Date: 201606
Local time of day: 0001-0600
Location: SFB.Airport, FL
Flight conditions: VMC
Light: Night
Aircraft: Large Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Landing; Taxi
ATC / advisory: CTAF SFB
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain; Pilot Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Anomaly: Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: Taxi
Result: Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Contributing factors: Equipment / Tooling; Environment - Non Weather Related; Airport
Primary problem: Airport

Narrative: We ultimately arrived into Sanford [very late] in clear weather. There was a NOTAM for the Pilot Control Lighting of the Runway Edge Lights [out of service at that time]. This NOTAM has been active on previous occasions and has been believed by our pilot group to pertain to the Pilot Control feature of the lighting system.  This indicates that the Runway Edge Lights are on continuously and that the Pilot Control feature operates the remainder of the lighting system.There was a NOTAM for the Pilot Control Lighting of the Runway Edge Lights from XA00z - XH:30z.We were approaching the SFB airport in perfectly clear conditions with excellent visibility.  I clicked my microphone seven times to place the Airport lighting system on High Intensity.  I immediately had the airport visually with the approach lighting system and changed the light system intensity between low and medium to select the ideal brightness.  I felt that the lowest intensity (three microphone clicks) was much too low; but the medium intensity (five microphone clicks) was much closer in brightness to the high intensity selection.  I chose to remain with the medium intensity brightness despite the fact that it was very bright and continue to believe that it was the best choice of the three.The approach and landing were normal with all parts of the runway environment easily in sight.  As I slowed the aircraft to taxi speed and my eyes had better adjusted to the darker environment as compared to the brightness of the approach lights; I began to question the status of the runway edge lights. It appeared that the Runway Edge lights were excessively dim or not working.  The taxiway edge lights (blue lights) were not working during our taxi in.  This was the case despite attempts to change the airport lighting brightness and do not seem to part of this NOTAM or any other NOTAM we had available to us.I believe that the runway edge lights were either too dim or possibly completely out of service (not just the Pilot Control feature).  I can say with certainty that the taxiway edge lights were not working and not clearly NOTAM'ed. All aspects of the Runway environment were clearly visible but it was unclear until landing was nearly complete that some of the required lighting was not working properly. I would like to know in better detail what the NOTAM indicates and what portions of the airport lighting system are/were affected and if ONLY the Pilot Control feature is indeed what the NOTAM refers to.  This would help pilots arriving after the tower has closed determine exactly what is available and what is Out Of Service.




Synopsis: Air carrier flight crew encountered insufficient lighting at SFB for taxi to the ramp area while the Tower was closed. The NOTAM did not sufficiently describe the issues with the field lighting.