AN ACR FLC FINDS THAT A NEW WINDSHEAR WARNING LIGHT INSTALLATION INTERFERED WITH FULL CTL WHEEL MOVEMENT WHEN THE FO CUTS HIS HAND ON THE LIGHT HOUSING DURING A CTL CHK. DC9-50.

Narrative

OUR ACR HAS ADDED A REACTIVE WINDSHEAR SYS TO ITS DC9 FLEET. THE WARNING LIGHTS ARE LOCATED JUST UNDER THE GLARESHIELD; L AND R SIDE. ON SEVERAL ACFT I HAVE FLOWN THE LIGHTS INTERFERE WITH THE PLT'S HAND WHEN MOVING THE CTL WHEEL TO EXTREME POS; IE; MOST LIKELY FOUND IN A WINDSHEAR CONDITION; I FEEL THE LIGHTS SHOULD BE RELOCATED. IT WOULD CERTAINLY BE IRONIC IF THE SYS TO HELP IN WINDSHEAR AWARENESS WOULD INTERFERE WITH AN ACTUAL WINDSHEAR RECOVERY. PLEASE USE YOUR INFLUENCE TO HAVE THE FAA LOOK INTO THIS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR WAS FLYING A DC9-50 AT THE TIME OF THIS INCIDENT; BUT HE SAID THAT THIS PROB APPLIES; IN GENERAL; TO THE ENTIRE DC9 FLEET OF -10; -30; -40 AND -50 ACFT. DURING THE PREFLT HIS FO CUT HIS HAND ON THE WINDSHEAR WARNING LIGHTS THAT ARE ATTACHED TO THE INST GLARESHIELD DURING HIS CTL CHK. AS THE FO PUSHED THE CTL COLUMN FORWARD AND ROTATED THE WHEEL HIS HAND STRUCK THE NEW LIGHT INSTALLATION'S SHARP METAL HOUSING. THE CAPT SAID THAT HE HAS LOOKED AT THE INSTALLATION ON OTHER MODELS OF THE DC9 THAT HIS COMPANY OPERATES AND HE THINKS THAT THE LIGHTS COULD INTERFERE WITH FULL CTL WHEEL MOVEMENT ON ALL OF THE DC9'S. THE LIGHTS ARE LOCATED JUST TO THE L OF THE CTRLINE OF THE CTL WHEEL ON THE CAPT'S SIDE AND JUST TO THE R ON THE FO'S SIDE. THE INSTALLATION CONSISTS OF 2 LIGHTS; SIDE BY SIDE; AND EACH RECTANGULAR LIGHT IS ABOUT 3/4 BY 1 1/4 INCHES. THE RPTR SAID THAT SOME GLARESHIELDS HANG DOWN TOWARD THE WHEEL MORE THAN OTHERS SO HE THINKS THAT SOME CLRNCS MAY VARY FROM THE ONES THAT HE HAS SEEN. THE RPTR'S COMPANY ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROB AND HE SAID THAT THE CHIEF PLT AND MAINT WAS GOING TO TELL HIM WHAT THEY WERE DOING TO CORRECT IT; BUT HE HAS NOT HEARD FROM THEM YET.