Taxi scenarios you can practice

You can develop your taxi skills with simulated taxi problems, such as these written by Timothy E. Heron and Edward A. Hardick, authors of “Taxiing at Towered Airports” (March 2008 AOPA Flight Training).

Problem 1

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Armed with a printed copy of an airport diagram—Ohio State University Airport (OSU) in Columbus, Ohio, in this case—visualize that you are on the student ramp and facing north (see Figure 1). Next, assume that you have been cleared to taxi to Runway 27L, the active runway. Ask yourself, “How will I taxi to this runway?”

Pretty straightforward: Turn right out of the student ramp area and join taxiway Alpha, ensuring that your nosewheel is on the center of the solid yellow taxi line, you are tuned to ground control (check that volume control!), and you’re headed east to the run-up area. Hold short of the runway in the run-up area and complete the runup before requesting clearance for takeoff.

A note of caution: The airport diagram makes it appear that the route from the student ramp to Runway 27L is a straight shot. However, that’s not the case. Taxiway Alpha actually has two minor, but well-marked, doglegs between the student ramp and the run-up area. These doglegs are more apparent when viewed from a satellite image of the airport.

Problem 2

Back to our simulated practice. Using the same taxi diagram, place yourself at a different location on the field. For instance, assume that you are located at the Medflight ramp (on the north side of the airport), and that the ground controller again cleared you to taxi to Runway 27L. Ask yourself the limit of your taxi route, if any, and how you would get to the run-up area for Runway 27L departure.

In this example, you would take taxiways Foxtrot, Charley, and ultimately Alpha—but you would hold short of Runway 27L on Charley, and not cross the 27L/9R boundary until further clearance was received. Recall Section 4-3-18(a)(5) of the Aeronautical Information Manual: When ATC clears an aircraft to “taxi to” an assigned takeoff runway, the absence of holding instructions authorizes the aircraft to “cross” all runways which the taxi route intersects except the assigned takeoff runway. It does not include authorization to “taxi onto” or “cross” the assigned takeoff runway at any point. In order to preclude misunderstandings in radio communications, ATC will not use the word “cleared” in conjunction with authorization for aircraft to taxi. Proceed across Runway 27L/9R only after obtaining specific permission to do so.

Problem 3

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Now, print a taxi diagram for Charlotte/Douglas International Airport (CLT) in North Carolina. Assume you are ready to taxi from the general aviation ramp and receive the following taxi clearance: “Taxi to Runway 36L via Delta, Romeo, Alpha, Echo, hold short of Runway 36R.”

Let’s break this taxi instruction down into component parts by asking the following questions:

• Where have you been cleared to taxi? Runway 36L. (Sorry, even though Runway 36R is right in front of you and it seems incomprehensible that you’d have to go all the way to the other side of the airport, that’s where you’re going. You might ask for 36R, but you may not get it.)
• How do you plan to get there? Trace the route starting out of the general aviation ramp, making a right turn on Taxiway Delta.
• Next, locate Taxiway Romeo as the first left. Remember that you’ll turn beyond the taxiway direction sign. But not so fast! You were told to hold short of Runway 36R. So make sure that you recognize that you are to stop at the runway hold position line to 36R on Taxiway Romeo. Be ready to get on the brakes so that the hold line guarding this runway is not crossed until further instructions are received.
• When cleared to cross Runway 36R, check your heading. You’ll note you’re heading northwest. Expedite crossing 36R. Proceed northwest on Taxiway Romeo. Upon reaching Taxiway Alpha, turn left (southwest) and take Alpha until you reach Taxiway Echo. Turn left (south). Once you make the turn, check that heading indicator one more time to verify that you’re headed in the correct direction.
• Conduct your runup as normal and be ready to receive your takeoff clearance.

Procedurally, it is important to know your heading at each phase of the taxi sequence. Doing so will help you to avoid inadvertently taxiing onto the wrong taxiway—or, worse, the wrong runway. If at any point in the taxi sequence the heading does not match your expectation of what it should be, verify your position and taxi route with ATC. Ask for progressive taxi instructions for turn-by-turn directions.

How did you do?

View these diagrams of Ohio State University Airport and Charlotte/Douglas International Airport to see if you drew the correct taxi routes.

Please note that these airport diagrams are presented for educational purposes only and are not for navigational use. Visit the AOPA Air Safety Foundation’s Web site to download current airport diagrams.