Narrative:

Runway 8R was closed per NOTAM. Barrier maintenance. Monthly closure. Recent briefings by hcf management indicates the mandatory use of X's to close runways during extended closures, while on position, the local controller queried the operations supervisor as to why there were no X's posted at the ends of runway 8R/26L. The operations supervisor called state department of transportation and the answer given was, 'the X's are broken.' I believe this should have been noted in the NOTAM. There were no mishaps, however, this writer and the local controller had to ensure vigilance of making sure no other aircraft accidentally lined up with runway 8R vs runway 8L. The state department of transportation should be more responsible to ensure safety at this airport. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that runway 8R is closed for two hours on the 1ST, 2ND, and 3RD tue of each month for barrier maintenance per NOTAM. Reporter stated that whenever state department of transportation personnel are queried regarding the absence of the visual runway closure indicators (X's), they are reported to be 'broken.' reporter stated that he believes that the sdot personnel do not want to be bothered with placement of the X's for short runway closure periods.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VISUAL MARKINGS NOT PLACED ON TEMPORARILY CLOSED RWY AT HNL.

Narrative: RWY 8R WAS CLOSED PER NOTAM. BARRIER MAINT. MONTHLY CLOSURE. RECENT BRIEFINGS BY HCF MGMNT INDICATES THE MANDATORY USE OF X'S TO CLOSE RWYS DURING EXTENDED CLOSURES, WHILE ON POSITION, THE LOCAL CTLR QUERIED THE OPERATIONS SUPERVISOR AS TO WHY THERE WERE NO X'S POSTED AT THE ENDS OF RWY 8R/26L. THE OPS SUPVR CALLED STATE DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION AND THE ANSWER GIVEN WAS, 'THE X'S ARE BROKEN.' I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTED IN THE NOTAM. THERE WERE NO MISHAPS, HOWEVER, THIS WRITER AND THE LOCAL CTLR HAD TO ENSURE VIGILANCE OF MAKING SURE NO OTHER ACFT ACCIDENTALLY LINED UP WITH RWY 8R VS RWY 8L. THE STATE DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION SHOULD BE MORE RESPONSIBLE TO ENSURE SAFETY AT THIS ARPT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT RWY 8R IS CLOSED FOR TWO HRS ON THE 1ST, 2ND, AND 3RD TUE OF EACH MONTH FOR BARRIER MAINT PER NOTAM. RPTR STATED THAT WHENEVER STATE DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION PERSONNEL ARE QUERIED REGARDING THE ABSENCE OF THE VISUAL RWY CLOSURE INDICATORS (X'S), THEY ARE RPTED TO BE 'BROKEN.' RPTR STATED THAT HE BELIEVES THAT THE SDOT PERSONNEL DO NOT WANT TO BE BOTHERED WITH PLACEMENT OF THE X'S FOR SHORT RWY CLOSURE PERIODS.

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.