Runway etiquette

SoCal RV Flyer

SoCal RV Flyer

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SoCal RV Flyer
At your home towered airport, do you pull up to the runway hold-short line and then call the tower, or call the tower in your run-up spot before moving to the hold short line? It seems to vary by airport. I'm used to doing the former at Chino.
 
IMO pull forward first. Tower won't have to search around for you, and if there are multiple planes in the run-up area there will be no confusion.
 
If it is a towered field, pull up and call. An airport like KDTS, call on the way to the hold short line and tell them my number in line. They will then give a hold for release and then call them back when you hit the line.
 
Here's a question, what about if you finished your run up before the guy in front of you, ok to pass him to get to the runway before him?
 
Don't say "Ready for takeoff in sequence" if you are back in a line of planes. Make the "ready for takeoff" call when you are at the hold line. Exception would be when you are #2 and there is plenty of room to taxi past #1 while s/he is running checklists.

Bob
 
A regular plane, pull up to the hold line and inform tower you're ready for takeoff. A Cirrus whole 'nother animal. Don't call anyone, just taxi onto the runway and takeoff. No need to talk with ATC.
 
mscard88 said:
A regular plane, pull up to the hold line and inform tower you're ready for takeoff. A Cirrus whole 'nother animal. Don't call anyone, just taxi onto the runway and takeoff. No need to talk with ATC.
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But then again. are we taking off or are we departing?
 
I fly out of MYF a lot when I'm in San Diego. The custom there is call Tower from the run up. There is usually room to maneuver around if someone gets up to the hold line out of sequence. Same at SEE. I've been places where Ground tells you to stay put before calling the Tower. I can't remember for sure but the voices in my head tell me I've heard instructions on ATIS before of what to do. At SBA I've been instructed by Ground to call them when ready to go. I say it's always a good idea to call first if your IFR before moving up and blocking the way. You can really ball things up if they can't "release" you but they can squeeze out VFR's while waiting for your IFR release.
 
Depends...

Most towered airports- go ahead and pull up.

I have been to at least 1 towered airport (MMU comes to mind) will ground will give you the instructions "Taxi to Rwy XX run up area, contact tower when ready for departure". In that case they want to hear from you before you move out of the runup area
 
Depends on if I think I'm not going to have to hold for traffic, ideally I'll call tower as I'm taxing and about 8 seconds from the hold short line, perfect flight is when your plane doesn't stop chock to chock :)
 
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mulligan said:
But then again. are we taking off or are we departing?
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Well probably both right? Say it however you desire. When I did ATC it didn't matter to me. Ready for "takeoff", ready to depart", ready to "blast off", etc etc I knew what you wanted to do. :yes:
 
luvflyin said:
I fly out of MYF a lot when I'm in San Diego. The custom there is call Tower from the run up. There is usually room to maneuver around if someone gets up to the hold line out of sequence. Same at SEE. I've been places where Ground tells you to stay put before calling the Tower. I can't remember for sure but the voices in my head tell me I've heard instructions on ATIS before of what to do. At SBA I've been instructed by Ground to call them when ready to go. I say it's always a good idea to call first if your IFR before moving up and blocking the way. You can really ball things up if they can't "release" you but they can squeeze out VFR's while waiting for your IFR release.
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As you say, maybe it's a San Diego thing, as this happened at KSEE (Gillespie Field). I finished my run-up and there was another plane with run-up in progress. I finished first and pulled to the hold short line, and the tower was a little unhappy that I didn't call them before I left my spot. Now I know the convention there, so duly noted! :)
 
bobmrg said:
Don't say "Ready for takeoff in sequence" if you are back in a line of planes. Make the "ready for takeoff" call when you are at the hold line. Exception would be when you are #2 and there is plenty of room to taxi past #1 while s/he is running checklists.

