Narrative:

The new runway 8/26 construction is complete, and pilots are aligning with runway 8 when they have been cleared for a visual approach to runway 9L or VFR straight in. The amass has been going off, because runway 8 is still closed, but when the runway opens, we will not have amass to alert us of this unsafe operation. The pilots are reporting that they cannot see the X on runway 8. Runway 8 and runway 9L are only 800 ft apart, and when pilots are cleared for an approach to the left runway, they expect it to be the one on the left. The runways need to be renamed. A cautionary advisory on the ATIS has not helped. I recommend runway numbering changes. It is only a matter of time before we miss one, and the aircraft for runway 9L lands on top of another aircraft on runway 8. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter advised that the FAA has planned an airport, user meeting mid september to discuss mia's runway numbering situation. The reporter alleges that there is 'widespread' agreement that the present runway numbering tends towards an 'unsafe operation.' the current opinion is to renumber runway 8/26 to runway 9L/27R. Renumber runway 9L/25R to runway 9R/27L, and renumber runway 9R/27L to runway 8/26. Runway 8/26 is instrumented with a localizer DME and RNAV (GPS) approachs. The reporter alleges that it is the mia-dade county airport management that does not want to change the numbering system due to the cost for signage changes. The reporter advised that the TRACON is also concerned with the present runway numbering condition and sequences traffic 'only' to runway 8 and runway 9R or runway 26/runway 27L (pending traffic flow) to reduce the 'potential' for a wrong runway approach landing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MIA ATCT LCL CTLR CONCERNED WITH RWY NUMBERING FOR NEW RWY 8/26, WHOSE PHYSICAL LOCATION 800 FT N OF RWY 9L/27R IS BEING MISTAKEN FOR RWY 9L/27R.

Narrative: THE NEW RWY 8/26 CONSTRUCTION IS COMPLETE, AND PLTS ARE ALIGNING WITH RWY 8 WHEN THEY HAVE BEEN CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 9L OR VFR STRAIGHT IN. THE AMASS HAS BEEN GOING OFF, BECAUSE RWY 8 IS STILL CLOSED, BUT WHEN THE RWY OPENS, WE WILL NOT HAVE AMASS TO ALERT US OF THIS UNSAFE OP. THE PLTS ARE RPTING THAT THEY CANNOT SEE THE X ON RWY 8. RWY 8 AND RWY 9L ARE ONLY 800 FT APART, AND WHEN PLTS ARE CLRED FOR AN APCH TO THE L RWY, THEY EXPECT IT TO BE THE ONE ON THE L. THE RWYS NEED TO BE RENAMED. A CAUTIONARY ADVISORY ON THE ATIS HAS NOT HELPED. I RECOMMEND RWY NUMBERING CHANGES. IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE WE MISS ONE, AND THE ACFT FOR RWY 9L LANDS ON TOP OF ANOTHER ACFT ON RWY 8. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR ADVISED THAT THE FAA HAS PLANNED AN ARPT, USER MEETING MID SEPTEMBER TO DISCUSS MIA'S RWY NUMBERING SIT. THE RPTR ALLEGES THAT THERE IS 'WIDESPREAD' AGREEMENT THAT THE PRESENT RWY NUMBERING TENDS TOWARDS AN 'UNSAFE OP.' THE CURRENT OPINION IS TO RENUMBER RWY 8/26 TO RWY 9L/27R. RENUMBER RWY 9L/25R TO RWY 9R/27L, AND RENUMBER RWY 9R/27L TO RWY 8/26. RWY 8/26 IS INSTRUMENTED WITH A LOC DME AND RNAV (GPS) APCHS. THE RPTR ALLEGES THAT IT IS THE MIA-DADE COUNTY ARPT MGMNT THAT DOES NOT WANT TO CHANGE THE NUMBERING SYS DUE TO THE COST FOR SIGNAGE CHANGES. THE RPTR ADVISED THAT THE TRACON IS ALSO CONCERNED WITH THE PRESENT RWY NUMBERING CONDITION AND SEQUENCES TFC 'ONLY' TO RWY 8 AND RWY 9R OR RWY 26/RWY 27L (PENDING TFC FLOW) TO REDUCE THE 'POTENTIAL' FOR A WRONG RWY APCH LNDG.

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.