Having operated internationally for some years especially in Asia, many difficult and problem airports with poorly defined or confusing markings spring readily to mind. Delhi in India and SUB in Indonesia are obvious candidates.
But strangely enough, some of the most difficult airports are situated in the Western world. These include airports such as the taxiways in the backblocks of LAX and SFO with shocking taxy markings, restricted manouevre room and poor wingtip clearance. Even a modern airport such as Narita is a confusing nightmare day or night trying to get to or from the new parallel runway.
So when I hear of an incident like this, I pose myself the question; “What are the possible range of factors that can give rise to the type of visual illusion that will cause a highly experienced Captain and his qualified copilot to depart the high-stressed paved surface during taxying?”
Was the edge correctly marked with blue lights, double yellows etc? Were the yellow markings actually visible against the light coloured concrete surface when illuminated with a taxi light. Was the taxi light turned off to prevent blinding an aircraft approaching touchdown?
Perhaps the results of this investigation will be rather "illuminating" to some of the posters.
I still get chills thinking about the factors and visual illusion which caused an experienced crew of three in a Singapore Airlines B747 attempt a takeoff on a very poorly marked taxiway which used to be Runway 05R in TPE with tragic consequences.
A quick look at CASA
http://www.casa.gov.au/avreg/rules/d...A/Chap11_2.pdf
Taxiway edge markers and markings
8.11 Taxiway edge markers and markings are provided to show pilots the edges of taxiways where they might not otherwise be visually clear.
8.12 Taxiway edge markers are to be provided at the edges of unpaved taxiways or graded taxiway strips, where necessary. Where provided, they are to comprise yellow cone markers secured to the ground.
8.13 For sealed taxiways, where the edges are not visually evident, yellow lines consisting of two continuous 0.15m wide lines, spaced 0.15m apart and located at the taxiway edge as shown in Fig 11.21 should be used. The edge of graded taxiway strips should be marked by yellow cone markers.