Chapter 14
Airport Operations
Ground deviations (also called surface deviations) include taxiing, taking off, or landing without clearance, deviating from an assigned taxi route, or failing to hold short of an assigned clearance limit. To prevent ground deviations, stay alert during ground operations. Pilot deviations can and frequently do occur on the ground. Many strategies and tactics pilots use to avoid airborne deviations also work on the ground.
Pilots should also remain vigilant about vehicle/pedestrian deviations (V/PDs). A vehicle or pedestrian deviation includes pedestrians, vehicles or other objects interfering with aircraft operations by entering or moving on the runway movement area without authorization from air traffic control. In serious instances, any ground deviation (PD or VPD) can result in a runway incursion. Best practices in preventing ground deviations can be found in the following section under runway incursion avoidance.
Runway Incursion Avoidance
A runway incursion is “any occurrence in the airport runway environment involving an aircraft, vehicle, person, or object on the ground that creates a collision hazard or results in a loss of required separation with an aircraft taking off, intending to take off, landing, or intending to land.” It is important to give the same attention to operating on the surface as in other phases of flights. Proper planning can prevent runway incursions and the possibility of a ground collision. A pilot should always be aware of the aircraft’s position on the surface at all times and be aware of other aircraft and vehicle operations on the airport. At times, towered airports can be busy and taxi instructions complex. In this situation, it may be advisable to write down taxi instructions. The following are some practices to help prevent a runway incursion:
- Read back all runway crossing and/or hold instructions.
- Review airport layouts as part of preflight planning, before descending to land and while taxiing, as needed.
- Know airport signage.
- Review NOTAM for information on runway/ taxiway closures and construction areas.
- Request progressive taxi instructions from ATC when unsure of the taxi route.
- Check for traffic before crossing any runway hold line and before entering a taxiway.
- Turn on aircraft lights and the rotating beacon or strobe lights while taxing.
- When landing, clear the active runway as soon as possible, then wait for taxi instructions before further movement.
- Study and use proper phraseology in order to understand and respond to ground control instructions.
- Write down complex taxi instructions at unfamiliar airports.
Approximately three runway incursions occur each day at towered airports within the United States. The potential that these numbers present for a catastrophic accident is unacceptable. The following are examples of pilot deviations, operational incidents (OI), and vehicle (driver) deviations that may lead to runway incursions.
Pilot Deviations:
- Crossing a runway hold marking without clearance from ATC
- Taking off without clearance
- Landing without clearance
Operational Incidents (OI):
- Clearing an aircraft onto a runway while another aircraft is landing on the same runway
- Issuing a takeoff clearance while the runway is occupied by another aircraft or vehicle
Vehicle (Driver) Deviations:
- Crossing a runway hold marking without ATC clearance
According to FAA data, approximately 65 percent of all runway incursions are caused by pilots. Of the pilot runway incursions, FAA data shows almost half of those incursions are caused by GA pilots.
Causal Factors of Runway Incursions
Detailed investigations of runway incursions over the past 10 years have identified three major areas contributing to these events:
- Failure to comply with ATC instructions
- Lack of airport familiarity
- Nonconformance with standard operating procedures
Clear, concise, and effective pilot/controller communication is paramount to safe airport surface operations. You must fully understand and comply with all ATC instructions. It is mandatory to read back all runway “hold short” instructions verbatim.
Taxiing on an unfamiliar airport can be very challenging, especially during hours of darkness or low visibility. A request may be made for progressive taxi instructions which include step by step taxi routing instructions. Ensure you have a current airport diagram, remain “heads-up” with eyes outside, and devote your entire attention to surface navigation per ATC clearance. All checklists should be completed while the aircraft is stopped. There is no place for non-essential chatter or other activities while maintaining vigilance during taxi. [Figure 14-48]
Runway Confusion
Runway confusion is a subset of runway incursions and often results in you unintentionally taking off or landing on a taxiway or wrong runway. Generally, you are unaware of the mistake until after it has occurred.