Narrative:

Ongoing ramp hazards at clt. Previously reported. City/airport authority continue to allow or direct idle aircraft be parked in the middle of the west terminal ramp area (the normal taxi route to/from west runway 18R/36L). Even though changes have been made to airport chart and taxi lines repainted; this practice remains a hazard; particularly at night or in IMC. Orange highway cones and road construction small amber flashing lights are too small/too dim; too inconspicuous when placed around parked idle aircraft. Either park them at edges of ramp or at another location out of the way of taxiing aircraft. Do we really have to hit one to get this problem solved?callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that this congestion problem becomes worse when runway 18R is in use; aircraft are parked on the hard stands; and incoming aircraft are assigned parking on the east ('D' and 'east') concourses. The mid runway txwys become congested as all aircraft are forced to use taxiway E11 or E12 from the ramp to taxiway east for departure runway 18R. Another problem is when aircraft push back the throat between the B concourse and the east hard stand is blocked. Reporter stated that an air carrier mgmt person is attempting to address this issue. In this case all aircraft must use taxiway E14 or taxi between the two hard stands. This latter method is particularly hazardous at night and IMC without taxi guidance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A319 PILOT REPORTS ACFT PARKED ON THE CLT WEST RAMP NEAR A NORMAL TAXI ROUTE ARE A POTENTIAL GND COLLISION HAZARD ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT ON THE UNLIT RAMP.

Narrative: ONGOING RAMP HAZARDS AT CLT. PREVIOUSLY REPORTED. CITY/ARPT AUTHORITY CONTINUE TO ALLOW OR DIRECT IDLE ACFT BE PARKED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WEST TERMINAL RAMP AREA (THE NORMAL TAXI RTE TO/FROM WEST RWY 18R/36L). EVEN THOUGH CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE TO ARPT CHART AND TAXI LINES REPAINTED; THIS PRACTICE REMAINS A HAZARD; PARTICULARLY AT NIGHT OR IN IMC. ORANGE HIGHWAY CONES AND ROAD CONSTRUCTION SMALL AMBER FLASHING LIGHTS ARE TOO SMALL/TOO DIM; TOO INCONSPICUOUS WHEN PLACED AROUND PARKED IDLE ACFT. EITHER PARK THEM AT EDGES OF RAMP OR AT ANOTHER LOCATION OUT OF THE WAY OF TAXIING ACFT. DO WE REALLY HAVE TO HIT ONE TO GET THIS PROB SOLVED?CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED THAT THIS CONGESTION PROBLEM BECOMES WORSE WHEN RWY 18R IS IN USE; ACFT ARE PARKED ON THE HARD STANDS; AND INCOMING ACFT ARE ASSIGNED PARKING ON THE EAST ('D' AND 'E') CONCOURSES. THE MID RWY TXWYS BECOME CONGESTED AS ALL ACFT ARE FORCED TO USE TXWY E11 OR E12 FROM THE RAMP TO TXWY E FOR DEP RWY 18R. ANOTHER PROBLEM IS WHEN ACFT PUSH BACK THE THROAT BETWEEN THE B CONCOURSE AND THE EAST HARD STAND IS BLOCKED. REPORTER STATED THAT AN ACR MGMT PERSON IS ATTEMPTING TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. IN THIS CASE ALL ACFT MUST USE TXWY E14 OR TAXI BETWEEN THE TWO HARD STANDS. THIS LATTER METHOD IS PARTICULARLY HAZARDOUS AT NIGHT AND IMC WITHOUT TAXI GUIDANCE.

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.