Bob
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I agree. Ready for sequence when you're like 5 for takeoff is a pretty useless call. I call when I'm number 1.
 
jkgoblue said:
Here's a question, what about if you finished your run up before the guy in front of you, ok to pass him to get to the runway before him?
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Boy I hope so. We have a lot of student pilots around here, and they may sit in the plane with the instructor for 10 minutes or more after run-up discussing something. I waited for them once or twice but no more. I move when I'm ready whether they are or not.
 
jordane93 said:
I agree. Ready for sequence when you're like 5 for takeoff is a pretty useless call. I call when I'm number 1.
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I dunno, I always enjoyed telling someone "Hold short runway 31, number 9 for departure" myself.
 
jordane93 said:
I agree. Ready for sequence when you're like 5 for takeoff is a pretty useless call. I call when I'm number 1.
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Some places it a pretty good idea to just call when you're ready. While your waiting to be #1, others could have already called and got on the list ahead of you. It's different from place to place. There are rules of thumb but if you can talk to someone familiar with custom there it's a good idea to do so. If your a stranger just ask Ground on the way out. "Yo, Ground, what should I do when I'm ready to go."
 
At KDTO, it's very common for a small gaggle of trainers to take their own sweet time in the runup area, holding discussions, running checklists, or enjoying Rod Machado sandwiches. So if I am the last one there, but the first one ready, I have no problems (and neither do they) pulling out of the runup area first and heading to the hold short line.

And as I approach the hold short line on a VFR flight, I am announcing I'm ready for departure and direction of travel. If an IFR flight, then I announce, "ready for release".
 
AggieMike88 said:
At KDTO, it's very common for a small gaggle of trainers to take their own sweet time in the runup area, holding discussions, running checklists, or enjoying Rod Machado sandwiches. So if I am the last one there, but the first one ready, I have no problems (and neither do they) pulling out of the runup area first and heading to the hold short line.

And as I approach the hold short line on a VFR flight, I am announcing I'm ready for departure and direction of travel. If an IFR flight, then I announce, "ready for release".
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I agree, nothing wrong with this at all.
 
mscard88 said:
Well probably both right? Say it however you desire. When I did ATC it didn't matter to me. Ready for "takeoff", ready to depart", ready to "blast off", etc etc I knew what you wanted to do. :yes:
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Always had good luck with "Airplane 123 is ready to go 33 and Charley"
 
AggieMike88 said:
At KDTO, it's very common for a small gaggle of trainers to take their own sweet time in the runup area, holding discussions, running checklists, or enjoying Rod Machado sandwiches. So if I am the last one there, but the first one ready, I have no problems (and neither do they) pulling out of the runup area first and heading to the hold short line.

And as I approach the hold short line on a VFR flight, I am announcing I'm ready for departure and direction of travel. If an IFR flight, then I announce, "ready for release".
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Nice Machado reference. Those sandwiches are always made with extra cheese. :D
 
SoCal RV Flyer said:
At your home towered airport, do you pull up to the runway hold-short line and then call the tower, or call the tower in your run-up spot before moving to the hold short line? It seems to vary by airport. I'm used to doing the former at Chino.
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I usually do my runups in a remote section of the ramp at my home drome but regardless I delay notifying the tower that I'm ready until I'm at the hold short line and ready.
 
Class D airport - I remember the day I got to the the run-up area first, pulled off to the corner to be out of the way, and the guy behind me pulled close enough to the hold-short line that I couldn't get around. This rwy has a huge run-up area but he parked in such a way I was blocked in. Then I had to wait until he finished chatting, checking his makeup in the mirror, whatever. I really though about making a radio call to tower saying something like, "Ready for takeoff, but can't get around the guy in my way." Every time I started to key the mic he looked like he was about to move, so I'd hold off.
 
neilw2 said:
Depends...

Most towered airports- go ahead and pull up.

I have been to at least 1 towered airport (MMU comes to mind) will ground will give you the instructions "Taxi to Rwy XX run up area, contact tower when ready for departure". In that case they want to hear from you before you move out of the runup area
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Then, there is the legality.

Are you cleared to taxi to the RUNWAY or somewhere else?

