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:
- New regulations, effective after June 30, prohibit ground controllers from clearing aircraft to taxi directly to a takeoff runway if the route involves crossing another runway.
- Instead, all runway crossings will require specific clearance for each individual runway, and controllers may not clear a subsequent crossing until the previous one is complete.
- This regulatory change aims to curb runway incursions, with a narrow exception for closely spaced parallel runways that receive specific FAA approval.
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