Winds aloft, true course, heading and groundspeed. Can you put all the puzzle pieces together and plan a successful cross-country flight? Use this quiz to test your flight planning knowledge and see if you can get a perfect score.
Which statement about longitude and latitude is true?
Correct!Wrong!
An aircraft departs an airport in the central standard time zone at 0845 CST for a 2-hour flight to an airport located in the mountain standard time zone. The landing should be at what coordinated universal time?
Correct!Wrong!
How far will an aircraft travel in 2 minutes with a groundspeed of 120 knots?
Correct!Wrong!
When converting from true course to magnetic heading, a pilot should
Correct!Wrong!
Determine the approximate latitude and longitude of Currituck County Airport.
Correct!Wrong!
En route to First Flight Airport (KFFA), your flight passes over Hampton Roads Airport (KPVG) at 1455 and then 10 miles later over Chesapeake Regional (KCPK) at 1500. At what time should your flight arrive at First Flight?
Correct!Wrong!
Determine the magnetic course for a flight from Shoshone (S83) to Deer Park (KDEW). The wind is from 340° at 10 knots, and the true airspeed is 90 knots.
You have earned your pilot’s certificate. You are ready to spread your wings for your first weekend getaway. This is part of the reason you learned to fly.
Weekend getaways are part of the fun of having a pilot certificate.
After you have decided on your destination, what should you concern yourself with other than the usual preflight planning?
First, what services does the FBO provide? There typically are fees to park overnight, but perhaps those fees are waived with a minimum fuel purchase. Investigate whether the entire fee is waived or just a portion.
For ground transportation, are rental cars available and will you be able to pick up and return the rental to the airport? If not, will the rental car company be able to pick you up and return you to the airport on your planned departure day? Or maybe an Uber or Lyft is all that is necessary.
How about fuel availability—is it full-service or self-service? Is the pump operational? NOTAMS may or may not have been published if the equipment is not operational. Have you ever used a self-serve pump? Depending on where you learned to fly, you may not have had to fuel the airplane. It is not difficult, but you may want to make sure that someone is at the airport who can assist if needed.
There is nothing like trying to depart on a Sunday morning and needing assistance when no one is around. The departure date or day of the week can make a difference. Check the FBO operating hours and emergency (after hours) phone number. I always plan for enough fuel to fly to another airport for fuel if something happens and I am not able to fuel up at the destination airport.
If it is an unattended airport you intend to visit, are tie-downs available? And not just the physical place to tie down, but the ropes or chains to secure the aircraft? If not, you may have to bring a tie-down kit along. Are hangars available if the weather becomes an issue, such as frost on a cool morning or if thunderstorms develop? Who would you call to have the aircraft moved if necessary?
Are hangars available if the weather becomes an issue?
You will typically be required to provide a credit card after arriving at the airport. If there is more than one FBO, do all accept general aviation aircraft? Is a reservation required for your arrival?
A phone call or email to the FBO can answer these questions before the flight, helping to eliminate any stress after you arrive. Make sure to have phone numbers for the FBO. Some FBOs want you to call ahead so they can move the aircraft closer to the terminal so that you don’t have to carry your luggage across the ramp to the plane.
Also, consider all of the available airports in the area you are flying into. The landing fees may be a little more expensive at a larger airport, but you may have better availability of a rental car and rates for the car may be cheaper.
Lastly, have a plan of what you will do if the weather will not let you depart as you planned. Even the best weather planning can change your planned departure.
https://media.flighttrainingcentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/27141452/weekend-getaway-1.jpg720950Eric Carnahanhttps://media.flighttrainingcentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/05155154/FTC-logo-horizontal-fianl.pngEric Carnahan2024-10-04 08:55:052024-10-04 09:06:54Flight planning for a weekend getaway
The electrical system is a critical component in today’s modern airplanes, distributing and supplying power to the lights, avionics and digital flight instruments. This week’s tip takes a look at the various elements that make up the electrical system in the popular Cessna 172 training airplane.
