Landing on a taxiway

[hawg2hawk]

Apparently you can take off from one no problem.

http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20020125-0

 

[slowto250]

Apparently you can take off from one no problem.

http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20020125-0

Ok......Ya got me.

A little while back (say about 9000 hrs. ago), my instructor thought it it prudent for me to gain some "big" airport experience while logging the requisite couple hundred hours toward the commercial ticket. So he sends me over to PIT, to mix it up with the big boys. Uneventful approach and landing. But, during taxi out to 28R, they switch me to tower, who issues these instructions : " when you reach the top of the hill, you're cleared for takeoff....proceed on course ". About the time I hauled back on the yolk, it dawned on me that the centerline had a single yellow stripe...but, too late. Not only didn't I get in any trouble, the controllers who witnessed it all, found it rather amusing. They also informed me that some much larger A/C than my trusty Piper had performed the same genius inspired stunt.

Still think they were just trying to let me off the hook. I was moytifiyed.....

 

[Lead Sled]

Well heck, whenever they need to resurface a runway, they let you. Northwest / Skywest / Mesaba was landing on a taxi way at Fargo not more than a year ago. Granted, it had been redesignated as the runway.

We used to do it periodically at the Grand Canyon when the runway was closed for maintenance. We also used to fly deportation flights for the INS through El Centro and Imperial Caliifornia. One day the wind was blowing exceptionally strong and the tower encouraged our use of the taxiway to depart...

"Cleared to taxi to Runway XX (I don't remember what it was.) Local pilots will sometimes use the taxiway you are on for departure. We can not clear you for takeoff, but there is no reported traffic..." (Or words to that effect.)

That was all we needed. Instead of a 20 to 30 knot gusting direct crosswind for takeoff we had a direct headwind. After takeoff the controller cleared us for a frequency change and told us to have a nice flight.

I don't really know what my point is - other than it's not normally kosher to operate off of taxiways; however, like most things in aviation, there are exceptions.

'Sled

 

[sardaddy]

"ATC personel are not allowed to clear someone to land anywhere other than a numbered runway, so they say "land at your discretion" or "land at your own risk"."

Not entirely true. I have been cleared to land in many places other than a numbered runway and it is not at "pilots discretion" or "at my own risk". I have the complete blessing of the tower when I do. Of course I can also hover.

 

[pwendell]

I've landed on a taxiway many times is a gyroplane, even as a student pilot. The airport I trained at had a single runway and if the x-wind kicked up beyond training limits we would routinely use one of the taxiways. I even had to do this during one of my early solo missions. My intructor would have been pretty annoyed if I had tried to use the runway.

I know of several gyro pilots who routinely use taxiways for TO/L at towered airports. It actually makes it easier for everyone. The only problem is when an uninformed controller asks us to air taxi

 

[PC12Cowboy]

Hmmm...all those **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED** helos are breaking the rules???good then they'll have to learn to fly like real pilots<<<<covers head from the approaching flamesLOL

 

[sardaddy]

No we aren't breaking the rules so we won't have to convert to the humdrum world of fixed wing flying quite yet. I won't flame you, I will just pass on a saying I was once told.

You can take a helicopter pilot and give him ten minutes of ground training and while it may not be pretty, he can take off in an airplane and land it. But if you take an airplane pilot and give him 1000 hours of ground training he will still crash a helicopter.

 

[Singlecoil]

Years ago, at a certain controlled field, we had a couple taxiways we were allowed to use as runways in certain defined circumstances.

KMWH?

 

[rchcfi]

At an old airport I use to work out of, they used the crossing taxiway during high crosswind conditions on the runway. In fact, the guys at the local FSS said it was perfectly fine. And at the same airport, there was a parallel dirt access road that was used for landings by the guys with the 31 inchers.

And slightly off topic, I believe Montana still allows you to land on any road as long as it is deemed a safe operation.

Cheers,
RCHCFI

 

[Vector4fun]

KMWH?

Nope, KROW, early '80s