A corporate pilot approaching the SAV Sheltair FBO ramp reported that; at night in rain; the transition from Taxiway GA5 to the Sheltair ramp is hazardous because there is no lead in line or taxiway lights and an eight foot deep drainage ditch is on either side.

Date: 2011-07 · Aircraft: Small Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng · Phase: taxi

Anomalies: no-specific-anomaly-occurred-all-types

Synopsis

A corporate pilot approaching the SAV Sheltair FBO ramp reported that; at night in rain; the transition from Taxiway GA5 to the Sheltair ramp is hazardous because there is no lead in line or taxiway lights and an eight foot deep drainage ditch is on either side.

Narrative

Taxiway GA5 connects Taxiway A and the Sheltair parking ramp. It ends 200 FT after passing the Sheltair ramp and is marked with a series of red reflectors. The last blue taxiway light on GA5 prior to turning into (right turn - north) the Sheltair ramp is approximately 150 FT prior to the ramp entrance. There is no light source to the immediate left or right of the ramp entrance nor is there any painted taxi guidance line onto the ramp. On either side of the entrance is an eight foot ditch. On aircraft like mine without windshield rain removal; it is almost impossible to determine at night where the entrance ramp is and how close to the edge I am. I have asked Sheltair to address this but nothing has been accomplished. I feel this is an accident waiting to happen especially to pilots that have not been on this taxiway/ramp before; I have difficulty on a rainy night and I am based here. My suggestion is to install two taxiway lights one on either side of the GA5/ramp intersection and also to paint a curved taxi line from GA5 into the ramp area.

NASA callback

The reporter stated that this taxiway is new and at some point will be extended to connect to another taxiway. For now; lighting is incomplete; but for a pilot on Taxiway GA5 approaching the FBO ramp taxiway at night the turn into the ramp taxiway is a black hole with a 8 FT deep; 20 FT wide draining ditch on either side. Lights and leading painting need to be installed as soon as possible to prevent an incident or worse at that taxiway transition.

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