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02-D: Taxiing

Knowledge

K1: Current airpot aeronautical references and information resources such as the Chart Supplement airport diagram, and Notices to Air Missions (NOTAMs)

  • displacement area of a runway may be used for take-off and taxiing, but not for landing
  • parachute jumping activity information is found in the AF?D

K2: Taxi instructions/clearances

K3: Airport markings, signs, and lights

  • blast pad (= stopway)
    • yellow chevrons
  • yellow demarcation bar
    • separates blast pad from displaced threshold
  • runway holding positioning marking
    • 2 yellow striped (on the runway side)
    • 2 yellow solid (on the taxiway side)
  • runway holding position sign
    • white inscriptions
    • red background
  • taxiway holding position sign
    • 1 yellow striped line
  • vehicle roadway marking
    • 1 white solid line on each side (or zipper-like instead of solid)
    • a white striped line in the middle
  • runway designators (= runway numbers)
    • 9 means 090° magnetic
    • 27 means 270° magnetic
    • mnemonic: due to the movement of the magnetic north pole, runway have to be renamed and repainted every now and then
  • taxiway location sign (which taxiway are you on):
    • black background
    • yellow font
  • taxiway direction sign (how to turn to get to this taxiway):
    • indicates designation and direction of taxiway leading out of an intersection
    • yellow background
    • black font
  • runway/runway hold position sign
    • denotes intersecting runways
  • runway exit sign / runway safety area sign
    • denotes designation and direction of exit taxiway from runway
  • taxiway ending marker
    • alterantive yellow and black diagonal stripes
  • outbound destination sign
    • identified direction to take-off runways

  • no entry

    • paved area not for aircraft

  • US Airport Signs (Figure 65)

    • A: Runway holding position sign
    • B: Runway approach area holding position sign
    • C: ILS crictical area boundary sign
    • D: No entry sign
    • E: Taxiway location sign
    • F: Runway location sign
    • G: Runway exit sign / Runway Safety Area (RSA) / Obstacle Free Zone (OFZ): On a runway, about to exit
    • H: ILS critical area boundary marking
    • I: Inbound destination sign
    • J: Outbound destination sign
    • K: Taxiway direction sign
    • L: Runway remaining sign
    • M: Hotspot sign
    • N: Taxiway ending sign

K4: Visual indicators for wind

  • wind correction during taxi (Figure 9)
    • generally
      • quartering headwinds
        • aileron up on the side from which the wind is blowing (thus killing lift on that side)
        • elevator down (as we dive away)
      • quartering tailwinds
        • aileron down on the side from which the wind is blowing (again killing lift on that side, but remember its now inverted)
        • in a tailwheel aircraft: elevator up
        • in a tricycle gear aircraft: elevator neutral (that's the only different to the tailwheel)
    • in a tricyle gear
      • tail wind: "dive away" from the winds
        • left quartering tail wind (i.e., winds from above us from the left)
          • left aileron down, elevator down, because
            • dive away means yoke to the right and nose down
              • yoke to the right means (thumbs up, aileron up)
                • right aileron up
                • left aileron down (makes sense, prevents the wind from going under and picking up the wing)
              • yoke in (nose down, elevator down)
      • head wind: controls into the wind
        • left quartering headwind
          • left aileron up, elevator neutral
    • tailwheel
      • headwind:
        • right quartering headwind
          • right aileron up, elevator up (the wind from the front will press the tail down)
      • tailwind:
        • left quartering tailwheel
          • left aileron down, elevator down
  • wind cricticality
    • a nosewheel-equipped high-wing airplane
      • is most endangered by quartering tailwinds which may lift the tail
      • is nose-heavy, so winds from the front are not as critical
        • in fact: park with the nose into the wind
      • direct crosswinds are not as critical
        • when parked, direct crosswinds can turn and weathervane the aircraft

K5: Aircraft lighting, as appropriate

K6: Procedure for:

K6a: Approriate flight deck activities prior to taxi, including route planning and identifying the location of hot spots

K6b: Radio communications at towered and nontowered airports

K6c: Entering or crossing runways

  • never cross a runway with explicit crossing clearance for that runway
  • hold short of all runways intersecting the route unless cleared for that runway
  • clearance to taxi to a runway does not constitute a clerance to cross any runways nor to takeoff

K6d: Night taxi operations

K6e: Low visibility taxi operations

  • request progressive taxi instructions

Risks

R1: Activities and distractions

R3: A taxi rout or departure runway change

R4: Runway incursion

Skills

S1: Receive and correctly read back clearances/instructions, if applicable

S2: Use an airport diagram or taxi chart during taxi, if published, and maintain situational awareness

S3: Position the flight controls for the existing winds, if applicable

S4: Complete the appropriate checklists

S5: Perform a brake checl immediately after the airplane begins moving

S6: Maintain positive control of the airplane during ground operations by controlling direction and speed without excessive use of brakes

S7: Comply with airport/taxiway markings, signals, and ATC clearances and instructions

S8: Position the airplane properly relative to hold lines