AOPA aims to highlight the best flight schools and instructors through the Flight Training Experience Awards.
Instructors and Flight Schools are invited to apply for regional or national awards. Applicants should ask for reviews from students, clients, instructors, and designated pilot examiners who have trained or worked with them during the previous 12 months. The selection process includes the screening of applications and judging by a panel of industry experts who will not know the identity of the candidates.
Awards in the regional category include Best Flight School, Best Instructor, Distinguished Flight Schools, and Distinguished Instructors. National awards include Best Flight School and Best Instructor.
https://media.flighttrainingcentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/18121835/aopa-awards-featured-image-1.jpg7201280Flight Training Central Staffhttps://media.flighttrainingcentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/05155154/FTC-logo-horizontal-fianl.pngFlight Training Central Staff2024-10-01 08:55:462024-09-18 12:18:58Apply for the AOPA Flight Training Experience Awards
WHY ARE NOTAMs TRANSITIONING TO THE NEW ICAO FORMAT
Notices to Air Missions (NOTAMs) provide pilots, operators, and aircrews with essential information about the abnormal status of a component of the national airspace system that could affect a flight from being completed as planned. Yet, because of how NOTAMs are currently written, pilots often can’t identify or miss critical flight information about where they can fly and any issues with departure or arrival airports.
To help address this serious safety risk, the FAA is making the data more accessible and readable by adopting the ICAO standardized format. Essentially, NOTAMs will be much easier to read and interpret.
HOW TO READ THE NEW ICAO FORMAT
The ICAO NOTAM contains specific mandatory and optional fields similar to the domestic NOTAM format with the addition of the qualifier line which is described in further detail below.
WHAT IS THE NOTAM SERIES
In the ICAO format, NOTAMs are organized by series, with each series covering a specific NOTAM condition. The NOTAM series replaces the keywords previously used in the domestic format. The Series is the first element of the NOTAM, followed by the NOTAM Number. NOTAMs are numbered consecutively by Flight Information Region (FIR), and series beginning with S0001 each year. The FAA will utilize 13 different series for NOTAMs as follows:
WHAT IS THE NOTAM ACTION
The Action indicates the type of NOTAM:
NOTAM(N) contains New information
NOTAM(R) Replaces previous NOTAM
NOTAM(C) Cancels previous non-auto cancel NOTAM
AN ICAO NOTAM EXAMPLE
In this example, we will examine a NOTAM issued for the Chicago O’Hare Airport (ORD) closing Runway 05L/23R for a specific period of time.
In the current (traditional) NOTAM format, the notice would read:
In the new ICAO format, the same information would be presented as follows:
B0667/22 NOTAMN Q)KZAU/QMRLC/IV/NBO/A/000/999/4159N0875W005 A) KORD B) 2202141700 C) 2202141900 E) RWY 05L/23R CLSD
WHAT IS IN THE NOTAM QUALIFIER LINE
A qualifier line contains coded information, coordinates, and radius for area for the automated filtering of NOTAMs.
The first element of the qualifier line is the Flight Information Regions (FIR) In the US, the FIR identifier is an ARTCC identifier. In the example above, KZAU (Chicago) is used as the FIR.
Q)KZAU/QMRLC/IV/NBO/A/000/999/4159N0875W005
The second element of the qualifier line is the NOTAM code. The NOTAM Code forms the basis upon which NOTAM qualifiers TRAFFIC, PURPOSE, and SCOPE are determined for inclusion in Item Q) of the NOTAM Format, in addition to defining the abbreviated plain-language text which appears in Item E). All NOTAM code groups contain a total of five letters and the first letter is always the letter Q. The second and third letters identify the subject. In this example, MR, indicates Runway (specific runway).
The fourth and fifth letters denote the condition of the subject being reported. In this example, LC, indicates Closed.
The ICAO NOTAM decode tables are found in Appendix B of Order 7930.2T, but again, the plain language associated with these codes is found in line E of the ICAO NOTAM.
