Agency Says Use Requires Particular Situational Awareness On The Part Of Flight Crews

The FAA has issued a Safety Alert For Operators (SAFO) to provide information on reducing the risk of runway incursions when taxiing on intersecting or active runways.

At many airports, it is common for ATC to utilize an active or inactive runway as a taxiway due to airport geometry, construction, congestion, or taxiway restrictions. For these operations to be conducted safely, flightcrews must maintain positional awareness, and be aware that some of the visual cues, such as signs, markings and lighting that help safeguard them on taxiways may not be present when taxiing on a runway.

The SAFO points out that runways are typically wider than taxiways. Due to field of vision, the signs located on the edge of a runway may be more difficult for the pilot to see and identify than on the edge of a taxiway. When the runway being taxied on crosses another active runway, the intersections of runway-to-runway crossing points are frequently missing many of the visual cues present on taxiways such as signs, markings, and lighting.

The FAA strongly urges directors of operations, directors of safety, directors of training, directors of maintenance, and chief pilots collaborate to:

• Minimize distractions, such as heads down time, discretionary company and cabin communications, engine starts and checklists when on any runway.
• Promote awareness of the potential lack of visual safeguards when using runways as taxiways.
• Distribute runway incursion prevention information and resources to pilots, maintenance personnel, as well as other personnel involved in taxiing aircraft or operating vehicles within the Airport Operation Area.
• Ensure all training events and training programs include realistic runway incursion prevention.

FMI: www.faa.gov