Reporter complains of ramp congestion.

Attributes
ACN	82214
Time
Date	198802
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lex
State Reference	KY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 13750
ASRS Report	82214
Person 2
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Taxiout lex from gate 1, airport remarks said, 'stay on yellow line to avoid FOD.' normally, that's a good idea. This morning many unlit aircraft were parked around the terminal and it was necessary to zigzag slowly around the yellow line to avoid hitting aircraft. Tower came open and called us with clearance as we were taxiing. I stopped for a moment so as to keep the first officer input available for clearing while taxiing. Ramp lighting was on, but glare restr my view of aircraft on the terminal side and darkness on the runway side. Even knowing where my wingtips are, I think an accident could happen on the congested lex ramp.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER COMPLAINS OF RAMP CONGESTION.

Narrative: TAXIOUT LEX FROM GATE 1, ARPT REMARKS SAID, 'STAY ON YELLOW LINE TO AVOID FOD.' NORMALLY, THAT'S A GOOD IDEA. THIS MORNING MANY UNLIT ACFT WERE PARKED AROUND THE TERMINAL AND IT WAS NECESSARY TO ZIGZAG SLOWLY AROUND THE YELLOW LINE TO AVOID HITTING ACFT. TWR CAME OPEN AND CALLED US WITH CLRNC AS WE WERE TAXIING. I STOPPED FOR A MOMENT SO AS TO KEEP THE F/O INPUT AVAILABLE FOR CLRING WHILE TAXIING. RAMP LIGHTING WAS ON, BUT GLARE RESTR MY VIEW OF ACFT ON THE TERMINAL SIDE AND DARKNESS ON THE RWY SIDE. EVEN KNOWING WHERE MY WINGTIPS ARE, I THINK AN ACCIDENT COULD HAPPEN ON THE CONGESTED LEX RAMP.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.