In a regulatory move designed to curb runway incursions, after the end of next month, ground controllers will no longer be able to clear you to taxi directly to the takeoff runway if the route involves crossing another runway. Currently, a clearance to the departure runway enabled the pilot to cross any intervening runways without specific clearance for that runway. After June 30, all clearances to cross a runway — active or not — must be specific to that runway. And controllers may not clear an aircraft to cross a second runway until the pilot has successfully crossed the first one. An exception would be when two runways’ centerlines are less than 1,000 feet apart (as in many parallel runway arrangements) and the FAA’s Terminal Services Director of Operations has issued an approval.
FAA Nixes ‘Taxi to’ Policy
Key Takeaways:
- After June 30, ground controllers can no longer issue a single clearance to the takeoff runway if it involves crossing other runways; specific clearance will be required for each individual runway crossing.
- Controllers must now issue sequential runway crossing clearances, only permitting an aircraft to cross a second runway once the first has been successfully cleared.
- An exception applies to parallel runways with centerlines less than 1,000 feet apart, provided the FAA's Terminal Services Director of Operations has granted approval.
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