B737-700
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 158
Situational Awareness; Distraction
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
General None Reported / Taken
Airport; Chart Or Publication; Procedure
Captain taxied into position for takeoff at the very end of the approach end of 30L. As he turned to line up on centerline; he was positioned significantly southeast of the yellow line leading from A1 Taxiway to the centerline 30L. This position seemed close to the blast fence for the approach end of 30L. Too close for my comfort; and I stated my preference was to be on the yellow line; not as close as we were to the blast fence.I have seen this technique in the past which I have assumed is used to maximize the amount of runway in front of the aircraft when takeoff power is applied. The Captain stated to me later that he does use this technique to give him more available runway and he thought that our performance data is always calculated from '90 feet from the end of the runway.' Based on visual factors; I thought we got too close to the blast fence on the approach end of 30L just prior to takeoff.My safety suggestion would be to survey the distance of that fence from the end of 30L and examine the use of the technique of taxiing very close to the end of a runway before takeoff.
Normal departure runway for SJC is 30R. 30R is under construction. 30L is an unfamiliar departure runway. The blast fence goes from a good distance from the end of the runway for 30R at A1 to a very short distance for 30L. Wingtip contact is possible if the turn is squared at A1 to line up on 30L. There is a note on the 10-7 page regarding MD-11 size aircraft and the runway end. There is no depiction of the fence on the 10-7 page. The closeness of the fence to the end of the runway can be seen on online maps.
A B737-700 Captain taxied to very end of SJC Runway 30L on Taxiway A1 at which point both pilots noted how close the wingtip passed by the blast fence. Runway 30R was closed for construction.