Narrative:

When taxiing from the tiedown to the departure runway 31R, the rhv ground requested to taxi on an unmarked taxiway near the terminal building. After that taxiway ended, rhv ground cleared for further taxi via taxiway Z. There were 2 taxiways that are parallel to each other and to the runways. My initial impression was that taxiway Z is the one nearest the runways as there was a sign for taxiway Z located in the green between the 2 taxiways. So I have taxied the aircraft on the nearest taxiway, to discover upon arrival to the runup area that the taxiway Z is in fact the farther one from the runways. There was no conflicting traffic at the time, and the rhv ground has not indicated any problems. Regardless, to avoid such mistakes in the future perhaps the markings should be reviewed to ensure that no ambiguity exists when interpreting which taxiway bears what name, especially for pilots unfamiliar with the airport. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that he utilized nos charts for a resource. These charts display no identify for txwys at rhv. He also stated that taxiway identification signs were few and far between.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR STATES THAT TXWY SIGNAGE AT RHV IS INADEQUATE TO INSURE ADHERENCE TO ASSIGNED TAXI RTES.

Narrative: WHEN TAXIING FROM THE TIEDOWN TO THE DEP RWY 31R, THE RHV GND REQUESTED TO TAXI ON AN UNMARKED TXWY NEAR THE TERMINAL BUILDING. AFTER THAT TXWY ENDED, RHV GND CLRED FOR FURTHER TAXI VIA TXWY Z. THERE WERE 2 TAXIWAYS THAT ARE PARALLEL TO EACH OTHER AND TO THE RWYS. MY INITIAL IMPRESSION WAS THAT TXWY Z IS THE ONE NEAREST THE RWYS AS THERE WAS A SIGN FOR TXWY Z LOCATED IN THE GREEN BTWN THE 2 TAXIWAYS. SO I HAVE TAXIED THE ACFT ON THE NEAREST TXWY, TO DISCOVER UPON ARR TO THE RUNUP AREA THAT THE TXWY Z IS IN FACT THE FARTHER ONE FROM THE RWYS. THERE WAS NO CONFLICTING TFC AT THE TIME, AND THE RHV GND HAS NOT INDICATED ANY PROBS. REGARDLESS, TO AVOID SUCH MISTAKES IN THE FUTURE PERHAPS THE MARKINGS SHOULD BE REVIEWED TO ENSURE THAT NO AMBIGUITY EXISTS WHEN INTERPRETING WHICH TXWY BEARS WHAT NAME, ESPECIALLY FOR PLTS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT HE UTILIZED NOS CHARTS FOR A RESOURCE. THESE CHARTS DISPLAY NO IDENT FOR TXWYS AT RHV. HE ALSO STATED THAT TXWY ID SIGNS WERE FEW AND FAR BTWN.

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.