At Fresno, I was cleared by Ground to taxi to the B8 runup area. Moving on to the runway under that circumstance is a no-no. Here is what it looks like: https://www.google.com/maps/@36.7757107,-119.7229115,102m/data=!3m1!1e3 . You can see from the image why they don't want you taxiing to the hold short line.

It's not a matter of etiquette. It's a matter of local procedure. Taxiing in a movement area without clearance or inconsistent with clearance is not kosher.
 
Listen to the ATIS and do what the instructions say about calling tower and/or ground. In the Denver area, we have 4 towered airports and each has different procedures.
 
SoCal RV Flyer said:
...I finished my run-up and there was another plane with run-up in progress. I finished first and pulled to the hold short line, and the tower was a little unhappy that I didn't call them before I left my spot...
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KFUL adopted the same about a year ago, and the procedure is stated on ATIS. The procedure is to call ground before taxiing to run-up. And then to contact ground again when run-up is complete and ready to taxi. I change to tower frequency when I'm holding short.
 
Except at Phoenix International, you wait for the tower to call you. Unless you want to get yelled at, then call tower first.
 
luvflyin said:
Some places it a pretty good idea to just call when you're ready. While your waiting to be #1, others could have already called and got on the list ahead of you. It's different from place to place. There are rules of thumb but if you can talk to someone familiar with custom there it's a good idea to do so. If your a stranger just ask Ground on the way out. "Yo, Ground, what should I do when I'm ready to go."
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This. You may not be able to guess your sequence when they are using multiple runways. Procedures vary.
 
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Are you ever ready to take off out of sequence? That's what we all say when we hear someone say ready in sequence. It's the towered (or controlled) airport equivalent of ATITAPA.

For your question, if you're VFR pull up then call. If you're IFR call from the run-up pad because they may have to hold you for a release and you don't want to clog up the active (I mean runway).
 
Unless I have some reason not to (which is, like, never), I'll tell tower I'm ready when I'm ready. They can decide how to sequence me, and I'm fine with that.

Tower does NOT always clear aircraft in the order they call in. Which means, do it from the run up area.

Sometimes there is an air ambulance or other high priority flight that has to get in or out before you. And some aircraft don't need run-ups.
 
MAKG1 said:
...It's not a matter of etiquette. It's a matter of local procedure. Taxiing in a movement area without clearance or inconsistent with clearance is not kosher.
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sometimes it might be a matter of etiquette. one cold day I was caught behind a fellow doing his runup...a lonnnng runup...at the hold-short line. I was patient as i wasn't sure if he had just discovered a problem or really was doing a long runup. I was just about to request a taxi back to the first exit to t/o from there when he called the tower as ready to go.
 
Y'all are wayyyyyyy overthinking this! Just follow taxi instructions, to the runway or where they told you to taxi to. When you're ready, call tower. Local procedures may alter this. That is all. :)
 
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I wait until I'm holding short
mscard88 said:
Y'all are wayyyyyyy overthinking this! Just follow taxi instructions, to the runway or where they told you to taxi to. When you're call tower. Local procedures may alter this. That is all.
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Isn't is funny how the simplest things turn into big dilemmas..:lol:

If they tell you to monitor tower just do so and wait for them to get a hold of you, otherwise just give tower a call as you're approaching the HS line. If you're more than number 2 in-line for departure, there's no need to call tower and tell them you're ready.. just sit and wait for the sequence.
 
SoCal RV Flyer said:
At your home towered airport, do you pull up to the runway hold-short line and then call the tower, or call the tower in your run-up spot before moving to the hold short line? It seems to vary by airport. I'm used to doing the former at Chino.
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Hmmmm . . . My home airport isn't towered, and I visit those places very irregularly. But I always do my runup at the hold short line unless there's an obvious runup area--then I pull in and leave room for someone to get by me. When I'm ready to go, I call tower with "ready to depart, runway XX."

Airliners who backtaxi down the runway five seconds after I finish my runup, and make me wait while they turn around, depart and give wake turbulence time to move away really tick me off! They would have departed sooner staying in the durn taxiway behind me, but are too important to be second behind a piston single . . . @sshats!
 
