An aircoupe pilot reports the taxiway signage for gmu's taxiway a and taxiway H intersection is conf...

Attributes
ACN	662610
Time
Date	200506
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gmu.airport
State Reference	SC
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : anc.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Aircoupe A2
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 1500 flight time type : 1
ASRS Report	662610
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Situations
Airport	signage : gmu.airport

Narrative:

I was unfamiliar with greenville downtown airport; so requested progressive taxi to runway 1. Was informed to turn right on taxiway H then right on taxiway a. After turning right on taxiway H; I never saw a sign for taxiway a and I crossed the hold short line for the active runway. I'm not sure if the taxiway is clearly marked or if I just didn't see the sign. However; the txwys are not as clearly marked as they are at other airports; ie; yellow sign with identify (a) on one side of the taxiway and another yellow sign with the arrow on the other side of the taxiway indicating that taxiway a is to the right (or left). Also; I didn't see any of the standard black with yellow lettering signs that indicate which taxiway you are on. The signage at gmu is confusing. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that he did not see either the sign on taxiway H crossing taxiway a or the runway 1/19 hold short markings. The first indication of a deviation for him was the tower's command to stop and notification of an impending active runway incursion. The reporter saw no runway sign either.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIRCOUPE PLT RPTS THE TXWY SIGNAGE FOR GMU'S TXWY A AND TXWY H INTXN IS CONFUSING; CAUSING HIM TO INCUR RWY 1 ON TXWY H.

Narrative: I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH GREENVILLE DOWNTOWN ARPT; SO REQUESTED PROGRESSIVE TAXI TO RWY 1. WAS INFORMED TO TURN R ON TXWY H THEN R ON TXWY A. AFTER TURNING R ON TXWY H; I NEVER SAW A SIGN FOR TXWY A AND I CROSSED THE HOLD SHORT LINE FOR THE ACTIVE RWY. I'M NOT SURE IF THE TXWY IS CLRLY MARKED OR IF I JUST DIDN'T SEE THE SIGN. HOWEVER; THE TXWYS ARE NOT AS CLRLY MARKED AS THEY ARE AT OTHER ARPTS; IE; YELLOW SIGN WITH IDENT (A) ON ONE SIDE OF THE TXWY AND ANOTHER YELLOW SIGN WITH THE ARROW ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TXWY INDICATING THAT TXWY A IS TO THE R (OR L). ALSO; I DIDN'T SEE ANY OF THE STANDARD BLACK WITH YELLOW LETTERING SIGNS THAT INDICATE WHICH TXWY YOU ARE ON. THE SIGNAGE AT GMU IS CONFUSING. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT HE DID NOT SEE EITHER THE SIGN ON TXWY H XING TXWY A OR THE RWY 1/19 HOLD SHORT MARKINGS. THE FIRST INDICATION OF A DEV FOR HIM WAS THE TWR'S COMMAND TO STOP AND NOTIFICATION OF AN IMPENDING ACTIVE RWY INCURSION. THE RPTR SAW NO RWY SIGN EITHER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

An aircoupe pilot reports the taxiway signage for gmu's taxiway a and taxiway H intersection is confusing; causing him to incur runway 1 on taxiway H.