Q)KZAU/QMRLC/IV/NBO/A/000/999/4159N0875W005
The third element, traffic qualifier, relates the NOTAM to a type of traffic and allows retrieval according to the user’s needs. Depending on the NOTAM subject and content, the qualifier field TRAFFIC may contain the combined qualifiers. This example displays IV as the Traffic.
Type of Traffic:
I – Instrument Flight Rules (IFR)
V – Visual Flight Rules (VFR)
K – NOTAM is a Checklist
Q)KZAU/QMRLC/IV/NBO/A/000/999/4159N0875W005
The fourth element, purpose, relates a NOTAM to certain purposes (intentions) and thus allows retrieval according to the user’s requirements. Depending on the NOTAM subject and content, the qualifier field PURPOSE may contain combined qualifiers. This example displays NBO as the Purpose.
Purpose description
N – selected for the immediate attention of aircraft operators
B – selected for pre-flight information briefing
O – concerning flight operations
M – not subject for briefing, but is available on request
K – is a Checklist
Q)KZAU/QMRLC/IV/NBO/A/000/999/4159N0875W005
The fifth element, scope, is used to categorize NOTAMs. Depending on the NOTAM subject and content, the qualifier field SCOPE may contain combined qualifiers. This example uses A as the scope.
Scope Description
A – Aerodrome
E – Enroute
W – Navigation warning
K – Checklist
Q)KZAU/QMRLC/IV/NBO/A/000/999/4159N0875W005
The sixth element is the lower and upper limits. The lower and upper limit field applies mainly to airspace related NOTAMs. Most aerodrome-related information, qualifier scope ‘A’, refers to ground installations for which the insertion of lower/upper limit is not relevant. Therefore, such NOTAMs must include the default values of 000/999.
Q)KZAU/QMRLC/IV/NBO/A/000/999/4159N0875W005
The final element contain coordinates. The coordinates represent the coordinates of the point of influence, or the approximate center of a circle whose radius encompasses the whole area of influence. It is specified by an 11-character latitude and longitude. This example displays 4159N0875W as the coordinates.
https://media.flighttrainingcentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/30124018/ICAO-NOTAM-FTC-Article.jpg10001250Eric Radtkehttps://media.flighttrainingcentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/05155154/FTC-logo-horizontal-fianl.pngEric Radtke2024-09-30 08:55:082024-09-30 12:40:31NOTAMS Transitioning to ICAO Format
Line up and wait is an air traffic control (ATC) procedure designed to position an aircraft onto the runway for an imminent departure in order to expedite the flow of traffic. The procedure is not available at all towered airports and is subject to a number of restrictions. When a pilot hears the ATC instruction LINE UP AND WAIT he is cleared to taxi onto the departure runway and position the aircraft for takeoff. In earlier aviation days, this was known as “position and hold” but the phrase was updated to provide additional clarity.
ATC Procedure
Line up and wait is an ATC procedure that is only used at certain tower-controlled airports.
An important distinction is that line up and wait is an ATC procedure. It is conducted at certain tower controlled airports where the tower controller knows what he or she has instructed the previous aircraft to do. The reason for a line up and wait instruction is often due to a prior aircraft still being on the current runway or a crossing runway and the controller wanting to expedite the takeoff of the line up and wait aircraft. The reason for expediting this takeoff may be that there is another aircraft on final or in the pattern that will soon be ready to land. The controller is in a position to see all three aircraft and make modifications if the timing is off or there is a delay due to a pilot error in one of the aircraft.
You should be aware, that a line up and wait instruction from ATC is not an authorization to takeoff. You should expect an authorization to takeoff shortly after the controller is satisfied that the condition that delayed you is now safe. If you do not receive a takeoff clearance within a reasonable amount of time, you should contact the controller and remind him or her that you are there. Accidents have occurred after a controller forgot an aircraft waiting on the runway and cleared another airplane to land on that same runway.
