FLC DISTR LIGHTING. RAMP GATE LIGHTING CREATES VISUAL INTERFERENCE IN A RAMP OP ACFT PARKING PROC.

1995-08 · NASA ASRS report 314141

Date: 1995-08 · Aircraft: B757-200

Anomalies: inflight-event-encounter-weather-turbulence|other-unspecified

Synopsis

FLC DISTR LIGHTING. RAMP GATE LIGHTING CREATES VISUAL INTERFERENCE IN A RAMP OP ACFT PARKING PROC.

Narrative

RAMP LIGHTING AT ALMOST ALL ARPT GATES SHINES IN THE PLT'S EYES DURING TAXI IN. THESE LIGHTS ARE BRIGHT SO THAT GND PERSONNEL CAN OPERATE THEIR EQUIP. BUT THESE LIGHTS DENY THE PLTS A CLR VIEW OF THE GATE AND RAMP. THIS IS ESPECIALLY SO AT NIGHT IN THE RAIN. TAXI LINES ARE LOST IN THE GLARE OF THE REFLECTED LIGHTS. THIS IS A BIG PROB; BUT SINCE THERE IS PROBABLY LITTLE ALTERNATIVE; THE PLTS MAY NOT COMPLAIN. MEANWHILE WE CAN NOT SEE VERY WELL. WORST CASE LIGHTS ON THE RAMP/GATE -- SEATTLE GATES (AT LEAST 1-4) THESE LIGHTS -- TO ONE DEG OR ANOTHER ARE A PROB AT MOST ARPTS -- AND MORE SO AT THE LARGER ARPTS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT HIS ACR RAMP LIGHTING PROBS AT SEA WERE THE WORST OF HIS OPERATING ARPTS. THE PROB IS THAT THE LIGHTS ARE MOUNTED ABOUT 15-20 FT ABOVE THE COCKPIT OF HIS 757; ABOUT 5 FT BELOW THE TOP OF THE ROOF LINE OF THE PIER. THE LIGHTS ARE DIRECTED TO SHINE IN THE CREW'S EYES; MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THE RAMP OR GATE CLRLY. THE LIGHTS ARE FOR THE PURPOSE OF GND CREW ACTIVITY BUT THWART THE CREW'S ABILITY TO SEE. AN ADJUSTMENT OF THE DIRECTION OF THE LIGHTS AWAY FROM THE INCOMING ACFT'S COCKPIT; IF POSSIBLE; WOULD BE DESIRED. HE HAD TURNED IN A RPT TO HIS ACR BUT HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY RESPONSE TO THIS OR OTHER RPTS HE HAD SENT IN ON THIS TOPIC AND OTHERS. HE DIDN'T THINK THAT A REPLY FROM THE COMPANY WAS PART OF THE PROC. WHEN ASKED; HE SAID THAT THE SPECIFIC GATE IN QUESTION WAS A HAND/VISUAL SIGNAL APCH GATE; WITHOUT A GUIDE LIGHT SYS. IT REQUIRED SEVERAL 'JINKING' TYPE TURNS TO GET TO THE 'STOP' POS BECAUSE OF THE GATE DESIGN AND CONGESTION. THE QUALITY OF THE SIGNALING BY GND CREWS APPEARS TO BE GOOD; BUT THEY LACK ANY MEANS OF COM BTWN THE MARSHALLER AND THE WING WALKERS.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.

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