Who can taxi an airplane?

AuntPeggy

AuntPeggy

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It was a question suggested by this thread:
http://www.pilotsofamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=17517
and something I had to ask when working on my PPL. Who can taxi an airplane? If it stays on the ground, do you need any kind of license at all to start the engine and move an aircraft?

I taxied my plane from one side of the airport where it was tied down to the FBO on the other side of the airport to pick up my instructor. OK?
 
AFIK, anyone can taxi an aircraft. Maintenance folks do it all the time.
 
AuntPeggy said:
It was a question suggested by this thread:
http://www.pilotsofamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=17517
and something I had to ask when working on my PPL. Who can taxi an airplane? ...

I taxied my plane from one side of the airport where it was tied down to the FBO on the other side of the airport to pick up my instructor. OK?
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AirBaker said:
AFIK, anyone can taxi an aircraft. Maintenance folks do it all the time.
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I asked the same questions (and taxied) when I was pre-solo. I was told that anybody can taxi.

It's all subject to what is covered by insurance, though. In my case. I had my insurance and the FBO has theirs. Any random person might not.
 
AirBaker said:
AFIK, anyone can taxi an aircraft. Maintenance folks do it all the time.
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On the other hand, my previous husband was an AA mechanic who had to get training and some sort of official paper to taxi 727s, DC-10s, and 747 to the maintenance hangar at LAX.
 
AuntPeggy said:
On the other hand, my previous husband was an AA mechanic who had to get training and some sort of official paper to taxi 727s, DC-10s, and 747 to the maintenance hangar at LAX.
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I know our mechanics aren't allowed to taxi or do engine runs at most of the airports we service. At the same time, I'm not allowed to drive my car on the airport (I'm allowed to drive a car, and I'm allowed to taxi a plane around the airport, but I can't drive the car on the airport). I think that's mostly just company/airport policy, as opposed to the FARs.
 
I let students taxi solo, after lots of practice, to get used to being in the plane by themselves.
 
AuntPeggy said:
On the other hand, my previous husband was an AA mechanic who had to get training and some sort of official paper to taxi 727s, DC-10s, and 747 to the maintenance hangar at LAX.
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Well, THAT is a whole different issue.:D Can't just start them up and go. :no:
 
Skip Miller said:
...and prolly insurance company policy, too.

-Skip
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Remember the scene in one of the early "Airport" movies? Petroni saying the pilots could power the plane out of the snow, and he was "licensed to taxi..."? But that was a Boeing 707, not a Cessna 172. A few minor differences.:D

Fixed! Thanks.
 
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If someone can taxi a plane without a certificate how are they held accountable for violating 91.13(b)
Aircraft operations other than for the purpose of air navigation. No person may operate an aircraft, other than for the purpose of air navigation, on any part of the surface of an airport used by aircraft for air commerce (including areas used by those aircraft for receiving or discharging persons or cargo), in a careless or reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of another.
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Beyond the obvious criminal statue that they may face.

How would the FAA punish them? Can't take away their airman's certificate since they do not have one.

I cannot find anything that talks about who can taxi a plane. So I think that we would have to depend once again on FAA Legal precedent.
 
Airline mechanics do get special training and certification before being allowed to taxi company airplanes. As for how this plays out in the GA world, it is not clear. As noted above, an insurer may specifically state that the airplane may not be taxied by anyone other than a certified pilot or, in some cases, certified mechanic. I am certain that there is no specific approval in the FAR's for non-pilots to taxi aircraft without intention for flight, but AFAIK, there is no clear language that prohibits it, either. 14 CFR 61.3(a) says, "A person may not act as pilot in command or in any other capacity as a required pilot flight crewmember of a civil aircraft of U.S. registry" without a pilot certificate. However, review of the definitions in 14 CFR 1.1 suggests that as long as no flight (or intention for flight) is involved, 61.3(a) would not apply.

I think that in most cases, the insurance and liability issue would be the biggie -- if you let a person other than the holder of some sort of pilot certificate (or a trained and authorized mechanic) taxi a plane over which you have control, and something bad happens, you'd have real trouble explaining to a jury that you had not failed to exercise reasonable care in allowing this, and would likely be liable (and probably without insurance coverage) for any damages awarded.

