Crossing runways after being cleared to a runway?

John Baker

John Baker

Final Approach
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John Baker
Even though I recently passed my check ride, I seem to still be in the habit of doing ten questions every day. I use this site:

http://www.exams4pilots.org/

Anyway, the old question, "When cleared to runway 9, you can proceed..." then they give you three options. The correct answer has always been that you could then taxi across runways and intersections, but you could not enter the runway you have been cleared to, in this case 9.

I would have sworn that someone recently told me that instruction has now been amended, and that you must stop at all runways you must cross to reach your destination, and wait for clearance to cross.

Tonight, I selected that option, and got a fail score for that question.

So, what is it?

John
 
For me, I don't care about test answers. My reality is if I have been specifically cleared across a runway and I manage to get there in less than say 4 minutes, I'll just cross. If it's been longer than that, as I approach, I'll still call up ground and ask " is 69SA still good to cross 31 at Gulf?" just in case the situation has changed. While it may not be necessary, I have never gotten any attitude for it. I do believe that there has been a rule change that requires you now to receive a specific clearance to cross any runway, but I may be mistaken there. Lately though it appears that I get given taxi instructions to the next runway and a hold short, and when I arrive there I get cleared across and for the next leg to the next runway.
 
Henning said:
For me, I don't care about test answers. My reality is if I have been specifically cleared across a runway and I manage to get there in less than say 4 minutes, I'll just cross. If it's been longer than that, as I approach, I'll still call up ground and ask " is 69SA still good to cross 31 at Gulf?" just in case the situation has changed. While it may not be necessary, I have never gotten any attitude for it. I do believe that there has been a rule change that requires you now to receive a specific clearance to cross any runway, but I may be mistaken there. Lately though it appears that I get given taxi instructions to the next runway and a hold short, and when I arrive there I get cleared across and for the next leg to the next runway.
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
What he said.
 
This change establishes the requirement that an explicit runway
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crossing clearance be issued for each runway (active/inactive or closed) crossing and requires an aircraft/vehicle to have crossed the previous runway before another runway crossing clearance may be issued.
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You can only be cleared to cross one runway , before you can cross the next. In the example of VGT, taxi to runway 25 for departure from the ramp requires the crossing of both 12L and 12R. Previously you could be cleared to taxi to Rwy 25 via "C and A" or any number of taxiways, and cross both runways. Now, you can only be cleared to Rwy25, via Charlie, Cross 12R hold short of 12L. After crossing 12R you can get the clearance to cross 12 L, taxi to Rwy 25L via C and A, hold short Rwy 25.​

VGT also qualifies for the exception, 12R and 12L are within 1000ft of each other and you can get the clearance to cross both at one time.​
 
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Henning said:
I do believe that there has been a rule change that requires you now to receive a specific clearance to cross any runway, but I may be mistaken there.
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The regulations haven't changed, in that 91.129(i) still says that a clearance to "taxi to" a runway is authorization to cross other runways on the way. The difference is that ATC has been instructed not to issue clearances to "taxi to" a runway, so that part of the reg will never come into play.

I see that AIM 4-3-18 has been updated to reflect the new procedures.
 
A couple of days ago I got the new version. After landing and exiting the active runway was cleared to taxi to and hold short of the next runway intersecting the taxiway to the ramp. As soon as I read back the clearance to and hold short of I was cleared to cross the intersecting runway and proceed to the ramp, well before reaching the intersecting runway. Worked for me.
 
The rules have changed, as already noted. I would not be at all surprised if the preparatory question banks, and quite possibly the official question and answer, haven't been updated to reflect the new procedure. I believe that only someone who has recently taken an official FAA exam and gotten that question would be able to answer definitively.
 
Still - be careful. We have R18/36 and the FBOs are at the north end. The taxiway on the west side is full length, but on the east side it isn't. Couple years ago a student was on the NE corner and got instructions to taxi to 36 and hold short. He understood that he could cross runways until R36, so he crossed at the north end. He thought he was crossing 18, but he wasn't - he was crossing 36. The new rules, and our controllers, are a little more aware of mistakes like that.
 
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