Even when following line up and wait instructions at tower controlled airport, it is important for you as the pilot in command to remain vigilant and situationally aware. Listen to the instructions and clearances that the tower is giving to other aircraft in the area. If you hear a clearance to land where you are currently waiting, be alert and ready to call the tower if necessary. You might also consider lining up at a slight angle that affords a better view of landing aircraft approaching behind you.
You should be especially vigilant at night, during reduced visibility, and when the airport is using line up and wait operations on more than one runway. Listen carefully for your call sign and the runway that you are using. Be alert for similar sounding call signs and avoid following the instructions for a different aircraft than yours. When in doubt, contact ATC for clarification. If you are unable to raise ATC, have an escape plan for getting you and your aircraft to a safe location if you are concerned about another aircraft landing in your location.
If you are the landing aircraft and you hear ATC give line up and wait instructions to an aircraft on the runway to which you have been cleared to land, bensure that the aircraft has departed before you land. Even if you haven’t heard a line up and wait clearance, be sure that runway is clear before landing. Do not hesitate to ask ATC about any traffic that you see on the runway where you are landing.
Line Up and Wait Is Not Applicable at Non-Towered Airports
Line up and wait is an ATC procedure that should not be used by pilots at non-towered airports.
Line up and wait procedures were never intended for use at non-towered airports despite being common practice with some pilots. As indicated, it is an ATC procedure. Without the additional eyes of the controller, and his or her knowledge of the instructions issued to other aircraft, it is simply not a safe procedure to perform.
As the pilot in command of an aircraft that is ready to takeoff, you have no real idea of the intentions of the aircraft that is temporarily blocking your takeoff runway. Will he make the intersection? Will he roll the full length of the runway? How fast will he taxi to the runway exit? Is he unsure of his surroundings and unsure where to turn? Will his takeoff follow a standard pattern departure? Will he abort the takeoff? You may think that you know but you really do not know when the runway will be clear.
Once you are positioned for takeoff, your ability to see the runway’s approach is seriously limited. How close is that final traffic getting? Is there another aircraft approach that is not using a radio? Does the approaching pilot see or hear you?
Is your life and the life of your passengers really not worth waiting until the runway is clear?
https://media.flighttrainingcentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/23133909/line-up-and-wait.jpg693956Flight Training Central Staffhttps://media.flighttrainingcentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/05155154/FTC-logo-horizontal-fianl.pngFlight Training Central Staff2024-09-27 08:55:342024-09-23 13:39:26Line Up and Wait: What Every Pilot Needs to Know
Quiz: VFR Cross-Country Flight Planning
/in Quiz/by Chris ClarkeWinds aloft, true course, heading and groundspeed. Can you put all the puzzle pieces together and plan a successful cross-country flight? Use this quiz to test your flight planning knowledge and see if you can get a perfect score.
Share the quiz to show your results !
Facebook
Facebook
Share your results :
Facebook
Facebook
Twitter
Google+
Want to learn more about cross-country flight planning? Check out Sporty’s Learn To Fly Course for more in-depth training on this subject.
Flight planning for a weekend getaway
/in Tips and technique/by Eric CarnahanYou have earned your pilot’s certificate. You are ready to spread your wings for your first weekend getaway. This is part of the reason you learned to fly.
Weekend getaways are part of the fun of having a pilot certificate.
After you have decided on your destination, what should you concern yourself with other than the usual preflight planning?
First, what services does the FBO provide? There typically are fees to park overnight, but perhaps those fees are waived with a minimum fuel purchase. Investigate whether the entire fee is waived or just a portion.
For ground transportation, are rental cars available and will you be able to pick up and return the rental to the airport? If not, will the rental car company be able to pick you up and return you to the airport on your planned departure day? Or maybe an Uber or Lyft is all that is necessary.
