Never Again -- Parallel Runways

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On my first solo cross-country I made a mistake that we are always warned about on parallel runways. I lined up on the wrong runway on final. As I approach the airport I called up the tower and advised them I was 6 miles out. He promptly said make a 2 mile base turn...and I did not catch the end of it. So I repeated what I knew and asked for a readback. Then he gave me instructions to follow the highway going away from the airport and that he would call my base. The airport parallels this highway. At this point I should have realized I was on a downwind for the right runway, but I was still confused. I got the call to turn base, but the freeway was so close to the airport that it turned into a 180 turn to final. I was 3 miles out and not quiet lined up with any runway since it was a bit far. I tried to get a call in to find out what runway, but the controller was busy talking to other airplanes. It wasn't until I was on short-final for the right that I asked if I was clear to land and he gave me the proper runway. I corrected and lined up with the right. One thing that helped was there was no one on final or base for the other runway. Also the two runways are quiet a bit offset from each other. Therefore I was on short-final for the right but it would be final for the left. I was on the glideslope for the right and low the left runway.

I learned to next time do more preflight planning. I should have looked at google maps to see how and where the airport was in regards to local landmarks. Lastly, I learned that if you really need to know something don't wait just ask. I made the mistake of waiting too long, but with the airport so busy I am not sure how I would get a call in.


tl;dr I lined up on the wrong runway and had to correct for it on short-final.
 
High workload period. I'll bet the controller didn't notice your incorrect line-up due to parallax error. Mark one for the experience bag taken from the luck bag :)
 
ja_user said:
Tower, Cessna 1234... Student Pilot!
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:rofl::rofl::rofl:

I still use that one from time to time. :rofl:

It works EVERY time. :rofl:

OP, been there done that. Next time try and "stay ahead" by figuring out where you are and where you are going better. Seriously, just ask the tower. Henning has it right ask.
 
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Thanks for the input I will definitely use your suggestions next time. Since the flight I have been thinking what I could have done differently. I guess I was caught off guard of how busy the tower was that I couldn't get time in because people were reading back their calls.
 
I recognize you are a student pilot and I have no idea what kind of avionics you are using but as you get more advanced, you will learn how to load a precision approach for a runway (if available) which will provide one more check that you are lined up for the correct runway. I wouldn't feel bad about this. It is a mistake you will learn a great deal from and probably never make again.

If it makes you feel any better, as a student pilot I have heard these helpful tips from my tower controllers:

1) "N8XXX are you taking the great circle approach to 34 or are you aiming for 16?" 34 being the assigned runway.

2) "N8XXX is this a high approach or are you planning on visiting Hill Air Force Base?" Hill Air Force being located about 5 miles away from my home airport with a really big wide and inviting runway that I happened to be lining up for.
 
Some 20+ years ago (which I only mention to note that the statute of limitation has run :wink2: ) I frequently made business trips down to Montgomery Field in San Diego. The usual drill when approaching from the northeast was that tower would assign a right base for runway 28R.

On one particular day, however, I failed to note that tower said, "right base for 28 left."

As my rented Mooney 252 rolled out on 28R the controller, in a monotone dripping with irony, said, "Mooney 52 Yankee, turn left, cross your assigned runway and contact ground. Have a nice day."

:eek:
 
Somewhere in Wisconsin I was instructed to land 9R. Problem was, I could only really see one runway, and told the controller I might have to puzzle this one out. Turns out one was white and the other black, and I didn't see the black one at first because I wasn't looking for it.

No worries to the OP, student pilots can get away with a lot, and right so. Tailwinds.
 
Out of curiosity, do the controllers look at the radar for such things? or just look outside and make sure all seems fine?
 
Unregistered said:
Thanks for the input I will definitely use your suggestions next time. Since the flight I have been thinking what I could have done differently. I guess I was caught off guard of how busy the tower was that I couldn't get time in because people were reading back their calls.
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Unless you have an emergency, you can always go around (while keeping a good scan for traffic) :wink2:
 
What exactly does "student pilot" do for you? Can you get out of trouble, does ATC look out more for you and give more directions? Do they do anything really differently? I normally forget to use it when I'm flying student solo.
 
ebykowsky said:
What exactly does "student pilot" do for you? Can you get out of trouble, does ATC look out more for you and give more directions? Do they do anything really differently? I normally forget to use it when I'm flying student solo.
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ATC speaks more slowly, makes sure you understand instructions, and probably pays slightly more attention to you. Students are expected to make mistakes.
 
I fly into a lot of big airport with multiple runways. Here's what I do.

When you pickup the ATIS have the AFD out and reference what runway they are landing on. Also, get a picture in your mind of what you will be looking at with the overall airport layout and where you need to go. Do this way out so you are not in a rush or near the pattern.

Set the heading bug, DG, or whatever you have to the landing runway heading.

