Narrative:

While on taxi out at msy, a ground observer who was monitoring takeoffs and lndgs at the runway 28 relocated threshold, inquired on ground control frequency about another airline aircraft that had just taken off. He was reporting that aircraft for applying takeoff power before crossing the relocated threshold (see msy NOTAM 5/031). As we passed by the relocated threshold, it was apparent that several people were standing next to the runway, observing takeoffs/lndgs. It was also apparent that a lot of construction was taking place at the approach end of the runway and the observers as well as the relocated threshold were in place to help protect the workers from jet blast of departing aircraft. The reason I am submitting this as soon as possible is due to what I feel is both an unorthodox and unclr method of preventing jet blast from endangering the workers at msy, namely the observers reporting aircraft for applying takeoff power too early. Here is why. The following information was available to us regarding the msy runway 28 construction and takeoff procedure: 1) msy field report special advisory: runway 28 relocated threshold 774 ft. 2) msy NOTAM 05/031: msy 10/28 east 774 closed. 3) msy temporary airport analysis #03-071: 9330 ft available for takeoff and landing. Contact ATC for taxi/takeoff instructions. Check msy NOTAMS for applicability of taa. When it was our turn to take off, tower told us to position and hold past the relocated runway 28 threshold. As we taxied toward our position, we were given takeoff clearance prior to crossing the new threshold. Had we not observed air carrier Y being reported for applying power too early, we would have immediately applied power to take off ourselves (a displaced threshold does not mean you can't apply takeoff power before crossing the threshold). With the above information that was available to us, to include the instructions from msy tower, there was nothing to prevent us from applying takeoff power prior to crossing the relocated threshold. Yet, some observer was looking to hang air carrier Y for allegedly doing so (which I believe is wrong, if air carrier Y had the same information that we had). I recommend the following: a) print specific instructions about applying takeoff power in the NOTAMS. B) require msy tower to pass those instructions 'do not apply takeoff power until your aircraft is past the relocated threshold.' C) put up a sign on the edge of runway 28 approximately 150-200 ft past the relocated threshold, to account for most aircraft lengths, that reads 'do not apply takeoff power prior to this point.' mexico city has a similar sign on their runway 5R.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW RPT ON A NOTAM DEFICIENCY THAT WAS MISLEADING FLT CREWS AND LCL CTLR INTO USING IMPROPER PROCS FOR TKOF PWR APPLICATION WHEN FLT CLRED FOR TKOF AT THE DISPLACED THRESHOLD FOR RWY 28 AT MSY, LA.

Narrative: WHILE ON TAXI OUT AT MSY, A GND OBSERVER WHO WAS MONITORING TKOFS AND LNDGS AT THE RWY 28 RELOCATED THRESHOLD, INQUIRED ON GND CTL FREQ ABOUT ANOTHER AIRLINE ACFT THAT HAD JUST TAKEN OFF. HE WAS RPTING THAT ACFT FOR APPLYING TKOF PWR BEFORE XING THE RELOCATED THRESHOLD (SEE MSY NOTAM 5/031). AS WE PASSED BY THE RELOCATED THRESHOLD, IT WAS APPARENT THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE WERE STANDING NEXT TO THE RWY, OBSERVING TKOFS/LNDGS. IT WAS ALSO APPARENT THAT A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION WAS TAKING PLACE AT THE APCH END OF THE RWY AND THE OBSERVERS AS WELL AS THE RELOCATED THRESHOLD WERE IN PLACE TO HELP PROTECT THE WORKERS FROM JET BLAST OF DEPARTING ACFT. THE REASON I AM SUBMITTING THIS ASAP IS DUE TO WHAT I FEEL IS BOTH AN UNORTHODOX AND UNCLR METHOD OF PREVENTING JET BLAST FROM ENDANGERING THE WORKERS AT MSY, NAMELY THE OBSERVERS RPTING ACFT FOR APPLYING TKOF PWR TOO EARLY. HERE IS WHY. THE FOLLOWING INFO WAS AVAILABLE TO US REGARDING THE MSY RWY 28 CONSTRUCTION AND TKOF PROC: 1) MSY FIELD RPT SPECIAL ADVISORY: RWY 28 RELOCATED THRESHOLD 774 FT. 2) MSY NOTAM 05/031: MSY 10/28 E 774 CLOSED. 3) MSY TEMPORARY ARPT ANALYSIS #03-071: 9330 FT AVAILABLE FOR TKOF AND LNDG. CONTACT ATC FOR TAXI/TKOF INSTRUCTIONS. CHK MSY NOTAMS FOR APPLICABILITY OF TAA. WHEN IT WAS OUR TURN TO TAKE OFF, TWR TOLD US TO POS AND HOLD PAST THE RELOCATED RWY 28 THRESHOLD. AS WE TAXIED TOWARD OUR POS, WE WERE GIVEN TKOF CLRNC PRIOR TO XING THE NEW THRESHOLD. HAD WE NOT OBSERVED ACR Y BEING RPTED FOR APPLYING PWR TOO EARLY, WE WOULD HAVE IMMEDIATELY APPLIED PWR TO TAKE OFF OURSELVES (A DISPLACED THRESHOLD DOES NOT MEAN YOU CAN'T APPLY TKOF PWR BEFORE XING THE THRESHOLD). WITH THE ABOVE INFO THAT WAS AVAILABLE TO US, TO INCLUDE THE INSTRUCTIONS FROM MSY TWR, THERE WAS NOTHING TO PREVENT US FROM APPLYING TKOF PWR PRIOR TO XING THE RELOCATED THRESHOLD. YET, SOME OBSERVER WAS LOOKING TO HANG ACR Y FOR ALLEGEDLY DOING SO (WHICH I BELIEVE IS WRONG, IF ACR Y HAD THE SAME INFO THAT WE HAD). I RECOMMEND THE FOLLOWING: A) PRINT SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT APPLYING TKOF PWR IN THE NOTAMS. B) REQUIRE MSY TWR TO PASS THOSE INSTRUCTIONS 'DO NOT APPLY TKOF PWR UNTIL YOUR ACFT IS PAST THE RELOCATED THRESHOLD.' C) PUT UP A SIGN ON THE EDGE OF RWY 28 APPROX 150-200 FT PAST THE RELOCATED THRESHOLD, TO ACCOUNT FOR MOST ACFT LENGTHS, THAT READS 'DO NOT APPLY TKOF PWR PRIOR TO THIS POINT.' MEXICO CITY HAS A SIMILAR SIGN ON THEIR RWY 5R.

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.