Exiting the Runway

[Ultraman]

When landing at a controlled airport, should you wait for the tower to give you exit instructions, or is it acceptable to exit at the first available and safest taxiway if no instructions have been received?

Thanks,

Ultraman

 

[Brett Hull]

AIM 4-3-20

Paragraph a, 1st line:

Exit the runway without delay at the first available taxiway or on a taxiway as instructed by ATC.

 

[ex208driver]

my understanding is you can exit the runway and go to the next intersection before you have to talk to someone(ground). this allows you when at bigger airports to clear the taxiway because the next guy will probably use that exit. i believe this is in the aim, i remember a checkairman for our company saying you could do this if the congestion on freg is heavy and also to keep traffic moving.

 

[501261]

my understanding is you can exit the runway and go to the next intersection before you have to talk to someone(ground). this allows you when at bigger airports to clear the taxiway because the next guy will probably use that exit. i believe this is in the aim, i remember a checkairman for our company saying you could do this if the congestion on freg is heavy and also to keep traffic moving.

Whoa, be careful doing this! While I agree, that this is a common procedure at busy airports, I once got my a$$ chewed for doing this exact thing. Why? Because ground had somebody repositioning (going opposite the flow) on the taxiway that was I trying to use. I was fortunate to only get an a$$ chewing and nothing more, so be careful doing it.

Here's what the AIM says:

The following procedures should be followed after landing and reaching taxi speed.

a. Exit the runway without delay at the first available taxiway or on a taxiway as instructed by ATC. Pilots shall not exit the landing runway onto another runway unless authorized by ATC. At airports with an operating control tower, pilots should not stop or reverse course on the runway without first obtaining ATC approval.

b. Taxi clear of the runway unless otherwise directed by ATC. In the absence of ATC instructions the pilot is expected to taxi clear of the landing runway by clearing the hold position marking associated with the landing runway even if that requires the aircraft to protrude into or cross another taxiway, or ramp area. This does not authorize an aircraft to cross a subsequent taxiway/runway/ramp after clearing the landing runway.

c. Stop the aircraft after clearing the runway if instructions have not been received from ATC.

d. Immediately change to ground control frequency when advised by the tower and obtain a taxi clearance.