CTO Runway Incursion Prevention 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the significance of painted runway holding position markings (two solid and two dashed yellow lines)?
- Aircraft and vehicles must not cross without ATC clearance when operating from the taxiway side (Correct answer)
- Aircraft must stop here only in IFR conditions
- The marking indicates the ILS critical area boundary
- Vehicles may cross freely but aircraft require clearance
Correct answer: Aircraft and vehicles must not cross without ATC clearance when operating from the taxiway side
Holding position markings at runway entrances require that no aircraft or vehicle cross from the taxiway side without explicit ATC clearance.
Question 2: What is a 'surface incident' as distinguished from a 'runway incursion'?
- A surface incident includes any unauthorized or potentially unsafe movement on movement areas, including taxiways, ramps, and other areas beyond just runways (Correct answer)
- A surface incident is a less severe form of runway incursion involving only vehicles
- Surface incidents only occur in IMC while runway incursions occur in VMC
- A surface incident is an FAA term for a ground collision that results in damage
Correct answer: A surface incident includes any unauthorized or potentially unsafe movement on movement areas, including taxiways, ramps, and other areas beyond just runways
Surface incidents encompass a broader range of unauthorized or unsafe movements on all movement area surfaces, not just runways.
Question 3: During simultaneous parallel runway operations, which condition most increases the risk of a runway incursion on the closer runway?
- Aircraft on one runway crossing over to the adjacent parallel taxiway that is between the two runways (Correct answer)
- Aircraft using RNAV departures on both runways
- Both runways using opposite landing directions simultaneously
- High-altitude winds changing the preferred runway
Correct answer: Aircraft on one runway crossing over to the adjacent parallel taxiway that is between the two runways
A center taxiway between parallel runways requires careful management because crossing aircraft must pass through one runway's environment to reach the taxiway.
Question 4: What does the term 'land and hold short' (LAHSO) require of the pilot-in-command?
- The PIC must assess their ability to stop within the available landing distance and explicitly accept the clearance (Correct answer)
- The PIC must notify passengers before accepting the clearance
- The PIC must confirm remaining fuel is above minimums
- The PIC must request the clearance — controllers cannot initiate it
Correct answer: The PIC must assess their ability to stop within the available landing distance and explicitly accept the clearance
LAHSO places responsibility on the PIC to assess aircraft performance and explicitly accept or decline the clearance before it is valid.
Question 5: How does the FAA categorize the severity of runway incursions?
- Categories A through D, with A being the most severe (near collision) and D being the least (little or no impact on safety) (Correct answer)
- Categories 1 through 5 based on aircraft weight involved
- Levels I through III based on whether injury occurred
- Severity levels Low, Medium, High, and Critical
Correct answer: Categories A through D, with A being the most severe (near collision) and D being the least (little or no impact on safety)
The FAA uses a four-tier system (A–D) where Category A represents the closest calls and Category D represents events with minimal safety impact.
Question 6: What controller action is required when an aircraft is cleared for takeoff but has not begun its takeoff roll within a reasonable time?
- The controller should query the pilot and be prepared to cancel the clearance if conflicting traffic appears (Correct answer)
- The controller must immediately cancel the clearance after 60 seconds
- No action is required until the aircraft acknowledges
- The controller should issue a new clearance to reaffirm the original
Correct answer: The controller should query the pilot and be prepared to cancel the clearance if conflicting traffic appears
Controllers must monitor aircraft that have received takeoff clearance and take action (including cancellation) if conflicting traffic develops before the roll begins.
Question 7: Which of the following is an example of a 'pilot deviation' that can contribute to a runway incursion?
- A pilot enters a runway without clearance after misidentifying a taxiway as a runway (Correct answer)
- A controller clears two aircraft onto the same runway simultaneously
- A vehicle crosses a runway without coordinating with the tower
- A controller fails to scan all runways before issuing a landing clearance
Correct answer: A pilot enters a runway without clearance after misidentifying a taxiway as a runway
A pilot deviation occurs when a pilot violates an FAA regulation or ATC clearance — mistaking a runway for a taxiway is a classic pilot-error incursion cause.
CTO Runway Incursion Prevention 4
What is the significance of painted runway holding position markings (two solid and two dashed yellow lines)?