What is a Runway Incursion?
According to FAA Order 7050.1, Runway Safety Program, a runway incursion is “any occurrence at an aerodrome involving the incorrect presence of an aircraft, vehicle, or person on the protected area of a surface designated for the landing and takeoff of an aircraft.” In other words, a runway incursion is whenever there is an aircraft, vehicle, or person on the runway that should not be on the runway. At a towered airport, this could mean that they didn’t have the clearance to enter the runway environment. At a non-tower airport, maybe they were not listening to radios and entered the runway environment as another aircraft was landing. A surface incident is an unauthorized or unapproved movement within the designated movement area (excluding runway incursions) or an occurrence in that same area associated with the operation of an aircraft that affects or could affect the safety of flight. This just means that an aircraft, vehicle, or person was in the movement area without proper authorization or was operating in the movement area in a way that may affect safety of flight.
There are four categories of runway incursions (plus accident):
Category A is a serious incident in which a collision was narrowly avoided.
Category B is an incident in which separation decreases and there is a significant potential for collision, which may result in a time critical corrective/evasive response to avoid a collision.
Category C is an incident characterized by ample time and/or distance to avoid a collision.
Category D is an incident that meets the definition of runway incursion such as incorrect presence of a single vehicle/person/aircraft on the protected area of a surface designated for the landing and take-off of aircraft but with no immediate safety consequences.
Accident is an incursion that resulted in a collision.
Challenges and Planning
There are a lot of unique challenges when it comes to taxiing an aircraft as apposed to flying it. When you’re taxiing around, the planes are in a much closer proximity than they are when you’re flying. Granted, you may encounter planes at a close proximity in the air, which is why you should remain vigilant, but it’s mostly when you’re taxiing on the ground. Not to mention there are also other things like people walking around, other vehicles driving around on the ramp and doing taxiway and runway inspections, as well as wild animals that may find their way into the airport area. Being situationally aware is more important than ever when you’re on the ground taxiing. You may know your home airport very well, but what happens when there’s construction and taxiways are being closed and the environment is constantly changing? What happens when you go to other airports that your unfamiliar with or that have a lot of confusing taxiways? There’s a lot going on and you must be able to react in a timely manner and be vigilant in order to avoid runway incursions. Proper planning can also help reduce your risk of runway incursions.
Taxi Planning
Taxi planning is a crucial part of any taxi operation. Before even getting in the plane:
Make sure you have a current copy of the A/FD.
Reviewing all the A/FDs for all airports you’ll be flying to helps ensure that you are familiar with all specific airport information that isn’t able to be depicted on the airport diagram.
You’ve reviewed any NOTAMs and listen to the ATIS.
NOTAMs will give you information on any runway or taxiway closure at all airports you’ll be flying to.
Familiarize yourself with the airport diagram for all airports you’ll be flying to.
Time should be taken to study the airport diagram and anticipated taxi routes based on the information provided from the ATIS and NOTAMs. It’s also a good idea to keep the airport diagram out for reference while you are taxiing.
Look for any Hot Spots on the airport diagrams
Hot Spots are complex or confusing taxiway/taxiway or taxiway/runway intersections that have a higher risk for runway incursions.
Have an idea of the expected possible route based on your plane location and runway in use.
You never want to think about it as a definite taxi route, but at least think of possible routes you may get, that way you aren’t completely blindsided when ATC gives you taxi instructions.
Taxi Review
Before you call ATC for taxi instructions, make sure you have a pen and paper and are ready to fully listen. Then you should:
Always write down taxi instructions, then read it back.
This helps if there is a long instruction and if you ever forget. Even is it’s “Taxi to runway 3 via Alpa,” WRITE IT DOWN.
Review the taxi instructions and make sure you fully understand.
Never start moving until you fully understand. If instructions are confusing, clarify with ATC or ask for progressive taxi.
Taxi Briefing
It’s a good idea to do a taxi briefing before beginning any taxi. Some things to include in the briefing is:
The taxi route given
Any complex intercections
Any hotspots that you should be aware of
Discuss any runways you may be crossing
Procedures
As we already talked about previously, having proper planning can help eliminate runway incursions. Another way to mitigate that risk is to have specific procedures in place for different phases or circumstances. We talked about a few highly suggested procedures in planning your taxi, but lets talk about a few good procedures for when you’re already begun your taxi.
Heads-Up
Taxiing on an unfamiliar airport can be very challenging, especially at night or during low visibility. It’s important to remain “heads-up” with your eyes outside, and devote your entire attention to ground navigation given from your ATC clearance. All checklists should be completed while the aircraft is stopped. Never try to do things like set up the GPS, unless you have come to a full stop. Try to eliminate all distractions like cell phones or chatting that doesn’t pertain to task. The best thing to do is keep a sterile cockpit, meaning eliminating all non-essential chatter or other activities while maintaining vigilance during taxi. Continuing to listen to ATC gives you a good overall picture of where others are taxiing and helps you understand what other aircrafts on the ground are doing.
Holding Short
Image 1
Before entering a runway, you will see a hold short line, which is two solid and two dashed yellow lines painted on the runway entrance (Image 1). All aircrafts and vehicles must stop at the double solid line until ATC gives them a clearance to cross. When you are told to “hold short” of a runway, ATC is instructing you to taxi up to (but do not cross any part of) the runway holding marking. It is a best practice not go all the way up to the line without crossing. I usually tell my students to give yourself a little wiggle room. Sometimes you are sitting there for a bit due to a lot of landing traffic and if your feet come off the breaks slightly, you can catch it quickly without rolling over the hold short line. Remain alert for any hold short, crossing clearances, and hot spots, if applicable. A crossing clearance is a clearance to cross the hold short line and cross the runway. If you are ever in doubt if you have a crossing clearance: stop, remain clear of the runway, and contact ATC. It is a best practice to expedite your taxi and turn all aircraft lights on while on the runway.
Line Up and Wait / Takeoff
ATC uses the phase “line up and wait” (LUAW) when a takeoff clearance cannot be issued yet due to traffic or other reasons. “Line up and wait”is a clearance allowing you to cross the hold short line and taxi onto a runway to await a takeoff clearance. This helps expedite your takeoff clearance, once it’s issued. Remember though, a “line up and wait” clearance is not a clearance for takeoff. It is only a clearance to enter the runway and hold in position for takeoff. It is best practice to always scan the full length of the runway and its approach end for other aircraft before you enter the runway environment. It is also best practice to line up slightly left or right of centerline when holding for takeoff so that your aircraft is visible and can be differentiated from runway lights at night or during low visibility. It is very often that pilots misread the runway signs and take off from the wrong runway. I always tell my students to double check before taking off. If departing on Runway 21, set your aircraft “heading bug” to 210° before taxi. When turning onto the runway, align your aircraft to the runway heading to avoid departing from the wrong runway. Before adding power, make one last instrument scan to ensure the aircraft heading and runway heading are aligned.