IOW, it's probably legal, but also probably most unwise.
 
In GA mechanics are always taxiing airplanes. They have to run them up all of the time, for one reason or another. There is generally a specific area where aircraft can be run up, and it is usually in a corner of the airport away from everything. Where I work, mechanics routinely pick up aircraft at the T hangers, and taxi them back to the shop to warm them up for oil changes and compression checks.
 
Dwight B. Van Zanen said:
Remember the scene in one of the early "Airport" movies? Petroni saying the pilots could power the plane out of the snow, and he was "licensed to taxi..."? But that was a Boeing 747, not a Cessna 172. A few minir differences.:D
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Actually, it was a 707, but the point is taken. :D
 
I am not allowed to taxi anymore. Thank God!

The tiller is on the left
 
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I would taxi the F-14's all the time when I was in the Navy. From one side of Miramar to the other. For an aviation geek like me, sitting in that cockpit was amazing.

oh, yeah, it was attached to a tow tractor the whole time... minor detail ;) It was still the coolest thing I got to do on a daily basis in the Navy.
 
FlyPatch, welcome to the board!

FlyPatchFly said:
I would taxi the F-14's all the time when I was in the Navy. From one side of Miramar to the other. For an aviation geek like me, sitting in that cockpit was amazing.

oh, yeah, it was attached to a tow tractor the whole time... minor detail ;) It was still the coolest thing I got to do on a daily basis in the Navy.
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Is this Navy oneupmanship? :)

If so...

As an avionics tech on S-3 Vikings, I was once working on a Sunday detail to get caught up on a couple birds where 56 day inspections were due. Thinking back, we were headed for a workup cruise the next week and the inspections needed to be completed prior to flying out.

Below is what I had previously written on it:
KennyFlys said:
<snip>

I was once working on a Sunday after the ADs had finished an engine swap. The OD came out and about seven of us climbed into the cabin with him. The only qualified plane captain was stuck with startup procedures on the outside. We went out to the runway and did several runs with speeds getting up to 70 KIAS. I can't recall V1 but it was on the edge, I'm sure. Only three other seats besides the pilot's but we kept encouraging him... "Go, go, go!" I think Mr. Spencer was tempted but he wanted his Navy career to last a bit longer. :)

<snip>
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Man, I would have loved to watch that rascal rotate and leave the runway... but twas not meant to be. Maybe there was something about the unauthorized crew and passenger configuration? :)
 
KennyFlys said:
FlyPatch, welcome to the board!


Is this Navy oneupmanship? :)

If so...

As an avionics tech on S-3 Vikings, I was once working on a Sunday detail to get caught up on a couple birds where 56 day inspections were due. Thinking back, we were headed for a workup cruise the next week and the inspections needed to be completed prior to flying out.

Below is what I had previously written on it:

Man, I would have loved to watch that rascal rotate and leave the runway... but twas not meant to be. Maybe there was something about the unauthorized crew and passenger configuration? :)
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Minor details...
 
I was recently asked this:
I was wondering if a PPL could get paid to taxi an airplane? as a line guy, or maybe being filmed for a commercial, etc.
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Hmmmm...not exercising the privileges of their certificate just by taxiing. But knowing the zfAA, they will decide what they want and never mind the rules...

Is there actually a way to get paid to taxi aircraft?

BTW, A&P was telling me once about his school's plane (a 707?) they use for mechanics to learn on. They taxied it all the time to test work, but he said it wasn't authorized to fly...probably because of so many students touching it?
 
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bflynn said:
BTW, A&P was telling me once about his school's plane (a 707?) they use for mechanics to learn on. They taxied it all the time to test work, but he said it wasn't authorized to fly...probably because of so many students touching it?
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FedEx donated a lot of their retired 727s to schools and one of the conditions of the donations was that the plane could never fly again.
 
I was wondering if a PPL could get paid to taxi an airplane? as a line guy, or maybe being filmed for a commercial, etc.
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He cannot act as PIC for compensation. But the definition of PIC presumes a flight. So if there's really no intention of the plane taking flight....
 
In times long passed, it was common for the enlisted to have taxi permits.

lately, not so much.
 
