2000 runway light out at Suvarabhumi C&P

[Guest wowpow]

"Visibility at night a problem, say pilots

 

AMORNRAT MAHITTHIROOK - Bangkok Post

 

One-third of the lightbulbs at Suvarnabhumi airport are not working, causing visibility problems at night, and Airports of Thailand (AoT) has sought special procurement approval to improve lighting on the taxiways. AoT president Chana U-sathaporn said the airport is speeding up a process to acquire almost 2,000 more lightbulbs, which are expected to reach it as soon as next month.

 

He said the problem occurred before he took office and is related to the procurement, which is monopolised by one company. An amendment would be introduced to allow AoT to choose from other companies, he said.

 

The damaged lightbulbs account for one-third of the total system. International standards demand that damaged or dysfunctional lightbulbs should not exceed 10% of the total number, which is 7,600, an AoT source said.

 

Many of the lights, which are supposed to last for 1,000 hours, have expired while others were hit and broken by aircraft because, according to the source, the lights are larger than normal.

 

The problem started when the airport opened in September 2006.

In April last year, the number of damaged or expired lightbulbs was put at more than 700 and the airport asked for a budget for the replacements, which cost 70-80 million baht. But faced with a procurement problem as well as a budget cut, the number has escalated to almost 2,000, the source said.

 

The source said the AoT initially responded to the problem by taking lightbulbs from non-operational runways to replace the damaged or expired ones. Lights along the taxiways have also been switched on alternately. The source played down concerns over safety, saying each good lightbulb is within 60 metres of another, meeting international standards.

 

Civil Aviation Department chief Chaisak Angsuwan acknowledged the problem. Mr Chaisak said the issue was raised during an Airports of Thailand board meeting when he was still a member. The delay in fixing the broken lights occurred because AoT placed an order for many lightbulbs at one time, he said.

 

Mr Chaisak said he had once suggested AoT change its buying method........"

 

Full article:

http://www.bangkokpost.net/News/28Jan2008_news01.php

 

If I am doing my sums right then these bulbs, which last only 1000 hours, cost 100,000 baht each ( 700 cost 70 million baht )

[PattayaMale]

The bulbs only cost 10,000 baht each......the other 90,000 is a generals service charge.

[Guest fountainhall]

As a fairly regular critic of Suvarnabhumi - and notwithstanding PattayaMale's (probably accurate) comments, I find this latest admission mind-blowingly unbelievable. Are we really suppposed to accept there is no budget for bulb replacement, and they have to wait for thousands to 'die' before they even put in an order?

 

Anyone know if the King has actually opened the airport yet? And has it received its formal safety certificate? That was withheld for many months after it opened.

[Guest gwm4sian]

On another board, a pilot writes of the same issue.......

 

Well, taxying last night between the parallel runways an entire section of about 400 metres of green centreline lighting failed in front of me.

 

This evening, told to hold short of a taxyway, I noted that of 7 amber lights marking the hold-short point before said taxyway, only one was operational.

 

Certainly doesn't make life any easier I would say, but at least the purpose-built airport layout makes it simpler to navigate around than some others which spring to mind!

[Bob]

Somewhat pathetic and also humorous. The pilots bitching (legitimately) about not having adequate runway lighting and, at the same time, bitching about their image being damaged by the new Thai soap opera featuring Thai airline pilots having affairs with the stewardesses.

 

Back in April, when the new Airbus A-380 was preparing to leave for Chiangmai, the trip was delayed for repairs when the pilot clipped the wing on one of the hangars at the airport during daylight hours.

If only the lights had been on! (well, it was 10.00 in the morning).

[Guest fountainhall]

at the same time, bitching about their image being damaged by the new Thai soap opera featuring Thai airline pilots having affairs with the stewardesses

 

Must have missed something on that soap. Last I heard it was the flight attendants bitching about cat flights in the cabin. But maybe I missed a lot last week-end when I 'lost' almost 25 minutes as I made that horrendous trek from TG's business check-in (at the extreme east of the airport) to my TG flight gate (E10 - extreme south west). Do that trek in reverse on arrival and you have people movers all along the way. Up one deck at departures, you have no choice but to hoof it and navigate through thousands of other passengers, endless shops and cafes - and there are just two very short people movers which you could easily miss till you reach that gate area security check. I have averaged 100,000 + flight miles a year in the last 30 years. I know no other airport with such a major departures level design fault.

[Guest stef]

I have averaged 100,000 + flight miles a year in the last 30 years. I know no other airport with such a major departures level design fault.

 

I totally agree here.. I am in the same position and I really have to say it is such a pain in the butt.

[Guest fountainhall]

Yesterday the Bangkok Post quoted the airport authorities as saying they plan to get Suvarnabhumi into the top ten airports of the world with in the next year or two. Judging from the latest reports of a major security breach and 2,000 runway lights on the blink, the disgraceful taxi situation, plus other recent comments on this and other boards, that's going to require tea money of Thaksin proportions to the people who decide such things.