This is an excerpt from a report made to the Aviation Safety Reporting System. The narrative is written by the pilot, rather than FAA or NTSB officials. To maintain anonymity, many details, such as aircraft model or airport, are often scrubbed from the reports.
I was practicing night-time landings. VFR flight conditions were present.
As I approached Runway 25 I noticed that the PAPI didn’t look right. The PAPI red lens lights look normal. However, the white lights appeared to be amber in color, certainly not bright white as they should be.
The runway lights were amber in color as well and, of course, they should be white.
The inaccurate PAPI lighting system caused me to fly a higher than normal approach to the runway because I was never able to discern a distinctive white light on the PAPI system.
The same night, I flew to a different airport, ZZZ, and made an approach to landing on Runway XX. The PAPI lights were very distinctively red and white and the runway sidelights were crystal clear white in color.
The brilliant blue taxiway lights and green runway approach lights were easily visible as well. So I’m sure it was not a problem with my color vision, rather Bellefontaine Regional Airport (KEDJ) in Ohio has a lighting problem.
KEDJ has a very high amount of training activity conducting night landings in single and multi-engine aircraft. An inaccurate PAPI and runway lighting system is a safety of flight issue, in my view.
I think the city operator of the airport should take a look at replacing the lenses or the lights on the PAPI and the runway.
Primary Problem: Airport
ACN: 2024101
Never shy from additional training, but yes, you should discuss your concerns with the airport Managers.
Help each other towards safer skies, and landings.
“Bad” PAPIs (amber instead of white) is of course not good, same with runway lights. I would think you gotta let the airport manager know, and tell the manager or whoever fixes lights what date you were flying, what time. Also, a guy could fly back there some night, like soon, see if they are fixed, I suppose. Those are the two things I’d do, I guess.
Did you call the Airport Manager/Administration to report the problem with the PAPI?
A simple courtesy call to let them know there might be a problem and they can go inspect the PAPI.
I’m assuming the writer isn’t color blind and the lights actually are suspect. In that case; it absolutely is a “safety issue”.
Given that KEDJ is a publicly-owned, public-use NPIAS airport, with published IAPs…VOR/DME & RNAV(GPS)…to RWY 25, with 4-degree (non-coincident) VGSI angles, everything should work and look ‘correct’. That includes approach/runway lighting, and PAPIs. Otherwise, they should be NOTAM’d accordingly.
So when I’m shooting that approach to minimums on a dark & stormy night, I’ll have “accurate” visual cues available when I look out the front & decide whether I can land or not.
… without having to rely on the headlights from Billy Bob’s pickup truck or smudge pots to find the runway.
Perhaps the base problem is you’re not good at unassisted landing at night. That being the case it would be best to not attempt those as lights are always subject to failure.
I learned to fly 40+ years ago at an airport with regular landing lights. No PAPI, no VASI. Just lights often with a few burned out. Instead of whining about the PAPI light at KEDJ, why don’t take the time to thank the airport for continuing to be open. Then, learn to fly at night.
Too many pilots depend on today’s electronics to fly. Take away their I pad or glass panel they are really lost,
Do not get fixated on any one thing like VASI. Way too many things to think and observe to be looking at VASI.