Narrative:

Erie international airport has only had one FBO for numerous yrs. One was recently built and the older FBO installed new lighting on the hangar walls directed toward the ramp area in front of their hangars (5). There are 5 hangars that these new lights are affixed to, evidently to draw attention away from the new FBO which is located across the taxiway. These new lights are very bright and distracting to the tower controller attempting to view runway 6 final approach or traffic pattern over these hangars. The night of nov/xx/96, the WX was IMC with rain then snow. The taxiway between the tower and the FBO was wet and the new lights were reflecting off the taxiway producing a glaring condition. When the precipitation turned to snow the condition intensified and produced a 'wall of white' in front of the hangars making it almost impossible to sight traffic on final or on base leg for runway 6. The ability to sight traffic on final to attempt to judge if there was sufficient room to release a departure was no longer an option. This condition was brought to the attention of the air traffic office, and their reply was we don't think there is anything we can do! This is a breach of safety and a situation that needs rectified immediately. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that the condition still exists, but the FBO has agreed to a one shot move of some of the lights. The FBO allegedly stated that if that did not work, the tower would have to live with it. Reporter has not contacted the airport manager yet, but will if the one shot move does not work. He will also use the FAA safety hot line and his bargaining unit as further leverage to move the lights, if necessary.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR AT ERI CONTENDS THAT NEW LIGHTS INSTALLED AT AN FBO ARE TOO BRIGHT AND GLARE INTO THE TWR CABIN RESTRICTING VISUAL CONTACT WITH TFC. RPTR ALSO STATES THAT JUDGEMENT IS ALSO AFFECTED WHEN TRYING TO RELEASE A DEP WITH AN ARR ON FINAL.

Narrative: ERIE INTL ARPT HAS ONLY HAD ONE FBO FOR NUMEROUS YRS. ONE WAS RECENTLY BUILT AND THE OLDER FBO INSTALLED NEW LIGHTING ON THE HANGAR WALLS DIRECTED TOWARD THE RAMP AREA IN FRONT OF THEIR HANGARS (5). THERE ARE 5 HANGARS THAT THESE NEW LIGHTS ARE AFFIXED TO, EVIDENTLY TO DRAW ATTN AWAY FROM THE NEW FBO WHICH IS LOCATED ACROSS THE TXWY. THESE NEW LIGHTS ARE VERY BRIGHT AND DISTRACTING TO THE TWR CTLR ATTEMPTING TO VIEW RWY 6 FINAL APCH OR TFC PATTERN OVER THESE HANGARS. THE NIGHT OF NOV/XX/96, THE WX WAS IMC WITH RAIN THEN SNOW. THE TXWY BTWN THE TWR AND THE FBO WAS WET AND THE NEW LIGHTS WERE REFLECTING OFF THE TXWY PRODUCING A GLARING CONDITION. WHEN THE PRECIPITATION TURNED TO SNOW THE CONDITION INTENSIFIED AND PRODUCED A 'WALL OF WHITE' IN FRONT OF THE HANGARS MAKING IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SIGHT TFC ON FINAL OR ON BASE LEG FOR RWY 6. THE ABILITY TO SIGHT TFC ON FINAL TO ATTEMPT TO JUDGE IF THERE WAS SUFFICIENT ROOM TO RELEASE A DEP WAS NO LONGER AN OPTION. THIS CONDITION WAS BROUGHT TO THE ATTN OF THE AIR TFC OFFICE, AND THEIR REPLY WAS WE DON'T THINK THERE IS ANYTHING WE CAN DO! THIS IS A BREACH OF SAFETY AND A SIT THAT NEEDS RECTIFIED IMMEDIATELY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE CONDITION STILL EXISTS, BUT THE FBO HAS AGREED TO A ONE SHOT MOVE OF SOME OF THE LIGHTS. THE FBO ALLEGEDLY STATED THAT IF THAT DID NOT WORK, THE TWR WOULD HAVE TO LIVE WITH IT. RPTR HAS NOT CONTACTED THE ARPT MGR YET, BUT WILL IF THE ONE SHOT MOVE DOES NOT WORK. HE WILL ALSO USE THE FAA SAFETY HOT LINE AND HIS BARGAINING UNIT AS FURTHER LEVERAGE TO MOVE THE LIGHTS, IF NECESSARY.

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.