown 1000-1500 ft from the runway end and I see many pilots land much longer than that.) could you please find out why houston's runway 12R is displaced 1000 ft? If it is because of an obstacle, why not remove it? And please give us the entire runway back!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR CAPT IS CONCERNED THAT RWY 12R AT HOU IS NOW TOO SHORT, DUE TO THE INSTALLATION OF A DISPLACED THRESHOLD SOME TIME IN THE LATE 80'S OR EARLY 90'S.

Narrative: HOUSTON HOBBY ARPT RWY 12R HAS A 1000 FT DISPLACED THRESHOLD FOR LNDG, WHY? TO ME, IT DOES NOT APPEAR THAT THE THRESHOLD NEEDS TO BE DISPLACED. I HAVE ASKED HOU TWR A COUPLE TIMES WHY. THEY DON'T KNOW WHY. I HAVE BEEN AT THIS COMPANY 22 YRS AND WHEN I FIRST STARTED FLYING HERE, IT WAS NOT DISPLACED 1000 FT. I BELIEVE IT WAS CHANGED IN THE LATE 80'S OR EARLY 90'S. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE AREA LEADING UP TO THE APCH END OF RWY 12R, THERE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE ANY OBSTRUCTIONS, CERTAINLY NONE ANY CLOSER THAN MDW OR SAN. I WAS TOLD THERE ARE 2 THINGS THAT ARE NO GOOD TO A PLT, RWY BEHIND YOU AND SKY ABOVE YOU. HOUSTON'S RWY 12R ONLY HAS 5612 FT OF RWY AFTER GS TOUCHDOWN. OUR NEW PROCS CALL FOR NO DUCKING BELOW THE GS, WHICH MOST PLTS, I THINK, DO ON RWY 12R. BY DISPLACING THE THRESHOLD ON RWY 12R, THE RWY IS ABOUT AS SHORT AS MDW. I FEEL THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR GOING OFF THE END OF RWY 12R IF YOU ARE HVY, THE RWY IS WET, AND ONE LANDS A LITTLE LONG. (OUR PROCS CALL FOR A TOUCHDOWN 1000-1500 FT FROM THE RWY END AND I SEE MANY PLTS LAND MUCH LONGER THAN THAT.) COULD YOU PLEASE FIND OUT WHY HOUSTON'S RWY 12R IS DISPLACED 1000 FT? IF IT IS BECAUSE OF AN OBSTACLE, WHY NOT REMOVE IT? AND PLEASE GIVE US THE ENTIRE RWY BACK!

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.