How about fuel availability—is it full-service or self-service? Is the pump operational? NOTAMS may or may not have been published if the equipment is not operational. Have you ever used a self-serve pump? Depending on where you learned to fly, you may not have had to fuel the airplane. It is not difficult, but you may want to make sure that someone is at the airport who can assist if needed.
There is nothing like trying to depart on a Sunday morning and needing assistance when no one is around. The departure date or day of the week can make a difference. Check the FBO operating hours and emergency (after hours) phone number. I always plan for enough fuel to fly to another airport for fuel if something happens and I am not able to fuel up at the destination airport.
If it is an unattended airport you intend to visit, are tie-downs available? And not just the physical place to tie down, but the ropes or chains to secure the aircraft? If not, you may have to bring a tie-down kit along. Are hangars available if the weather becomes an issue, such as frost on a cool morning or if thunderstorms develop? Who would you call to have the aircraft moved if necessary?
Are hangars available if the weather becomes an issue?
You will typically be required to provide a credit card after arriving at the airport. If there is more than one FBO, do all accept general aviation aircraft? Is a reservation required for your arrival?
A phone call or email to the FBO can answer these questions before the flight, helping to eliminate any stress after you arrive. Make sure to have phone numbers for the FBO. Some FBOs want you to call ahead so they can move the aircraft closer to the terminal so that you don’t have to carry your luggage across the ramp to the plane.
Also, consider all of the available airports in the area you are flying into. The landing fees may be a little more expensive at a larger airport, but you may have better availability of a rental car and rates for the car may be cheaper.
Lastly, have a plan of what you will do if the weather will not let you depart as you planned. Even the best weather planning can change your planned departure.
Video tip: Cessna 172 electrical system
/in Video Tips/by Bret KoebbeThe electrical system is a critical component in today’s modern airplanes, distributing and supplying power to the lights, avionics and digital flight instruments. This week’s tip takes a look at the various elements that make up the electrical system in the popular Cessna 172 training airplane.
This video clip below is from Sporty’s complete Learn to Fly Course.
Apply for the AOPA Flight Training Experience Awards
/in News/by Flight Training Central StaffApplications accepted through October 31, 2024
Instructors and Flight Schools are invited to apply for regional or national awards. Applicants should ask for reviews from students, clients, instructors, and designated pilot examiners who have trained or worked with them during the previous 12 months. The selection process includes the screening of applications and judging by a panel of industry experts who will not know the identity of the candidates.
Awards in the regional category include Best Flight School, Best Instructor, Distinguished Flight Schools, and Distinguished Instructors. National awards include Best Flight School and Best Instructor.
Applications are being accepted online through October 31 at AOPA.org.
NOTAMS Transitioning to ICAO Format
/in News, Tips and technique/by Eric RadtkeBy December 2024, all NOTAMs issued by the FAA will be distributed using the ICAO format.
In this article:
WHY ARE NOTAMs TRANSITIONING TO THE NEW ICAO FORMAT
Notices to Air Missions (NOTAMs) provide pilots, operators, and aircrews with essential information about the abnormal status of a component of the national airspace system that could affect a flight from being completed as planned. Yet, because of how NOTAMs are currently written, pilots often can’t identify or miss critical flight information about where they can fly and any issues with departure or arrival airports.
To help address this serious safety risk, the FAA is making the data more accessible and readable by adopting the ICAO standardized format. Essentially, NOTAMs will be much easier to read and interpret.
HOW TO READ THE NEW ICAO FORMAT
The ICAO NOTAM contains specific mandatory and optional fields similar to the domestic NOTAM format with the addition of the qualifier line which is described in further detail below.
WHAT IS THE NOTAM SERIES
In the ICAO format, NOTAMs are organized by series, with each series covering a specific NOTAM condition. The NOTAM series replaces the keywords previously used in the domestic format. The Series is the first element of the NOTAM, followed by the NOTAM Number. NOTAMs are numbered consecutively by Flight Information Region (FIR), and series beginning with S0001 each year. The FAA will utilize 13 different series for NOTAMs as follows:
WHAT IS THE NOTAM ACTION
The Action indicates the type of NOTAM:
AN ICAO NOTAM EXAMPLE
In this example, we will examine a NOTAM issued for the Chicago O’Hare Airport (ORD) closing Runway 05L/23R for a specific period of time.
