Narrative:

Taxiing from gate at halifax; ns; international; near taxiway H to runway 23; the apron is uncontrolled. There is an advisory frequency for pilots to broadcast intentions of pushback and movement. We're supposed to call ground before entering active txwys. There are no painted or marked boundaries (signs; lights; markings) to indicate where the ramp ends and controled txwys begin. It's particularly troublesome at the edge of taxiway a and the ramp. I had briefed a taxi route of the ramp to taxiway G to taxiway east with a back taxi on runway 23 for full length. Taxiway G is very short. As I began to enter taxiway G; I realized that the edge of the ramp was behind me. I couldn't tell if I was actually on taxiway G or where it started. I was looking for an edge line or other markings and there was none. I can find no printed guidance on where one ends and another begins. Other canadian airports have more standard markings. I stopped the airplane and we called ground control. Ground said nothing of our position and told us to use taxiway F to runway 14 to runway 23 for departure. We followed that route; received takeoff clearance from tower and the rest of the flight was normal. This could be especially hazardous at night; in rain; fog; or snow. It will serve all to discuss the lack of markings with halifax airport officials.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CRJ200 PLT DISCUSSES THE LACK OF CYHZ'S UNCONTROLLED BOUNDARY MARKINGS ON THE INTL RAMP WHEN TRANSITIONING ON TO CONTROLLED TXWYS.

Narrative: TAXIING FROM GATE AT HALIFAX; NS; INTL; NEAR TXWY H TO RWY 23; THE APRON IS UNCTLED. THERE IS AN ADVISORY FREQ FOR PLTS TO BROADCAST INTENTIONS OF PUSHBACK AND MOVEMENT. WE'RE SUPPOSED TO CALL GND BEFORE ENTERING ACTIVE TXWYS. THERE ARE NO PAINTED OR MARKED BOUNDARIES (SIGNS; LIGHTS; MARKINGS) TO INDICATE WHERE THE RAMP ENDS AND CTLED TXWYS BEGIN. IT'S PARTICULARLY TROUBLESOME AT THE EDGE OF TXWY A AND THE RAMP. I HAD BRIEFED A TAXI RTE OF THE RAMP TO TXWY G TO TXWY E WITH A BACK TAXI ON RWY 23 FOR FULL LENGTH. TXWY G IS VERY SHORT. AS I BEGAN TO ENTER TXWY G; I REALIZED THAT THE EDGE OF THE RAMP WAS BEHIND ME. I COULDN'T TELL IF I WAS ACTUALLY ON TXWY G OR WHERE IT STARTED. I WAS LOOKING FOR AN EDGE LINE OR OTHER MARKINGS AND THERE WAS NONE. I CAN FIND NO PRINTED GUIDANCE ON WHERE ONE ENDS AND ANOTHER BEGINS. OTHER CANADIAN ARPTS HAVE MORE STANDARD MARKINGS. I STOPPED THE AIRPLANE AND WE CALLED GND CTL. GND SAID NOTHING OF OUR POSITION AND TOLD US TO USE TXWY F TO RWY 14 TO RWY 23 FOR DEP. WE FOLLOWED THAT RTE; RECEIVED TKOF CLRNC FROM TWR AND THE REST OF THE FLT WAS NORMAL. THIS COULD BE ESPECIALLY HAZARDOUS AT NIGHT; IN RAIN; FOG; OR SNOW. IT WILL SERVE ALL TO DISCUSS THE LACK OF MARKINGS WITH HALIFAX ARPT OFFICIALS.

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.