Hank S said:
Airliners who backtaxi down the runway five seconds after I finish my runup, and make me wait while they turn around, depart and give wake turbulence time to move away really tick me off! They would have departed sooner staying in the durn taxiway behind me, but are too important to be second behind a piston single . . . @sshats!
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Now now Hank, easy there. That airliner may have a controlled departure time and ATC has to release the flight at that time, especially if the airliner is headed for a hub, like ATL for instance. Now this may be not what happen to you, but they called, you didn't, and tower got them out first.

Another thing to consider is that flight might be their "going home" flight, meaning it may be their last flight of 4 days of flying, and they get to go home when they get to the hub. Nothing worse than being delayed on your last flight, especially if you commute to the hub and you're trying to catch a ride home.
 
murphey said:
Listen to the ATIS and do what the instructions say about calling tower and/or ground. In the Denver area, we have 4 towered airports and each has different procedures.
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Yup. I remember my first time departing KAPA. Definitely was a different method than John Davis or I were used to.
 
SoCal RV Flyer said:
At your home towered airport, do you pull up to the runway hold-short line and then call the tower, or call the tower in your run-up spot before moving to the hold short line? It seems to vary by airport. I'm used to doing the former at Chino.
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If I am VFR, I just pull up to the #1 position and call. If I am IFR, I call from the runup area because if I get 'clearance on request', I don't need to block anyone else.
 
Did this happen to you at SMO? If so, the Run-up area there is in the non-movement area. Because you exit the movement area for your run-up, you're required to receive an additional clearance from the run-up to the runway hold-short line. This may be the case at other so-cal airports, too; or maybe controllers are just being particularly snarky.
 
Matthew said:
Class D airport - I remember the day I got to the the run-up area first, pulled off to the corner to be out of the way, and the guy behind me pulled close enough to the hold-short line that I couldn't get around. This rwy has a huge run-up area but he parked in such a way I was blocked in. Then I had to wait until he finished chatting, checking his makeup in the mirror, whatever.
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Ouch! Mine was at an UNCONTROLLED field (Llano TX KAQO). There is only one tiny connecting piece of asphalt from the taxiway and runway area to the ramp. I landed for fuel, and as I was fueling a V-Tail BO pulls into that area like he's doing a run-up head down in the cockpit. I continue fueling (27 gallons), disconnect the grounding clamp and head to the bathroom inside, buy a coke while I'm there, and head back out (he's still there head down and this is 20-25 minutes since he first pulled into that spot). Am guessing this guy has GOT to be ready soon, complete a sump check and jump in and fire up the Tiger ... he's still there, so I lean to the max and enter the remaining flight plan into both FF and G-530 (still there). I pull closer, he looks over, and then continues whatever it is you do when you're blocking the only access to the runway for over 30 minutes. I run my pre-flight and am now ready to go. He doesn't respond on CTAF. After a few more minutes, I have to re-lean max, the engine stumbles and dies. I spend the next 5 minutes burning off lead and look up to see the area now vacant. During the re-start he positioned himself at the other departure end with a 15 knot tailwind, but my radio was off so I am unaware he is down there or if he announced. I pull to the hold short, check both directions for landing traffic and announce departure. He IMMEDIATELY gets on radio whether I had heard his radio call and I responded I did not, but both final approaches were clear and I was departing. Only after rotating could I see him (runway sloped) at the other end, but not at the hold short line, just in the area. En-route 25 minutes later my TCAS goes off for traffic 6:00 and closing slowly. I watch for about 5 minutes and then make a left turn for 30 seconds followed by a right when TCAS reports half a mile separation and same altitude ... and guess who I see head down in the cockpit?:mad::confused::eek:
 
ATC has two priorities. Duty priority: Separate aircraft and issue safety advisories. Operational priority: First come first served.

So unless your flying big iron when there is no way to get around the guy in front of you, your flight strip gets moved in the order that you called up ready for take off.
 
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