In the current (traditional) NOTAM format, the notice would read:
!ORD 02/001 RWY 05L/23R CLSD 2202141700-2202141900
In the new ICAO format, the same information would be presented as follows:
B0667/22 NOTAMN
Q)KZAU/QMRLC/IV/NBO/A/000/999/4159N0875W005
A) KORD
B) 2202141700
C) 2202141900
E) RWY 05L/23R CLSD
WHAT IS IN THE NOTAM QUALIFIER LINE
A qualifier line contains coded information, coordinates, and radius for area for the automated filtering of NOTAMs.
The first element of the qualifier line is the Flight Information Regions (FIR) In the US, the FIR identifier is an ARTCC identifier. In the example above, KZAU (Chicago) is used as the FIR.
Q)KZAU/QMRLC/IV/NBO/A/000/999/4159N0875W005
The second element of the qualifier line is the NOTAM code. The NOTAM Code forms the basis upon which NOTAM qualifiers TRAFFIC, PURPOSE, and SCOPE are determined for inclusion in Item Q) of the NOTAM Format, in addition to defining the abbreviated plain-language text which appears in Item E). All NOTAM code groups contain a total of five letters and the first letter is always the letter Q. The second and third letters identify the subject. In this example, MR, indicates Runway (specific runway).
The fourth and fifth letters denote the condition of the subject being reported. In this example, LC, indicates Closed.
The ICAO NOTAM decode tables are found in Appendix B of Order 7930.2T, but again, the plain language associated with these codes is found in line E of the ICAO NOTAM.
Q)KZAU/QMRLC/IV/NBO/A/000/999/4159N0875W005
The third element, traffic qualifier, relates the NOTAM to a type of traffic and allows retrieval according to the user’s needs. Depending on the NOTAM subject and content, the qualifier field TRAFFIC may contain the combined qualifiers. This example displays IV as the Traffic.
Type of Traffic:
I – Instrument Flight Rules (IFR)
V – Visual Flight Rules (VFR)
K – NOTAM is a Checklist
Q)KZAU/QMRLC/IV/NBO/A/000/999/4159N0875W005
The fourth element, purpose, relates a NOTAM to certain purposes (intentions) and thus allows retrieval according to the user’s requirements. Depending on the NOTAM subject and content, the qualifier field PURPOSE may contain combined qualifiers. This example displays NBO as the Purpose.
Purpose description
N – selected for the immediate attention of aircraft operators
B – selected for pre-flight information briefing
O – concerning flight operations
M – not subject for briefing, but is available on request
K – is a Checklist
Q)KZAU/QMRLC/IV/NBO/A/000/999/4159N0875W005
The fifth element, scope, is used to categorize NOTAMs. Depending on the NOTAM subject and content, the qualifier field SCOPE may contain combined qualifiers. This example uses A as the scope.
Scope Description
A – Aerodrome
E – Enroute
W – Navigation warning
K – Checklist
Q)KZAU/QMRLC/IV/NBO/A/000/999/4159N0875W005
The sixth element is the lower and upper limits. The lower and upper limit field applies mainly to airspace related NOTAMs. Most aerodrome-related information, qualifier scope ‘A’, refers to ground installations for which the insertion of lower/upper limit is not relevant. Therefore, such NOTAMs must include the default values of 000/999.
Q)KZAU/QMRLC/IV/NBO/A/000/999/4159N0875W005
The final element contain coordinates. The coordinates represent the coordinates of the point of influence, or the approximate center of a circle whose radius encompasses the whole area of influence. It is specified by an 11-character latitude and longitude. This example displays 4159N0875W as the coordinates.
