Captain of MD80 reports that the published descriptions of the location and/or availability of visua...

Attributes
ACN	648135
Time
Date	200502
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	648135
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Chart Or Publication Airport
Primary Problem	Chart Or Publication
Situations
Chart	airport : sat.airport airport : sea.airport airport : dfw.airport

Narrative:

I have noticed; with increasing frequency; a discrepancy between what visual navaids (type and location of VASI/PAPI) are published on commercial approach charts and what actually exist at the approach end of the runway. I routinely use this information to help me identify the correct landing runway and brief it before every approach both VFR and IFR. I believe the correctness of this information is critical in today's environment on multiple parallel runways. Runways where I have found errors include sea runway 34L; sat runway 12R; and dfw runway 18L. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter advises that the errors he has noted include both PAPI/VASI systems installed and not noted; noted but not installed; as well as published locations on sides of runways different from reality. He suggested a general audit of the existence and placement of such devices to ensure the accuracy of the charted position.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF MD80 RPTS THAT THE PUBLISHED DESCRIPTIONS OF THE LOCATION AND/OR AVAILABILITY OF VISUAL GLIDE PATH AIDS SUCH AS VASI AND PAPI SYSTEMS ARE SOMETIMES INACCURATE. EXAMPLES CITED ARE AT SEA; SAT; AND DFW.

Narrative: I HAVE NOTICED; WITH INCREASING FREQUENCY; A DISCREPANCY BTWN WHAT VISUAL NAVAIDS (TYPE AND LOCATION OF VASI/PAPI) ARE PUBLISHED ON COMMERCIAL APCH CHARTS AND WHAT ACTUALLY EXIST AT THE APCH END OF THE RWY. I ROUTINELY USE THIS INFO TO HELP ME IDENTIFY THE CORRECT LNDG RWY AND BRIEF IT BEFORE EVERY APCH BOTH VFR AND IFR. I BELIEVE THE CORRECTNESS OF THIS INFO IS CRITICAL IN TODAY'S ENVIRONMENT ON MULTIPLE PARALLEL RWYS. RWYS WHERE I HAVE FOUND ERRORS INCLUDE SEA RWY 34L; SAT RWY 12R; AND DFW RWY 18L. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR ADVISES THAT THE ERRORS HE HAS NOTED INCLUDE BOTH PAPI/VASI SYSTEMS INSTALLED AND NOT NOTED; NOTED BUT NOT INSTALLED; AS WELL AS PUBLISHED LOCATIONS ON SIDES OF RWYS DIFFERENT FROM REALITY. HE SUGGESTED A GENERAL AUDIT OF THE EXISTENCE AND PLACEMENT OF SUCH DEVICES TO ENSURE THE ACCURACY OF THE CHARTED POSITION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

Captain of MD80 reports that the published descriptions of the location and/or availability of visual glide path aids such as VASI and PAPI systems are sometimes inaccurate. Examples cited are at sea; sat; and dfw.