Narrative:

At gate msy takeoff weights showed within 4000# of maximum for runway 19, but runway 28 is longer at 9200+'. Requesting 29 for departure, I checked ATIS again as clear, visibility 10 mi, 81 degrees, wing 190/06 and altimeter 29.98. I noticed construction on west end of 28 with 2 cranes. Barricade at approximately 1200' from end of runway giving us about 8000' for takeoff. I quickly cleared NOTAMS, but nothing stated about abnormal 28 departure and according to takeoff weight limit charts we were below our maximum takeoff weight. Runway length available to barricade was 8528', but takeoff can be started at taxiway intersection short of 28 landing threshold, giving 100' extra takeoff length. Takeoff was normal, but even though I cleared runway displaced 28 end by 400' or so, I felt cranes should have been lowered while runway was operational. After we departed, runway was closed as it was kept open till our departure. Tower should relay height of towers to departing aircraft as not enough information was available on ATIS and our company NOTAMS only gave information for departing on runway 10. Takeoff was within prescribed parameters, legal weights and performance criteria, but it was one of those situations which didn't seem quite right.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CAPT NOTES POTENTIAL HAZARD OF CONSTRUCTION CRANES ON DEP END OF EXTENDED RWY CENTERLINE OF RWY 28 AT MSY.

Narrative: AT GATE MSY TKOF WTS SHOWED WITHIN 4000# OF MAX FOR RWY 19, BUT RWY 28 IS LONGER AT 9200+'. REQUESTING 29 FOR DEP, I CHKED ATIS AGAIN AS CLR, VISIBILITY 10 MI, 81 DEGS, WING 190/06 AND ALTIMETER 29.98. I NOTICED CONSTRUCTION ON W END OF 28 WITH 2 CRANES. BARRICADE AT APPROX 1200' FROM END OF RWY GIVING US ABOUT 8000' FOR TKOF. I QUICKLY CLRED NOTAMS, BUT NOTHING STATED ABOUT ABNORMAL 28 DEP AND ACCORDING TO TKOF WT LIMIT CHARTS WE WERE BELOW OUR MAX TKOF WT. RWY LENGTH AVAILABLE TO BARRICADE WAS 8528', BUT TKOF CAN BE STARTED AT TXWY INTXN SHORT OF 28 LNDG THRESHOLD, GIVING 100' EXTRA TKOF LENGTH. TKOF WAS NORMAL, BUT EVEN THOUGH I CLRED RWY DISPLACED 28 END BY 400' OR SO, I FELT CRANES SHOULD HAVE BEEN LOWERED WHILE RWY WAS OPERATIONAL. AFTER WE DEPARTED, RWY WAS CLOSED AS IT WAS KEPT OPEN TILL OUR DEP. TWR SHOULD RELAY HEIGHT OF TWRS TO DEPARTING ACFT AS NOT ENOUGH INFO WAS AVAILABLE ON ATIS AND OUR COMPANY NOTAMS ONLY GAVE INFO FOR DEPARTING ON RWY 10. TKOF WAS WITHIN PRESCRIBED PARAMETERS, LEGAL WTS AND PERFORMANCE CRITERIA, BUT IT WAS ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS WHICH DIDN'T SEEM QUITE RIGHT.

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.