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Final Checks

As these pilots discovered, a takeoff clearance at a busy towered airport doesn’t always mean there isn’t a potential conflict.

Photo: Bart Everett / iStock
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • A pilot prevented a potential runway incursion by independently spotting an inbound landing aircraft on final approach, despite having been cleared for takeoff by air traffic control.
  • The incident highlighted the critical importance of a thorough final runway scan before entering the runway, even after receiving clearance, and prompted reflection on how to professionally handle ATC errors.
  • The article concludes by inviting readers to submit their own aviation "Learning Experiences" to share valuable safety lessons with the broader pilot community.
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The day’s mission was to relocate a friend’s new-to-him Bonanza from Class B International to its new forever home at an outlying field. The ferry pilot who flew it in the night before and the friend were aboard. I was in the left seat because I knew the airspace better and had more Bonanza time than either of them.

During a detailed pre-flight inspection, I pointed out to the new owner several normal items he would want to pay attention to during future operations and, finding nothing that would prevent us from flying the airplane, we saddled up and taxied out.

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