Narrative:

Bos tower has decided to follow the recommendation of an advisory panel who recommended leaving the amber 'wig-wag' lights (pulsing) that alert pilots that you're about to cross an active runway off! Their only exception is during reduced visibility. Their rationale is that since they don't have them installed on every taxiway we might use them as a crutch. Those individuals have obviously not worked a 14 hour; 6 leg day; when you're almost numb and need every aid in the book to prevent a runway incursion. Ironically; bos has one of the highest rates for this in the country. Most major airports leave them on 24/7 even if they don't have them installed on every taxiway that crosses a runway. Phl is a perfect example. Despite bos's stated policy; today at XA30 (totally dark) with 2 mile visibility in fog; tower refused to turn them on. We need a national standard mandating that all available wig-wag lights be turned on 24/7.callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: pilot stated he has spoken with his air carrier chief pilot about this issue and has not gotten any satisfaction about the light's value. As an interested party; the reporter said the he has attended the airport meetings where lighting was discussed and is surprised by the lack of understand among those in attendance of the lighting system's value.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG PLT RPTS BOS GUARD LIGHTS ARE ON ONLY DURING LOW VIS CONDITIONS. PLT SUGGESTS CONTINUOUS USAGE FOR RWY INCURSION PREVENTION.

Narrative: BOS TWR HAS DECIDED TO FOLLOW THE RECOMMENDATION OF AN ADVISORY PANEL WHO RECOMMENDED LEAVING THE AMBER 'WIG-WAG' LIGHTS (PULSING) THAT ALERT PLTS THAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO CROSS AN ACTIVE RWY OFF! THEIR ONLY EXCEPTION IS DURING REDUCED VISIBILITY. THEIR RATIONALE IS THAT SINCE THEY DON'T HAVE THEM INSTALLED ON EVERY TXWY WE MIGHT USE THEM AS A CRUTCH. THOSE INDIVIDUALS HAVE OBVIOUSLY NOT WORKED A 14 HOUR; 6 LEG DAY; WHEN YOU'RE ALMOST NUMB AND NEED EVERY AID IN THE BOOK TO PREVENT A RWY INCURSION. IRONICALLY; BOS HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST RATES FOR THIS IN THE COUNTRY. MOST MAJOR ARPTS LEAVE THEM ON 24/7 EVEN IF THEY DON'T HAVE THEM INSTALLED ON EVERY TXWY THAT CROSSES A RWY. PHL IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE. DESPITE BOS'S STATED POLICY; TODAY AT XA30 (TOTALLY DARK) WITH 2 MILE VISIBILITY IN FOG; TWR REFUSED TO TURN THEM ON. WE NEED A NATIONAL STANDARD MANDATING THAT ALL AVAILABLE WIG-WAG LIGHTS BE TURNED ON 24/7.CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: PLT STATED HE HAS SPOKEN WITH HIS ACR CHIEF PLT ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND HAS NOT GOTTEN ANY SATISFACTION ABOUT THE LIGHT'S VALUE. AS AN INTERESTED PARTY; THE RPTR SAID THE HE HAS ATTENDED THE ARPT MEETINGS WHERE LIGHTING WAS DISCUSSED AND IS SURPRISED BY THE LACK OF UNDERSTAND AMONG THOSE IN ATTENDANCE OF THE LIGHTING SYSTEM'S VALUE.

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.