Pilot is concerned with his aircraft identification of 'special airports.' Pilot also identifies a hold short marking problem at taxiways D, E, and F at HNL.
Synopsis
Pilot is concerned with his aircraft identification of 'special airports.' Pilot also identifies a hold short marking problem at taxiways D, E, and F at HNL.
Narrative
Rewritten in plain English from NASA’s original all-caps telegraphic report — facts, figures, and terminology preserved.
This is a safety report/question and is not a specific event. 2 items: 1) It is very difficult to find the list of special airports as referenced in the FARs for recent experience. This makes it easy for a pilot going to a new airport to: 1) violate the recent experience FAR; and b) have an incident/accident by not being aware of the conditions requiring the special airport designation. Could there be something added to the approach charts for these airports, e.g., a sign with the letter 'S' surrounded inside a box.
2) The hold lines at HNL between runways 4R/4L are confusing. (Taxiways F/D/E?.) After landing, a pilot should clear the runway and yet the hold lines prevent it. Similarly, after clearing the runway, the pilot should not cross another runway without a clearance, and yet the hold lines at HKL allow this crossing. I know they are marked this way due to the minimal separation of the runways, but there has to be a better way. For someone not familiar with the airport, this could cause an accident.
Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following info: Pilot said that at one time the markings were correct. At some point airport maintenance repainted the signs and reversed them. He considers the current markings confusing, and a possible safety problem.
Show the original NASA report (verbatim, telegraphic)
THIS IS A SAFETY RPT/QUESTION AND IS NOT A SPECIFIC EVENT. 2 ITEMS: 1) IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND THE LIST OF SPECIAL ARPTS AS REFED IN THE FARS FOR RECENT EXPERIENCE. THIS MAKES IT EASY FOR A PLT GOING TO A NEW ARPT TO: 1) VIOLATE THE RECENT EXPERIENCE FAR; AND B) HAVE AN INCIDENT/ACCIDENT BY NOT BEING AWARE OF THE CONDITIONS REQUIRING THE SPECIAL ARPT DESIGNATION. COULD THERE BE SOMETHING ADDED TO THE APCH CHARTS FOR THESE ARPTS; EG; A SIGN WITH THE LETTER 'S' SURROUNDED INSIDE A BOX. 2) THE HOLD LINES AT HNL BTWN RWYS 4R/4L ARE CONFUSING. (TXWYS F/D/E?.) AFTER LNDG; A PLT SHOULD CLR THE RWY AND YET THE HOLD LINES PREVENT IT. SIMILARLY; AFTER CLRING THE RWY; THE PLT SHOULD NOT CROSS ANOTHER RWY WITHOUT A CLRNC; AND YET THE HOLD LINES AT HNL ALLOW THIS XING. I KNOW THEY ARE MARKED THIS WAY DUE TO THE MINIMAL SEPARATION OF THE RWYS; BUT THERE HAS TO BE A BETTER WAY. FOR SOMEONE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT; THIS COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: PLT SAID THAT AT ONE TIME THE MARKINGS WERE CORRECT. AT SOME POINT ARPT MAINT REPAINTED THE SIGNS AND REVERSED THEM. HE CONSIDERS THE CURRENT MARKINGS CONFUSING; AND A POSSIBLE SAFETY PROB.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.