No Aircraft
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Time Pressure; Troubleshooting
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Ground Equipment Issue; No Specific Anomaly Occurred Unwanted Situation
General None Reported / Taken
Airport
The runway lights at this airport have been off for an unreasonably long time. This was a facility maintenance issue that has now been elevated to a safety issue. We accept that there will be occasional infrastructure failures but that is normally restricted to short term events; and events that may not involve safety.In the case of the runway lights at MRF [airport] Marfa; Texas; the lack of runway lights; especially as the days get shorter is becoming a real issue. Two nights ago; I saw an aircraft depart here at 9:30pm with no runway lights. Dark night; little moon.  Pilots are desperate to use the runway and will do what is needed to come and go. They are tired of the lack of attention to the lighting problem so they 'work around the problem'. I have had to change my plan or cancel because of the lack of lighting. Last night I watched an airplane arrive at night; circle around then divert. Yes; it's in the NOTAMs; but frankly that is not helping. Besides; it is widely known that NOTAMs are so voluminous; vital things like this are being overlooked. I have seen this (aircraft arrive with no runway lights; then divert); many times now. We are in a remote area and one day a pilot is going to arrive low on gas and end up having a fuel exhaustion accident. I know a pilot who tried to land recently; lined up on the neighboring greenhouses before discovering the lack of actual runway lighting! This is no longer a facility maintenance issue. It has been neglected by the local authorities so long that it has obviously become a serious safety issue which will need intervention by higher authority to resolve; hence my safety reporting action. If the airport has already put in a request for a repair company; that is inadequate; they need to find one that is more responsive.
GA pilot reported the runway lighting does not work and has not worked for a long time at MRF airport.