Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Distraction
Inflight Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
General None Reported / Taken
Environment - Non Weather Related
[We] noticed a great deal of glare from the western most solar generator at the Ivanpah Solar Farm. We were flying the SHEAD 8 departure from Runway 7L and experienced significant glare from approximately MINEY until approximately 20 miles east of SHEAD. The glare was significantly stronger than from the other two stations and appeared to be due to poor aiming of the mirrors. In addition to overall glare; there were spots of glare separate from the rest of the mirror farm. While we were westbound; and the glare was more of a distraction; it would have been very difficult for us to fly southbound and pick out traffic from below and/or have to stare into that light. We mentioned the glare to LAX Center. The flight continued normally after SHEAD.
An air carrier pilot climbing through approximately FL180 on the LAS SHEAD 8 RNAV SID commented on the Solar Farm glare while flying northwest between HITME and SHEAD intersections around early afternoon.