Q)KZAU/QMRLC/IV/NBO/A/000/999/4159N0875W005
DOWNLOAD THE ICAO NOTAM FORMAT EXAMPLE HERE.
Line Up and Wait: What Every Pilot Needs to Know
/in Tips and technique/by Flight Training Central StaffLine up and wait is an air traffic control (ATC) procedure designed to position an aircraft onto the runway for an imminent departure in order to expedite the flow of traffic. The procedure is not available at all towered airports and is subject to a number of restrictions. When a pilot hears the ATC instruction LINE UP AND WAIT he is cleared to taxi onto the departure runway and position the aircraft for takeoff. In earlier aviation days, this was known as “position and hold” but the phrase was updated to provide additional clarity.
ATC Procedure
Line up and wait is an ATC procedure that is only used at certain tower-controlled airports.
An important distinction is that line up and wait is an ATC procedure. It is conducted at certain tower controlled airports where the tower controller knows what he or she has instructed the previous aircraft to do. The reason for a line up and wait instruction is often due to a prior aircraft still being on the current runway or a crossing runway and the controller wanting to expedite the takeoff of the line up and wait aircraft. The reason for expediting this takeoff may be that there is another aircraft on final or in the pattern that will soon be ready to land. The controller is in a position to see all three aircraft and make modifications if the timing is off or there is a delay due to a pilot error in one of the aircraft.
You should be aware, that a line up and wait instruction from ATC is not an authorization to takeoff. You should expect an authorization to takeoff shortly after the controller is satisfied that the condition that delayed you is now safe. If you do not receive a takeoff clearance within a reasonable amount of time, you should contact the controller and remind him or her that you are there. Accidents have occurred after a controller forgot an aircraft waiting on the runway and cleared another airplane to land on that same runway.
Even when following line up and wait instructions at tower controlled airport, it is important for you as the pilot in command to remain vigilant and situationally aware. Listen to the instructions and clearances that the tower is giving to other aircraft in the area. If you hear a clearance to land where you are currently waiting, be alert and ready to call the tower if necessary. You might also consider lining up at a slight angle that affords a better view of landing aircraft approaching behind you.
You should be especially vigilant at night, during reduced visibility, and when the airport is using line up and wait operations on more than one runway. Listen carefully for your call sign and the runway that you are using. Be alert for similar sounding call signs and avoid following the instructions for a different aircraft than yours. When in doubt, contact ATC for clarification. If you are unable to raise ATC, have an escape plan for getting you and your aircraft to a safe location if you are concerned about another aircraft landing in your location.
If you are the landing aircraft and you hear ATC give line up and wait instructions to an aircraft on the runway to which you have been cleared to land, bensure that the aircraft has departed before you land. Even if you haven’t heard a line up and wait clearance, be sure that runway is clear before landing. Do not hesitate to ask ATC about any traffic that you see on the runway where you are landing.
Line Up and Wait Is Not Applicable at Non-Towered Airports
Line up and wait is an ATC procedure that should not be used by pilots at non-towered airports.
Line up and wait procedures were never intended for use at non-towered airports despite being common practice with some pilots. As indicated, it is an ATC procedure. Without the additional eyes of the controller, and his or her knowledge of the instructions issued to other aircraft, it is simply not a safe procedure to perform.
As the pilot in command of an aircraft that is ready to takeoff, you have no real idea of the intentions of the aircraft that is temporarily blocking your takeoff runway. Will he make the intersection? Will he roll the full length of the runway? How fast will he taxi to the runway exit? Is he unsure of his surroundings and unsure where to turn? Will his takeoff follow a standard pattern departure? Will he abort the takeoff? You may think that you know but you really do not know when the runway will be clear.
Once you are positioned for takeoff, your ability to see the runway’s approach is seriously limited. How close is that final traffic getting? Is there another aircraft approach that is not using a radio? Does the approaching pilot see or hear you?
Is your life and the life of your passengers really not worth waiting until the runway is clear?