Flight crew complaint about PAPI light visibility when flying a visual approach to bur runway 34.

Attributes
ACN	98502
Time
Date	198811
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bur
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bur
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	98502
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

We were cleared for a visual approach at bur runway 34. Upon turning final we could not see the 'PAPI' lights, although we knew their location. These lights were discernable only on very short final. I phoned bur tower and was told that there was tower controled intensity adjustment for these lights (runway 34 PAPI's). This is absolutely unacceptable. Give the tower intensity control over these lights or get rid of this second rate system and put in a VASI.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW COMPLAINT ABOUT PAPI LIGHT VISIBILITY WHEN FLYING A VISUAL APCH TO BUR RWY 34.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH AT BUR RWY 34. UPON TURNING FINAL WE COULD NOT SEE THE 'PAPI' LIGHTS, ALTHOUGH WE KNEW THEIR LOCATION. THESE LIGHTS WERE DISCERNABLE ONLY ON VERY SHORT FINAL. I PHONED BUR TWR AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS TWR CTLED INTENSITY ADJUSTMENT FOR THESE LIGHTS (RWY 34 PAPI'S). THIS IS ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE. GIVE THE TWR INTENSITY CONTROL OVER THESE LIGHTS OR GET RID OF THIS SECOND RATE SYSTEM AND PUT IN A VASI.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.