B737-700
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 240; Flight Crew Type 6000
Physiological - Other; Distraction
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Other / Unknown; Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
General None Reported / Taken
ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings; Airport; Human Factors
Over the last few years; the U.S. airport system has been installing extremely bright LED lighting that is blinding to pilots. Most of this is centerline taxiway lighting which; in my opinion; isn't even necessary except in extremely low visibility situations. We can see the painted yellow centerline and the blue edge lights. If there were an animal; FOD; or even a human on the taxiway; we would be quite challenged to see it while blinded by these lights. Some airports have extremely bright approach lights and centerline runway lights as well that also blind us. I have asked ATC if they could lower them and I always get told that they are as low as they go in a frustrated and empathetic tone indicating that they are often requested to lower them.Who decides on the lighting systems installed? Obviously not a user! Most pilots I fly with have issue with this; but everyone just sucks it up and doesn't say anything until we have an incident. If those lights were significantly dimmer wouldn't that save money? Install dimmer bulbs or a dimming system that could go to much lower settings. Don't even use the taxiway centerline lights unless under SMIGS operations. Get feedback from users before installing stuff. Way too bright lighting on taxiway centerline and runway.
B737 First Officer laments the extremely bright LED lights being installed in airports across the country and suggests changes.