Todos
← Back to Squawk list
Desert Solar Power Plant a Risk to Air Safety, Say Pilots
Pilots flying both private and commercial aircraft near Las Vegas have filed complaints about possible unsafe conditions caused by a large solar power plant in the Mojave Desert, according to documents filed with a state agency, and Las Vegas officials are urging the plant's designer to do something about the problem. (www.kcet.org) Más...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
Interesting. So what do pilots do when they're flying west in the late afternoon or early evening? Just move the sun?
Maybe ATC should not direct planes toward that hazard at times that are known to be problematic.
Pilots know not to look at the sun, but often can't resist if the bright light is coming from the ground. whether a solar array or a laser -- resist -- don't look.
The best and easiest mitigation is to move planes flying at those problematic times a mile over in one direction or another. It's not like pilots don't have sun glare in the early morning and late afternoon every day already. The solar array changes the direction of the sun glare.
Air traffic should be directed accordingly to minimize the adverse impact of the glare.
Pilots know not to look at the sun, but often can't resist if the bright light is coming from the ground. whether a solar array or a laser -- resist -- don't look.
The best and easiest mitigation is to move planes flying at those problematic times a mile over in one direction or another. It's not like pilots don't have sun glare in the early morning and late afternoon every day already. The solar array changes the direction of the sun glare.
Air traffic should be directed accordingly to minimize the adverse impact of the glare.
That's probably the simplest, quickest solution, but in the story, it does say that the Impact statement said that the plant owners would have to mitigate factors if it affected aircraft.
Required to perform a study to measure the glare m, then mitigate.
Mitigation compromises of sending coot if the study sling with a letter to FAA requesting changebin flights that would be impacted by the glare hazard.
That action would meet the letter of the law and mitigate the hazard effectively with the least amount of cost.
Anyone hoping that a few reports of glare would result in the digging up and moving of the facility and all the panels a mile or 10 are seriously delusional.
Mitigation compromises of sending coot if the study sling with a letter to FAA requesting changebin flights that would be impacted by the glare hazard.
That action would meet the letter of the law and mitigate the hazard effectively with the least amount of cost.
Anyone hoping that a few reports of glare would result in the digging up and moving of the facility and all the panels a mile or 10 are seriously delusional.
Baseball players looking for high fly balls have filed similar complaints about the sun.
Sounds like a FAA routing change is needed then update the airway and NAV systems so this area can be avoided.. I've seen it my self LAS to BUR.. it is massive and several Billion dollar investment... I don't think it would be cost effective to move the facility now.... LOL