What's your typical taxi speed? (GA)

AV8R_87

AV8R_87

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Got into a discussion about how fast small GA planes should taxi.

What's your typical straight line taxi speed?
 
AV8R_87 said:
Got into a discussion about how fast small GA planes should taxi.

What's your typical straight line taxi speed?
Click to expand...
Arrow II POH says my VT speed for taxi is ~20kts when there's nothing directly in front of me that could be a problem ;)
 
Depends on how rough the taxiway is.
 
If the mains come off the ground while taxying, you may be going too fast...

I was taught, and I taught, taxi with heels on the floor, toes off brakes, hand always on the throttle(s) and at a speed so able to stop if something suddenly runs in front of the plane. Speed may vary according to conditions. A little faster on dry surface, slower on packed snow and ice.
 
My primary CFI told me to never taxi faster than a cow can run. Truth!
 
Anything below Vr.

I got used to taxiing a little faster when doing my two mile taxis at IAD (longer than that going from the Landmark FBO all the way down to the Udvar-Hazy center which is about five-six miles).
 
My airline retired CFII asked me to slow down my taxi speeds several times at a small airport when I was instrument training with him. He said taxi at about a fast walk in a 172.
I drove my standards check airmen friend crazy because how how slow I was taxing when he started flying with me for fun.
So now I taxi a little faster especially when he is with me.
But then he got on me for taxing too fast at the turn off when I was flying a 182 or his Arrow II.
So like said above it depends on what your taxing and where.
 
I will acknowledge that I taxi a lot faster than I probably should. It's a habit I'm working on correcting.
 
The old adage that said you should taxi no faster than a man could walk was coined in the early age of aviation when the planes had no brakes. You needed wing walkers for your brakes and for your steering. Not nice to leave your steering gear in the dust!

Long time members may remember Eamon Mackenzie, a former POAer who went pro and reporting a ground route (in Houston) that was measured in miles. He used to taxi that route with the throttle detents in “flight idle” as he came in at the end of a night flight. If he put flaps in, he would have taken off. He got some static from the ground controllers but no official discouragements.

That was a long time ago, I remember the story, but not the plane type.

-Skip
 
Back in my Primary training I was taught to taxi as fast as a brisk WALK, not a jog. I've heard the same thing from multiple CFI(I)s over the years and overheard it a few times with CFIs prepping their Private Candidates for the Checkride... :D
 
Skip Miller said:
The old adage that said you should taxi no faster than a man could walk was coined in the early age of aviation when the planes had no brakes. You needed wing walkers for your brakes and for your steering.
Click to expand...

And most planes were taildraggers with poor forward visibility on the ground.
 
Years ago, I flew with a chief pilot that always taxied fast. It saved our ass one day at KDAL. An American Eagle Jetstream 31 botched a single engine landing and ended up on the taxiway behind us as we were on our way to 13L. If I had been taxiing that day, there is a good chance we would have been hit.

According to the GPS I have hit over 40K on a long taxi.
 
AV8R_87 said:
Got into a discussion about how fast small GA planes should taxi.

What's your typical straight line taxi speed?
Click to expand...

When driving, if I can take an exit, let the car slow naturally to a rolling pace, and only touch the brakes in the final second before stopping, then I am doing well. I see other cars whose brake lights flash like an ambulence - and I remind myself never to become that person. I carry the same thought to taxiing an airplane: if I can make the necessary turns and get all the way to tiedown with minimal or no use of brakes, then I am doing well. If I have to use brakes, that means I have misjudged something.
 
It depends. At a small airport with narrow taxiways or lots of opportunities for someone to pop out from between buildings or multiple ramp accesses, a walking pace. Going a mile on a 50 foot wide taxiway with unlimited visibility, no approaching cross traffic? Vr-5. Well, more like 20-25 knots.
 
sarangan said:
When driving, if I can take an exit, let the car slow naturally to a rolling pace, and only touch the brakes in the final second before stopping, then I am doing well. I see other cars whose brake lights flash like an ambulence - and I remind myself never to become that person. I carry the same thought to taxiing an airplane: if I can make the necessary turns and get all the way to tiedown with minimal or no use of brakes, then I am doing well. If I have to use brakes, that means I have misjudged something.
Click to expand...
My sw captain friend showed me that it is possible to taxi all the way to the hangar and stop the plane with no brakes. Only applied once we are stopped. He flys 170 some people around and wants it smooth for them.

I drive my car the same way with as little brake as possible. Use tow haul in my truck going down hills even if I am not towing or hauling. Saves tires also.
 
Generally about 25 knots according to garmin. Obviously on a nice wide, straight taxiway. Slower as conditions warrant.
 
Last month my BFR in a schools 172 I got admonished for taxing too fast. I don't taxi fast. Must be a student pilot thing. Now a buddy I knew he would taxi near rotate speed it looked.
 
I heard that SWA limits their pilots to <30 kts on straight aways, but no limit in their FOM for turns.
 
Jogging speed is what I was told by an instructor, who was a pilot for a regional airline. I think it’s about right for daytime with a taxiway that’s straight, wide and dry. But slower for other conditions.
 
NoHeat said:
Jogging speed is what I was told by an instructor, who was a pilot for a regional airline. I think it’s about right for daytime with a taxiway that’s straight, wide and dry. But slower for other conditions.
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So you’re taxing at around 4 knots?
 
15-20 knots in the RV-10, 12ish in the RV-6.
 
Skip Miller said:
The old adage that said you should taxi no faster than a man could walk was coined in the early age of aviation when the planes had no brakes. You needed wing walkers for your brakes and for your steering. Not nice to leave your steering gear in the dust!
Click to expand...
I've always figured that this was the basis for that adage....and I reckon it's pointless now days. Besides, I'll be that it's a very small fraction of pilots that can properly judge walking speed. (without GPS anyway). Walking speed is painfully slow, and when sitting in a vehicle, car or plane or any other vehicle, especially one that you routinely go fast in, it's really hard to judge when you hit that speed. A motorcycle might be a little easier because of the perspective and lack of stability.
 
MooneyDriver78 said:
I hate those guys and pilots who pull up to the hold short line to do their run up.
I’m around 20 if conditions are good.
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I hole heartedly agree! I actually had an instructor tell me that doing your run up and set radios at the hold short was ok. Face palm
 
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