Consider what direction you are coming into the airport and try to predict what they are going to have you do. Also, listen on frequency for the instructions they are giving aircraft ahead of you.

If they give you a visual reference like follow highway 25, and you don't know where that is, just say "unfamiliar could I get a vector".

If you fly a high wing, especially when you get right traffic, roll out to final slowly until you can see the runways and adjust you turn once you can see the runways.

As soon as you are on final double check your heading with your heading bug. That way you KNOW you are pointed at the right runway.
 
Geico266 said:
:rofl::rofl::rofl:

I still use that one from time to time. :rofl:

It works EVERY time. :rofl:
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Depends on what you're flying. Working at KSUS, I heard this:
"Spirit Tower, Bombardier 721AL, clear of 08R, student pilot, can I get progressive to TacAir?"
"Umm... Bombardier 1AL, you gotta be ****in' me. You're a U.S. Government Q400 and pointed directly at TacAir. Geeze, what are they puttin' in the water up there in D.C. that makes the people not use their brains?"
:rofl::rofl::rofl:
I had to tell tower how awesome he was:
"Spirit tower, Spirit 21. I love you. That just made my day much more awesome."
 
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ebykowsky said:
What exactly does "student pilot" do for you? Can you get out of trouble, does ATC look out more for you and give more directions? Do they do anything really differently? I normally forget to use it when I'm flying student solo.
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They talk s-l-o-w-e-r and treat you like an idiot...:rofl::rofl::rofl:
Seriously, they do look out for students a little better, they'll give you some hints and cut you some slack.

Once you're not a student anymore, the word to use is "Unfamiliar".:yesnod: Thing you want to avoid is responding in an affirmative like you know exactly what's going on when you are unsure. Always ask for clarification. If you need specific assistance, just ask for it and you will receive it typically. I had to airfile for an IFR approach once at the last moment to get through the LGB cloud (the whole rest of the basin was severe clear). He rapid fired me a multi V-Airway routing that took me all over the basin. I didn't have the charts and there was no way I was gonna dial it into the 530 that fast. I just fessed up "Look, I don't have the paper and there's no way I can spin and push all that in the box that fast, how about Vectors, or I just VFR it to Seal Beach and I'll pick you up for the ILS there?" He gave me an altitude to head for SLI and vectored me to the ILS from there.
 
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If I'm inbound to a towered airport that I haven't been to before, and I'm getting landing information from the tower before I have a visual, I started telling them I'm not familiar with the field and request a vector or a heading until I make visual contact.

I think its really important when there are multiple non-parallel runways. I don't want to wind up in front of someone else's departure while I'm hunting around for my downwind.
 
I have a full ifr glass panel. I still fill out all information on a 5 X 7 pre printed kneeboard card and also print off a taxi diagram just like I did in training and in the old 172 rentals. Draw an arrow on this diagram showing the direction you will be arriving from. In addition to all of that I have Foreflight. I look at the airport area on Google Map. Listen to ATIS and Tower as far out as possible. These are two things I recently started doing and like them a lot....You Tube search for specific airport you will be flying into and listen to ATC Live if available. After all of this, you can relax and talk to the controller just like you have been there before. I flew into Savannah Class C recently and I flew the same approach and talked to the same girl that I had watched/listened to just days before. It works. Good luck with your flying adventures.
 
Alexb2000 said:
If they give you a visual reference like follow highway 25, and you don't know where that is, just say "unfamiliar could I get a vector".

.
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Most towers cannot issue radar vectors., they can give recommended headings.
 
It could be helpful to make initial contact further out. I'll usually report 10+ miles out which will give me a bit more time to get my ducks in a row and clarify instructions. Also, be sure to grab ATIS as soon as you are in range. If things appear to be pretty busy, its not at all unreasonable to do a couple of 360's outside the airspace to buy some time.
 
steingar said:
Somewhere in Wisconsin I was instructed to land 9R. Problem was, I could only really see one runway, and told the controller I might have to puzzle this one out. Turns out one was white and the other black, and I didn't see the black one at first because I wasn't looking for it.
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I think you're probably thinking of 7R at Kenosha (KENW). That's the only place in WI where your scenario fits.

However, Janesville (KJVL) also causes confusion - Even though it doesn't have parallels. When you have a combination of nice shiny white concrete runways and nice black asphalt runways, only one of which is blatantly visible in any given season, the desire to go to the first runway you see is strong... I lined up on the wrong one as a new PP. They just re-cleared me for it, but it was an eye-opening experience...
 
flyingcheesehead said:
I think you're probably thinking of 7R at Kenosha (KENW). That's the only place in WI where your scenario fits.
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Sounds about right. But yeah, there was a runway sitting right in front of me and I didn't see it for a full 5 minutes.

One of the reasons I tell motorcyclists to assume they're invisible. It doesn't matter how big, bright or loud something is, you won't see it if you aren't looking for it.
 
It is sometimes easier to see objects at night, the important ones make themselves visible.
 
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