Vacate runway past exit point - when does a turn become a backtrack?

You can’t stop on runway after landing under US rules with an explicit ATC clearance to do so, so naturally you would vacate or go-around if you hear nothing

Regarding vacating, yes at small airfields it is obvious; you don’t land and stop and sit there, but if ATC is operating then they will at that point issue taxi instructions. I don’t think I have ever been in a situation where they forgot to do that, but I would assume they must either issue these or I “request taxi instructions”.

Interesting and strange to me. There are a few Class D airports in the US that don’t operate dedicated ground control and frequency, or so I understand. I can’t remember being at one, but might have been. Otherwise the protocol is clear: you exit the runway with the entire aircraft past the hold short lines, stop completely, switch frequencies to ground and get taxi clearance to wherever you’re going. Tower is not to required to instruct you to contact Ground because you’re going past the hold short lines (there is nowhere else to go) and then stopping, out of their area of authority. However if it is not too busy they will often say ‘contact Ground’ anyway.

When crossing a parallel or adjacent runway to exit you stay with Tower until getting clear of both runways, between runways is a Tower controlled area, then once past the final set of hold short lines you stop and contact Ground.

@Peter, thanks for clarifying the meaning of apron, I hadn’t heard it before. I’ve also noticed that ground controllers are moving away from ‘ramp’ and now use the word ‘parking’ for reasons unknown to me.

lionel wrote:

I’ve been taught one vacates at the first exit one is able without instruction. The onus is on TWR/AFIS to tell you otherwise if they don’t want that.

That is my understanding, you are entitled to that first one (vacate hold before further taxi) as long as it’s not runway intersection (need explicit ATC clearance to enter runways) or high speed exit (you need it to be cleared by ATC before you go in)

Same in US rules in FAA AIM: exit the runway without delay at the first available taxiway…pilot should not stop or reverse course on the runway without first obtaining ATC approval

Some airports do require you to stop before giving instructions to vacate runway and taxi (Redhill ATC are just too lazy to publish NOATMS for muddy or unusable taxiways ), now if you are into soft landing on muddy grass runways, you may want that confusion sorted while on final: stopping is likely to involve using fireman vehicle or tractor to tow your aircraft, or simply use all available grass runway until you reach the paved taxiways at the far ends, giving ATC fait accompli about your intention !

PS: I am talking about TWR ATC here, AFIS have no business in managing runways, they only say: ‘land and vacate at your own discretion’, the AFIS may issue ground taxi instructions though depending on country, I learned this at Elstree, after telling them I am going to fuel pump after vacating

“Apron” here is “ramp” in the US.

Hence “ramp checks” etc.

Regarding vacating, yes at small airfields it is obvious; you don’t land and stop and sit there, but if ATC is operating then they will at that point issue taxi instructions. I don’t think I have ever been in a situation where they forgot to do that, but I would assume they must either issue these or I “request taxi instructions”.

Silvaire wrote:

I’m not familiar with the word ‘apron’ in relation to airports, it’s not in use here, but I’m guessing it means a parking or hangar area.

Well, at least a search for the word “apron” on the FAA web site gives more than 1000 hits. The word is used in several places in the AIM. Also, there is FAR 151.83.

Peter wrote:

I am sure you need ATC instructions post-landing on where to vacate.

I’ve been taught one vacates at the first exit one is able without instruction. The onus is on TWR/AFIS to tell you otherwise if they don’t want that.

I was certainly taught at every stage of training that “the runway is yours” until you leave it at the exit of your choice. This may have been stressed to a greater degree in my initial training given that I was flying a somewhat skittish tailwheel aircraft. It is regardless dangerous that the Tower would think they have authority to direct the pilot to a particular exit during or before landing, the most critical phase of flight, and it is obvious to me that it would cause accidents when ATC is unfamiliar with the characteristics of certain aircraft in wind and the skill level of a given pilot. That understanding must be behind the FAA ATC practice that by my observation does not direct aircraft where to exit the runway unless the aircraft is nearly stopped on the runway, at taxiing speed and obviously completely under control.

That does not mean the landing pilot shouldn’t try to expedite his exit from the runway in ways that are safe, to help out the guy landing behind him. I’ve never had a plane go around behind me as a result of delays on the runway.

I’m not familiar with the word ‘apron’ in relation to airports, it’s not in use here, but I’m guessing it means a parking or hangar area. The larger airports from which I fly typically have three runways. two parallel and a crosswind runway and therefore four main taxiways (A, B, C & D), plus the smaller connecting taxiways that allow you to cross the parallels or to exit directly to a main taxiway. At my base there are about 15 named places where an aircraft might park after landing, distributed on all four corners of the airport property. The flow of traffic on the ground is therefore complex, with traffic simultaneously moving in all directions. Fairly frequently at my base the Tower will ask “say parking” while setting you up for landing, typically to put you on either the left or right parallel runway, as appropriate for your parking location. Once you exit the runway, along with traffic on the parallel that may be exiting simultaneously to the taxiway of their own choice, it is Grounds job to figure out how to get everybody where they need to go. They do it pretty well.

At Oshkosh during the fly-in ATC directs landing traffic to land on a certain colored dot on the runway, and exit as soon as possible, but this is a special circumstance for which pilots study and expect special procedures.

Silvaire wrote:

I’m landing the plane and the choice of exits is mine, not Towers.

I don’t agree. Of course the tower controllers can choose the exit for you if they wish – which may require additional taxi along the runway or possibly a backtrack if tower requests it.

A not uncommon taxiway arrangement in medium-sized airports is to have several exits to a parallel taxiway with the apron about midfield. In that case the main flow on the taxiway will be opposite the runway direction. If you – like most of us – is flying an aircraft with short landing distance, the tower will very likely not want you to choose an exit before the apron as then you would have to taxi against the main flow to get to the apron. That will cause delays either for you or for other traffic.

I don’t believe I’ve ever backtracked unless at an airport with no parallel taxiway, and therefore no exits and no choice. Otherwise, I take whatever exit is best and safest for my operation, and that doesn’t ever involve backtracking. With a little luck, I’ll make the first turnoff anyway

Occasionally Tower will suggest a particular exit (i.e. “exit Delta 2 if able” or just “exit Delta 2” if I’m virtually stopped) and if that works for me I’ll use it. If not, I won’t and will just say ‘unable’ as a courtesy and without further explanation – I’m landing the plane and the choice of exits is mine, not Towers. Then once clear, stationary and past the hold short lines it’s Grounds job to get me where I need to go after landing, regardless of which exit I chose. And it’s Towers job to coordinate subsequent landing traffic until that point, after I’ve landed the plane safely and am clear.