Large apron approaching runways 18L and 17R at dfw has no taxi lanes.

Attributes
ACN	134707
Time
Date	199001
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	134707
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

At the approach end of runway 17R at dfw, txwys 18 and 19, both feed into runway and the area between them is paved solid, creating a large pad/apron. Txwys 18 and 19 feature the standard yellow taxiway centerline. Twice in recent months I have been cleared onto the runway, to taxi between 2 aircraft holding short on 18 and 19. While the wing tip-to-wing tip clearance is ample, it is certainly not generous. Also consider a crew busy clearing the arrival airspace and doing runway checklist items. If taxiing 3 large transports abreast is to be a feature of dfw ground operations, I suggest the following: a painted taxi line centered between 18 and 19 approaching the runway would facilitate pilots in spacing their aircraft at this location. The services of some ground men, armed with a tape measure and some yellow paint, would be far cheaper than the cost of a 'wing tip incident.' P.south.: I believe the same potential exists at the approach to runway 18L at dfw although I have not personally witnessed it.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LARGE APRON APCHING RWYS 18L AND 17R AT DFW HAS NO TAXI LANES.

Narrative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

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