PA-28 Cherokee/Archer/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 1; Flight Crew Total 1050; Flight Crew Type 250
Situational Awareness
No Specific Anomaly Occurred All Types
General None Reported / Taken
ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings; Airport
I fly to RBG often. RBG is surrounded by hilly terrain on all sides. The VASI; which has been in place for around 60 years; enhances safety significantly by allowing pilots to be sure that they are safely above the hills near the runway under the final approaches in both directions. The VASI has been out of service for over 7 months. The FBO operator explained that the FAA instructed the city to remove it from service because terrain protruded too close to the VASI glide slope outside of 5 degrees laterally from centerline. The city installed baffling; to limit the viewing to 5 degrees either side of centerline; and various exchanges have gone back and forth between the city and the FAA since then. Apparently now they are awaiting the FAA test flight; but there is no schedule for that. The VASI has been in service for around 60 years; and there has never been a VASI-related accident at RBG. Safety is degraded significantly by not having a VASI at an airport with hills at both ends of the runway. Either it should be turned back on prior to the test flight (the vertical angles haven't changed); or the FAA should get their test flight done ASAP.
PA28 pilot reported that the VASI lights have been deactivated at RBG by FAA directive; because terrain protruded too close to the VASI glideslope outside of 5 degrees laterally from centerline. The VASI had been in place for around 60 years and enhanced safety significantly.