0. FAA Runway Safety Briefing
Sun ‘n Fun EAA Fly-In
April 2002

1. Outcome: Zero fatalities resulting from runway incursions.

2. What Do You Think?
Q: What is the most common runway incursion caused by pilots?

3. Runway Incursions
A runway incursion is any occurrence on an airport runway involving an aircraft, vehicle, person, or object on the ground that creates a collision hazard or results in a loss of required separation with an aircraft taking off, landing, or intending to land.
The FAA investigates runway incursions and attributes the occurrence to one or more of the following error types:
Operational Error
Pilot Deviation
Vehicle/Pedestrian Deviation

4. The U.S. National Airspace System is the Busiest in the World
Growing demand for air travel and NAS capacity
Over 64 million operations a year = 175,000 a day (11 yr avg)
Over 650,000 pilots – 240,000 aircraft
Over 16,000 air traffic controllers
Over 450 towered airports
General Aviation accounted for 57% of FY 2001 operations
Pressure to reduce delays and to enhance safety

5. Runway Incursions and General Aviation Statistics

6. General Aviation Airports
General Aviation and Air Carrier Airports by Runway Incursions (CY1997 – 2001)
Total Ops ( )
SNA – 2.1M STL – 2.5M
LGB – 2.1M PHX – 2.9M
FXE – 1.2M DFW – 4.4M
General Aviation Airports
# of Runway Incursions
Air Carrier Airports
# of Runway Incursions

7. Percentage of General Aviation Pilot DeviationsCY
CY 2001

8. Total Tower Operations (millions)
Runway Incursions
64.44
66.21
68.67
67.68
64.44
66.21
68.67
65.45
Total Tower Operations (millions)

9. What Do You Think?
Q: What’s the common theme?
A: Human Error

10. Primary Causal Factors of Pilot Deviation Runway Incursions (1997-2001)
There were 970 Pilot Deviation Runway Incursions of these Pilot Deviations were able to be evaluated
Other pilot deviations included landing over aircraft in position and landing/departing on closed runways
537 from pilot either entering the runway or crossing the hold short line after acknowledging hold short instructions
95 from pilots departing after acknowledging “taxi into position and hold” instructions

11. What Do You Think? Q: How many pilot deviations are General Aviation?
Out of 537 pilots either entering the runway or crossing the hold short line after acknowledging hold short instructions, 368 involved General Aviation - that’s 69%!
Out of 95 pilots departing after acknowledging
“taxi into position and hold” instructions,
70 involved General Aviation – that’s 74%!

12. Q: What are the most recurring pilot deviations?
What Do You Think?
Q: What are the most recurring pilot deviations?
1. Pilots acknowledge hold short instructions and either enter the runway or cross the hold short line
2. Pilots depart after acknowledging “taxi into position and hold” instructions
3. Pilots land over aircraft in position
4. Pilots land/depart on closed runways

13. Helpful Hints
Read back all runway crossing and/or hold short instructions
Review airport layouts as part of preflight planning and before descending to land, and while taxiing as needed
Know airport signage and markings
Review Notices to Airmen (NOTAM) for information on runway/taxiway closures and construction areas
Do not hesitate to request progressive taxi instructions from ATC when unsure of the taxi route

14. Helpful Hints
Check for traffic before crossing any Runway Hold Line and before entering a taxiway
Turn on aircraft lights and rotating beacon while taxiing and on runway
When landing, clear the active runway as quickly as possible then call for taxi instructions before further movement
Study and use proper radio phraseology as described in the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) in order to respond to and understand ground control instructions
Write down taxi instructions at airports

15. Sarasota Bradenton

16. Here’s How We Are Helping
Sponsor new technology
Distribute runway safety materials
Notify pilots of certification requirements
Survey pilots on understanding of procedures
Improve data and statistics tracking
Partner with Industry to better inform our users

17. Technology AMASS ASDE-X
A total of 40 Systems – 37 anticipated to be commissioned by the end of ’03 at 34 airports, and 3 support
11 Systems Commissioned: San Francisco, Detroit, Los Angeles #1 and #2, Salt Lake City, Seattle, Chicago, St. Louis, Boston, Miami and Newark
ASDE-X
Software Development In Progress
Site Acceptance Test at Milwaukee in September ’02

18. Technology Other Technologies being assessed
Motion Activated Lighting System (MALS)
Ground Marker
Electronic Message Board
Runway Status Lights System
Safe Flight 21 – Surface Moving Map

19. Advisory Circulars AC No. 120-74 AC No. 91-73
Part 121, 125 and 135 flight crew procedures during taxi procedures
AC No
Part 91 pilot and flight crew procedures during taxi operations and part 135 single-pilot operations
Recently published, available through the runway safety website ( and part of an upcoming mailing to pilots.

20. Practical Test Standards
Surface operations are a required topic for practical test standards
Required both for initial and recurrent certification for pilots and Certified Flight Instructors
Standards will be published April 30, 2002

21. CFR Part 91.129(i) Survey 176 pilots surveyed at Oshkosh Fly-in, 7/01
Contains a provision that states — “A clearance to “taxi to” the takeoff runway assigned to the aircraft is not a clearance to cross that assigned takeoff runway, or to taxi on that runway at any point, but is a clearance to cross other runways that intersect the taxi route to that assigned takeoff runway.”
176 pilots surveyed at Oshkosh Fly-in, 7/01
Four scenarios presented
48 pilots (28.1 percent) responded correctly to all four scenarios
Majority of CFI-rated pilots, (55.8 percent), responded incorrectly
Most pilots misunderstood a taxiing clearance that involved crossing a runway that was the assigned takeoff runway

22. Runway Safety Website www.faa.gov/runwaysafety

23. Visit us in the FAA FSDO Safety Center hangar to
} Participate in a Pilot Situational Awareness Survey
} Check your knowledge of airfield markings

24. FAA Runway Safety Briefing
Sun ‘n Fun EAA Fly-In
April 2002