Pilot Complained To The FAA About A 'Nearly Blinding Glare'

The Ivanpah solar energy plant in San Bernardino County, CA consists of 173,500 large mirrors that reflect sunlight onto three towers over 450 feet tall which contain boilers where steam is generated. It is the world's largest solar thermal plant.

It may also be a hazard to navigation for aircraft in the region.

The FAA Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) recently received two complaints about the plant, according to a report in The Daily Caller. One came from the pilot of a "small transport plane" that had departed from an airport in Boulder City, NV. The other was from an air traffic controller. Both mentioned "blinding glare" from the solar plant.

The plant is situated between Las Vegas, NV and southern California. The pilot leaving Boulder City was climbing out after takeoff when, according to the ASRS filing, he "experienced a very bright, intense light from the three solar complexes which interfered with their ability to scan for traffic." The pilot said he and the co-pilot were "momentarily blinded" by the glare, likening it to "looking into the sun."

The potential for interference with air traffic was noted by the energy company when the plant was being built. One local pilot told the paper that pilots can simply "turn your head, don't look at it" and that the problem quickly goes away as the airplane moves over the facility.

The FAA told the paper it is "aware of potential glare from solar plants and is exploring how to best alert pilots to the issue."

FMI: www.faa.gov