Pilots complain of too bright avasi lights and lack of snow removal on a taxiway.

Attributes
ACN	98320
Time
Date	198811
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tvl
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Night
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
ASRS Report	98320
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

The new additions to the lake tahoe airport lighting system have created 2 problems: numerous pilots have complained to the tower that the PAPI lights are too bright for pilot comfort and safety at night. At present the PAPI is coupled to the runway lights and set at one intensity (too bright). They cannot be adjusted at all or turned off west/O turning off the runway lights. We need independent and adjustable intensity controls for the PAPI in the tower. Airport maintenance does not clear snow from taxiway 'F'. With the new taxiway lights this is not readily apparent after dark, one lighted taxiway looks like another. Taxiway 'F' should be cleared of snow along with the rest of the movement area or the lights on 'F' decommissioned when 'F' is closed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLTS COMPLAIN OF TOO BRIGHT AVASI LIGHTS AND LACK OF SNOW REMOVAL ON A TXWY.

Narrative: THE NEW ADDITIONS TO THE LAKE TAHOE ARPT LIGHTING SYS HAVE CREATED 2 PROBS: NUMEROUS PLTS HAVE COMPLAINED TO THE TWR THAT THE PAPI LIGHTS ARE TOO BRIGHT FOR PLT COMFORT AND SAFETY AT NIGHT. AT PRESENT THE PAPI IS COUPLED TO THE RWY LIGHTS AND SET AT ONE INTENSITY (TOO BRIGHT). THEY CANNOT BE ADJUSTED AT ALL OR TURNED OFF W/O TURNING OFF THE RWY LIGHTS. WE NEED INDEPENDENT AND ADJUSTABLE INTENSITY CONTROLS FOR THE PAPI IN THE TWR. ARPT MAINT DOES NOT CLR SNOW FROM TXWY 'F'. WITH THE NEW TXWY LIGHTS THIS IS NOT READILY APPARENT AFTER DARK, ONE LIGHTED TXWY LOOKS LIKE ANOTHER. TXWY 'F' SHOULD BE CLRED OF SNOW ALONG WITH THE REST OF THE MOVEMENT AREA OR THE LIGHTS ON 'F' DECOMMISSIONED WHEN 'F' IS CLOSED.

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.