Aero-Tips!

A good pilot is always learning -- how many times have you heard this old standard throughout your flying career? There is no truer statement in all of flying (well, with the possible exception of "there are no old, bold pilots.")

Aero-News has called upon the expertise of Thomas P. Turner, master CFI and all-around-good-guy, to bring our readers -- and us -- daily tips to improve our skills as aviators. Some of them, you may have heard before... but for each of us, there will also be something we might never have considered before, or something that didn't "stick" the way it should have the first time we memorized it for the practical test.

Look for our daily Aero-Tips segments, coming each day to you through the Aero-News Network.

Aero-Tips 08.10.06

The airplane ahead of you lands and reports "clear of the runway". What does that mean?

Non-towered airport

• If the pilot is reporting properly, "clear of the runway" means "all parts of the aircraft are on the non-runway side of any holding position marking."

It's your job as pilot-in-command to clear the runway as soon after landing as is safe; if taking off or landing it's your responsibility to visually ensure that the runway is indeed clear.

Tower-controlled airport

• A pilot or controller may consider an aircraft "clear of the runway" when all parts of the aircraft are beyond the runway edge and there is no ATC restriction to its continued movement beyond the applicable holding position marking.

So... at a tower-controlled field "clear of the runway" does not necessarily mean the airplane is actually past the hold-short line. It does mean the path between the airplane and the hold-short line is not blocked, and assumes the pilot of that airplane will continue to taxi without stopping. This permits controllers to let you use the runway for takeoff or landing sooner than actually waiting for other traffic to get past the hold line. Note to pilots: This also means you should not stop on the taxiway before getting all parts of your airplane beyond the hold-short line... it's quite possible other airplanes will be cleared to take off or land very soon.

Aero-tip of the day: Use good judgment to ensure the runway is clear, and after landing don't delay exiting the runway and moving beyond the hold-short line, moving as soon as is safe.

FMI: Aero-Tips