Pilot tip: Read back all runway assignments

[Keith Smith]

Mirrored from Facebook post this evening...

A key phrase in all ATIS broadcasts is "read back all runway assignments and hold short instructions." Many pilots have heard the phrase so many times, its significance gets lost in the shuffle. The GOOD news is, everyone is doing solid job of reading back hold short instructions.

The "read back all runway assignments," portion has been hit and miss, though.

Let's just cut to the dramatic hypothetical at KSNA....

ATC: "N123AB, runway 20R cleared to land."
Pilot: "cleared to land, N123AB."
ATC: "N567BC, cross runway 20L at Lima, hold short of runway 20R at Lima."

The second pilot starts crossing runway 20L and unceremoniously becomes a hood ornament for N123AB who has managed to land on 20L instead of 20R.

Where did it go wrong?

N123AB failed to read back the runway assignment, and ATC failed to catch it.

This is why, on PilotEdge, you will generally hear us push you for a read back of the runway assignment, particularly at airports with parallel runways.

Don't be a N123AB!

Speaking of ATIS, everyone seems to be taking to it BEAUTIFULLY.

We're happy to report that the technology which streams the ATIS across our radio system received a design upgrade a few days ago, resulting in smoother delivery of the recording over the radio. This should all but remove the small breakups that were occurring in the broadcasts.

Tune in tomorrow morning, there will be another service upgrade that will be announced before the opening bell!

[BFG]

I can hardly wait! And the ATIS system is spectacular.