NTSB ISSUES UPDATE ON ITS INVESTIGATION OF FLIGHT 27 THAT DIVERTED TO DULLES AIRPORT

NOTICE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION N JO
Air Traffic Organization Policy
Effective Date:
June 30, 2010
Cancellation Date:
March 10, 2011
SUBJ: Taxi and Ground Movement Operations
1. Purpose of This Notice. This notice amends Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)Order JO 7110.65, Air Traffic Control, Paragraph 3-7-2, Taxi and Ground Movement Operations, by deleting the phraseology and procedure of issuing “taxi to” when authorizing an aircraft to taxi to an assigned takeoff runway, thus allowing an aircraft to cross all runways/taxiways which the taxi route intersects except the assigned runway.

2. Audience. This notice applies to the Terminal Services organization and all associated air traffic control facilities.

3. Where Can I Find This Notice? This notice is available on the MYFAA employee Web site at https://employees.faa.gov/tools_resources/orders_notices/ and on the air traffic publications Web site at http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications.

4. Explanation of Policy Change. This change establishes the requirement that an explicit runway crossing clearance be issued for each runway (active/inactive or closed) crossing and requires an aircraft/vehicle to have crossed the previous runway before another runway crossing clearance may be issued. At airports where the taxi route between runway centerlines is less than 1,000 feet apart, multiple runway crossings may be issued after receiving approval by the Terminal Services Director of Operations.

5. Procedures. Change FAA Order JO 7110.65, paragraph 3-7-2, to read as follows:
3-7-2. TAXI AND GROUND MOVEMENT OPERATIONS Issue the route for the aircraft/vehicle to follow on the movement area in concise and easy to understand terms. The taxi clearance must include the specific route to follow. When a taxi clearance to a runway is issued to an aircraft, confirm the aircraft has the correct runway assignment.
NOTE-
1. A pilot’s read back of taxi instructions with the runway assignment can be considered confirmation of runway assignment.
2. Movement of aircraft/vehicles on nonmovement areas is the responsibility of the pilot, the aircraft operator, or the airport management.
a. When authorizing an aircraft/vehicle to proceed on the movement area, or to any point other than assigned takeoff runway, specify the route/taxi instructions. If it is the intent to hold the aircraft/vehicle short
of any given point along the taxi route, issue the route and then state the holding instructions.
NOTE-
1. The absence of holding instructions authorizes an aircraft/vehicle to cross all taxiways that intersect the taxi route.
2. Movement of aircraft/vehicles on nonmovement areas is the responsibility of the pilot, the aircraft operator, or the
airport management.
Phraseology, no change.
06/30/10 N JO 7110.528
2
EXAMPLE-
“Cross Runway Two Eight Left, hold short of Runway Two Eight Right.”
“Taxi/continue taxiing/proceed to the hangar.”
“Taxi/continue taxiing/proceed straight ahead then via ramp to the hangar.”
“Taxi/continue taxiing/proceed on Taxiway Charlie, hold short of Runway Two Seven.”
or
“Taxi/continue taxing/proceed on Charlie, hold short of Runway Two Seven.”
b. When authorizing an aircraft to taxi to an assigned takeoff runway, state the departure runway
followed by the specific taxi route. Issue hold short restrictions when an aircraft will be required to hold short
of a runway or other points along the taxi route.
PHRASEOLOGY-
“Runway (number) taxi via (route as necessary).”
or
“Runway (number) taxi via (route as necessary)(hold short instructions as necessary).”
EXAMPLE-
“Runway Three Six Left, taxi via taxiway Alpha, hold short of taxiway Charlie.”
or
“Runway Three Six Left, taxi via Alpha, hold short of Charlie.”
or
“Runway Three Six Left, taxi via taxiway Alpha, hold short of Runway Two Seven Right.”
or
“Runway Three Six Left, taxi via Charlie, cross Runway Two Seven Left, hold short of Runway Two Seven Right.”
or
“Runway Three Six Left, taxi via Alpha, Charlie, cross Runway One Zero.”
c. Aircraft/vehicles must receive a runway crossing clearance for each runway that their taxi route
crosses. An aircraft/vehicle must have crossed a previous runway before another runway crossing clearance
may be issued.
NOTEA
runway crossing clearance is required to cross or operate on any active/inactive or closed runway.
EXAMPLE-
“Cross Runway One Six Left, hold short of Runway One Six Right.”
06/30/10 N JO 7110.528
3
d. When an aircraft/vehicle is instructed to “follow” traffic and requires a runway crossing, issue a
runway crossing clearance in addition to the follow instructions and/or hold short instructions, as applicable.
EXAMPLE-
“Follow (traffic), cross Runway Two Seven Right.”
or
“Follow (traffic), cross Runway Two Seven Right, hold short Runway Two Seven Left.”
e. At those airports where the taxi distance between runway centerlines is less than 1,000 feet, multiple
runway crossings may be issued with a single clearance. The air traffic manager must submit a request to the
appropriate Terminal Services Director of Operations for approval before authorizing multiple runway
crossings.
REFERENCEFAAO
JO 7210.3, Para 10-3-10 MULTIPLE RUNWAY CROSSINGS
Renumber subparagraphs d thru f as f thru h.
6. Distribution. This notice is distributed to the following Air Traffic Organization (ATO) service
units: Terminal, En Route and Oceanic, and System Operations Services; the ATO Office of Safety;
Office of the Service Center; the Air Traffic Safety Oversight Service; the William J. Hughes Technical
Center; and the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center.
7. Background. The FAA Runway Safety Call to Action Committee issued several recommendations
to address improving runway safety across the NAS. In response to the Committee’s recommendations,
the ATO convened a Safety Risk Management Panel to evaluate the safety of the Committee
recommendations. These are two of the recommended changes from the Call to Action Committee.
Changes will also be made to the AIM and AIP. Title14 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 91.129(i),
will be changed after the completion of the rulemaking period.