Incursions
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Incursions! --  Runway and Taxiway

       I have had a least half a dozen flight instructors in my flying career, none of whom taught me (in over 1,000 hours of flight) what I am going to teach you here. I know and you know not to cross the hold short line at a towered airport until cleared to take the runway by the tower. You knew that.  That would be an obvious runway incursion. There are other incursions that are not so obvious. I am convinced many of them are because of improper teaching emphasis. The FAA is up in arms about it and rightfully so, but what about all the pilots who have never been properly instructed? It is usally assumed that these things were taught in the primary lessons.  Apparently, not!!

As a pilot, I have read pamphlet's on runway and taxiway signs. I know the FAA is emphasizing the importance and significance of runway incursions. I know you can receive a 90 day suspension and a fine for an incursion. But nobody and nothing I have read has specifically informed me of what I am about to tell you. It's one of those "you should know this by now" notions.  I find that numerous other pilots do not know these little tid-bits of information that might save their butts. So, to save you the suspension, the fine, (and possibly worse) here you have it in black and white.

bulletDon't cross the hold short line ====== until you have been cleared by the tower to take the runway. (you knew that).
bulletAfter landing, and instructed to "contact ground control," DON'T do it until you have CROSSED the hold short line on the taxiway you are entering. (You are still considered ON the runway until you cross the line, even though you may be some distance from the edge of the runway).  
bulletWhen you are instructed to contact ground control after landing, as soon as you CROSS the hold short line (leaving the runway) come to a GRINDING halt. "Contact Ground" means STOP!!, as soon as you cross the hold short line. You cannot proceed until you have a ground clearance. (So that's, 1. Cross the line, 2. STOP,  3. Call ground control.) If you keep rolling and there's a parallel taxiway to the runway, you run a very high risk of a taxiway incursion.
bulletWhat fakes so many pilots out is that often the tower will say, "Piper 1234A, exit at echo, monitor this frequency, cleared to the ramp."   It is a towered field, it happens over and over. Ground control is rarely used, and pilots get conditioned to exit and proceed. This is a trap. The day the tower says, "Contact Ground" you may be tempted to keep right on rolling while calling ground. Major Mistake!! Remember when instructed to CONTACT GROUND, come to a GRINDING halt, (after crossing the hold short line) and see what they want you to do.

 

bulletKeep Flying Safely.    Larry Collins, CFI