Narrative:

Air carrier X on approach to new york's lga airport ATIS indicated various approach and runway lights OTS on runway 4/22. The tape stated that runway edge lights had been substituted for every other one. We had received a message via ACARS from our dispatcher containing the same information. He also added that we were legal to land using the portable runway lights. After parking at the gate the dispatcher then informed us that our operations specifications required each runway light be substituted 1 for 1. After learning this we asked ground control why the lights were not substituted 1 for 1. Their reply was they didn't have enough lights. I believe the whole situation could have been avoided if the govt and FAA would release some money from the aviation trust fund. This money could be used to better equipment airports for irregularities. It is very hard to believe that a major airport like lga doesn't have an ample supply of portable runway lights.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RWY THRESHOLD AND EDGE LIGHTS OTS TEMPORARY LIGHTS IN PLACE ACR X MADE UNAUTH LNDG ACCORDING TO COMPANY FLT OPS MANUAL.

Narrative: ACR X ON APCH TO NEW YORK'S LGA ARPT ATIS INDICATED VARIOUS APCH AND RWY LIGHTS OTS ON RWY 4/22. THE TAPE STATED THAT RWY EDGE LIGHTS HAD BEEN SUBSTITUTED FOR EVERY OTHER ONE. WE HAD RECEIVED A MESSAGE VIA ACARS FROM OUR DISPATCHER CONTAINING THE SAME INFO. HE ALSO ADDED THAT WE WERE LEGAL TO LAND USING THE PORTABLE RWY LIGHTS. AFTER PARKING AT THE GATE THE DISPATCHER THEN INFORMED US THAT OUR OPS SPECS REQUIRED EACH RWY LIGHT BE SUBSTITUTED 1 FOR 1. AFTER LEARNING THIS WE ASKED GND CTL WHY THE LIGHTS WERE NOT SUBSTITUTED 1 FOR 1. THEIR REPLY WAS THEY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH LIGHTS. I BELIEVE THE WHOLE SIT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THE GOVT AND FAA WOULD RELEASE SOME MONEY FROM THE AVIATION TRUST FUND. THIS MONEY COULD BE USED TO BETTER EQUIP ARPTS FOR IRREGULARITIES. IT IS VERY HARD TO BELIEVE THAT A MAJOR ARPT LIKE LGA DOESN'T HAVE AN AMPLE SUPPLY OF PORTABLE RWY LIGHTS.

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.