Checkride: Runway incursion avoidance

While runway incursions can be caused by air traffic controllers, pilots, or even drivers of airport vehicles, most runway incursions are the direct result of pilot deviations. According to FAA statistics, of the 1,757 runway incursions that occurred in 2019 alone, 1,119—nearly 64 percent—were caused by pilot deviations. Even more sobering is the fact that three out of every four of these pilot deviations were caused by general aviation pilots.

What makes taxiing an airplane on the airport surface so challenging? There are several factors, any one of which can lead to a deviation. But some combination of pilot inexperience, lack of situational awareness, confusion over ATC instructions, unfamiliarity with the airport, complexity of runway/taxiway layout, lack of planning, and failure to follow standard operating procedures (SOPs) can make taxiing one of the most demanding tasks you’ll have to accomplish during your checkride.

Your designated pilot examiner will want to see you demonstrate this important task in several ways. First, after obtaining winds and active runway information, visualize a likely taxi route that you might follow using the airport/taxi diagram prior to calling for your taxi clearance. Pay attention when your route takes you through any designated “hot spots,” where increased vigilance is always appropriate. Most of the popular aviation apps also include a means to highlight the route directly onto the electronic chart. This pretaxi planning helps to eliminate confusion while increasing your situational awareness.

Next, when you contact ATC for your taxi clearance, be prepared to write down the instructions and then read them back, verbatim, especially any runway crossing or hold short instructions. Now that you have your taxi clearance, but before releasing the brakes, make sure you fully understand the routing and instructions as received. Be aware that the clearance you received may differ from what you had anticipated, so be careful to follow the actual cleared routing. And if you have any doubt or uncertainty about the ATC instructions, do not hesitate to verify the clearance. A professional way to do this is by saying, “Confirm taxi instructions.” Another way to get more assistance from ATC when in doubt is to request a “progressive taxi.”

Be extremely vigilant when crossing any runway hold short markings or signs by religiously performing three critical standard operating procedures: Look in both directions to confirm you are clear, mentally confirm that you have actually received a clearance to cross that runway, and turn on all anticollision strobes and landing lights when crossing the hold line. Follow this same “three-action SOP” upon entering the runway after receiving either “cleared for takeoff” or “line up and wait” instructions.

Before returning for landing, be sure to refer to the airport diagram to develop a runway exit strategy and a routing plan for taxi to parking. After landing, remember, it is not acceptable to exit the landing runway onto another runway without explicit authorization from the tower—and no stopping or making a 180-degree turn on the runway, either. Once clear of the runway with the aircraft completely past the runway hold line, stop the aircraft and perform any required after-landing checklist items. Then, contact ATC for taxi instructions, if applicable, prior to resuming taxi—and as always, with reference to the airport diagram.

When operating at nontowered airports, be especially vigilant since some airports have nonstandard markings and signs that may lead to confusion, or to unintentionally crossing onto an active runway. Also, “line up and wait” is strongly discouraged at nontowered airports. Don’t proceed onto the runway until you are prepared to take off without delay. And always use standard phraseology for announcing your position and intentions on the common traffic advisory frequency while being vigilant for nonradio-equipped aircraft in the vicinity. Of the several documents available for reviewing runway incursion avoidance, including Advisory Circular 91-73B, the most comprehensive can be found in Appendix 1 of the Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, available online at the FAA website (faa.gov).

Bob Schmelzer is a Chicago-area designated pilot examiner, a retired United Airlines captain and Boeing 777 line check airman. He has been an active gold seal flight instructor since 1972.