Av Hazard publicizes safety and operational concerns to help prevent accidents but it works only if we hear from you. Use the postage-free Av Hazard card to describe the hazard and return it to Pro Pilot. To obtain an official FAA review send NASA an ASRS form. For immediate action, call the Airport, FBO, ATC, FSDO or FAA’s 24-hr Safety Hotline at 800-255-1111. Note: Telephone numbers for all US Towers and ARTCCs are published in Ac-U-Kwik and Pilots Express Airport/Heliport/FBO directories. To report safety concerns outside the US, contact ICAO HQ at 514-954-8219 or via fax at 514-954-6077. ICAO has worldwide telephone and fax numbers to expedite Av Hazard reports to civil aviation authorities.

More high-speed ramp dangers

On 02-04-08 at around 8 am, while sitting on the Atlantic Aviation ramp at TEB (Teterboro NJ), I observed a corporate Bombardier CRJ—a daily shuttle for a clothing company—taxi onto the ramp between other aircraft at a higher than normal speed for a ramp. The captain continued to taxi at this same speed, ignoring the line personnel trying to direct him where to park. He came very close to the hangar doors before turning the aircraft to his final parking spot on the ramp. I felt this to be unsafe and unprofessional conduct and would like to remind pilots that the ramp is not a taxiway. Prudent taxi speeds should be observed while taxiing near other expensive airplanes, especially on tight ramps.
__ ATP. GIVSP

• Hopefully this is not becoming a trend. In last month’s issue (Pro Pilot, Mar 2008, p 28), another concerned pilot reported pilots taxiing very fast at SRQ (Sarasota FL). The contributor this month hopes the chief pilot will take appropriate action. We won’t review the training material that discusses aircraft taxi speed, but suffice it to say—slow down! Like road signs in Pennsylvania tell drivers traveling near work projects, “Give them a brake.”

Confusing tower instructions

Clearing 31C at MDW (Midway, Chicago IL), Tower said, “Cross 31L, hold short 4R. Call ground 121.65.” The copilot read back “[Call sign], cross 31L, hold short of 4R, call ground 121.65.” My gut feeling told me to ask when to switch to ground. As we taxied to 4R to hold short, then contact ground 121.65, the enraged tower controller yelled, “[Call sign], stop right now and contact ground control on 121.65. Tower was not clear originally in their directions about when to call ground, but we should have questioned further. Poor communication and misunderstandings are just all too common. And we all know the definition of assume.
__ATP. Hawker 700/800XP

• Taxi instructions can be complex at times. In the future you should follow your gut and ensure that you vocalize any concern or confusion over any ATC clearance. Runway incursions continue to be on NTSB’s “Most Wanted” list. A special action group met recently with industry groups and FAA to try to stem the rising number of dangerous runway incursions. We must all do our part.

Clearance issues

Try loading this into your FMS—VNY (Van Nuys CA) to SAN (Intl, San Diego CA), NEWHALL 6 TWINE V518 V459 SLI 171° ALBAS V25 V208 M2B 320°. Our FMS doesn’t cross airways. We seem to be getting more and more clearances with radial and DME fixes. Why not just give the fix? Instead of being more friendly, it seems we have to get enroute charts out for every clearance. Could VOR and fixes be used? We can fix those in our database. Departing MFE (McAllen TX), it was RV J25 CPS as filed. How are you to know J25 is off BRO (Brownsville TX) and not MFE? Again, we had to pull out 2 sets of charts. I thought ATC was trying to make it simpler.
__ ATP/CFII. Citation Excel

• It seems the more technology is supposed to help us, the more it complicates our lives. The types of clearances above are supposed to shorten the route by not requiring the aircraft to go all the way to a VOR or pre-established fix. The intersection of 2 airways is becoming more commonplace.

Bravo ATC!

On one of those nasty weather mornings in Michigan, on a short positioning flight from PTK (Pontiac MI) to YIP (Willow Run, Detroit MI), I commend ATC controllers for extra efforts in providing real-time ceilings and visibilities, runway closures for plowing, and braking action reports on the ground before departure and while enroute. First class job by all!
__ATP. Hawker 800XP

• Thank you for passing on good things that happen out there as well as the hazardous. Our ATC controllers are excellent at what they do and we’re pleased to pass this Av Hazard report along.

New runway safety card

FAA’s Office of Runway Safety has made available online “Pilot and Flight Crew Procedures During Taxi Operations” (see below) as a printable approach plate insert for pilots. To download a copy, go to faasafety.gov/files /notices/ 2007/Sep/Pilot_Brochure_FY08.pdf.
You can also request copies of the chart from your nearest Office of Runway Safety. To locate the nearest office go to faa.gov and enter “runway safety” in the search box. This will take you to the Office of Runway Safety webpage. On the opposite side of this card are the ATC light gun signals. Runway incursions continue to plague our profession. Please do all you can to keep our runways safe!