Regional Affairs

Bridge lighting could pose danger at Craven County

Pilots at Craven County Regional Airport in New Bern, North Carolina, have alerted AOPA to a plan to light a bridge that is about two miles from the approach to the airport's primary runway. AOPA is concerned that the bridge lights could be mistaken for runway lights and reflect off low cloud bases, creating confusion for pilots flying in low- visibility conditions. The local airport authority has provided lighting alternatives to the highway division, and AOPA encouraged Division Engineer C. E. Lassiter Jr. to consider those suggestions. AOPA also recommended that the division work with the North Carolina Department of Transportation's Aeronautics Division to find a solution, including a lighting system that is not visible from the air.

April 27, 2007