ScottM said:
If someone can taxi a plane without a certificate how are they held accountable for violating 91.13(b)
Beyond the obvious criminal statue that they may face.

How would the FAA punish them? Can't take away their airman's certificate since they do not have one.

I cannot find anything that talks about who can taxi a plane. So I think that we would have to depend once again on FAA Legal precedent.
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According to ABC News, flying without a certificate and violating aircraft registration regs are felonies worth up to 3 years in jail each...
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/pilot-landed-gyrocopter-us-capitol-facing-charges-31187719

Of course, that one involved flying, and high-profile flying, at that. ;)
 
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Tom-D said:
In times long passed, it was common for the enlisted to have taxi permits.

lately, not so much.
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In the late 50s I was with the Marine Aviation Detachment at Pt. Mugu California. As I drove to work everyday I passed by the rescue helicopter being warmed up by its crew chief. One morning I noticed that I could see a bit of daylight under the skids. :)

Paul
Salome, AZ
 
For airlines a mechanic needs to be taxi/run-up qualified for that specific aircraft type. There is no license, just the qualifications in the company training records. Same goes for towing an aircraft. ATC doesn't care who's doing it, it's the airlines business.

Of course you also have to have the proper AOA badge to be anywhere inside the lines of the secure Air Operations Area for any activity and that requires TSA background screening and taking a group of simple tests every two years.

For GA I guess it's kind of like boating. May not be wise but apparently there is nothing illegal about putting your 7 year old kid at the controls.
 
Teller1900 said:
I know our mechanics aren't allowed to taxi or do engine runs at most of the airports we service. At the same time, I'm not allowed to drive my car on the airport (I'm allowed to drive a car, and I'm allowed to taxi a plane around the airport, but I can't drive the car on the airport). I think that's mostly just company/airport policy, as opposed to the FARs.
Click to expand...

That.
 
FlyPatchFly said:
I would taxi the F-14's all the time when I was in the Navy. From one side of Miramar to the other. For an aviation geek like me, sitting in that cockpit was amazing.

oh, yeah, it was attached to a tow tractor the whole time... minor detail ;) It was still the coolest thing I got to do on a daily basis in the Navy.
Click to expand...

Did you make vroom-vroom noises, or something more akin to the whine of a turbine?
 
Silvaire said:
For airlines a mechanic needs to be taxi/run-up qualified for that specific aircraft type. There is no license, just the qualifications in the company training records. Same goes for towing an aircraft. ATC doesn't care who's doing it, it's the airlines business.

Of course you also have to have the proper AOA badge to be anywhere inside the lines of the secure Air Operations Area for any activity and that requires TSA background screening and taking a group of simple tests every two years.
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^^^^^^---------This


In the airline world, I was trained and authorized to sit in the left seat of DC-9s during towing operations, my primary job being ready to hit the brakes. I also had to be trained and qualified to start and run the APU and the Aux hydraulic system. No FAA involvement whatsoever, strictly company policies.

Our mechanics were trained and allowed to taxi aircraft and do engine run-ups. I believe the policy called for at least two of them to be in the cockpit.

FAA does not care who taxis a GA aircraft without any intention of flight.

This happened when an A&P decided to hangar the aircraft due to a tornado warning. He didn't make it in time.

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bflynn said:
Hmmmm...not exercising the privileges of their certificate just by taxiing. But knowing the zfAA, they will decide what they want and never mind the rules...
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Boy you hit that nail on he head. Because, yes, according to the SS...errr...I mean...the FAA they are indeed exercising their privileges. Last time we talked about taxi privileges...drunk taxi privileges...I brought up this fun little event where (IMO) the FAA went totally over the top:

http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All-News/2003/February/1/Pilot-Counsel-(2)
 
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My understanding from an current airline pilot is that most heavys are pulled by tugs for maintenence, not fired up and taxied as this is cost prohibitive unless no other other way to check a system. For GA aircraft, mechanics usually ok . Depends on insurance policy fine print. For anyone else but owner probably asking for trouble if something goes amiss. Insurance co. Are notorious for writing vague and hard to decipher coverage.......on purpose.
 
Anyone can taxi an airplane for compensation if the owner, the airport, and the insurance company have no objections.

Rich
 
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