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by Friday Morning Flight Plan at [date]
While the mainstream media tends to sensationalize stories about anything that flies — plus, it calls every jet a 737 and GA plane a Cessna — FAA statistics do bear out a modest rise in the rate of near-misses at airports, both on and near the ground. The statistics include all of aviation, not just the well-publicized airliner mishaps.
2023 saw one of the largest upticks in serious near misses at airports in a decade (thankfully, the trend is reversing thus far in 2024). The FAA has hinted that a shortage of air traffic controllers likely contributes to the issue but stated that it cannot identify a clear cause.
As general aviation pilots, we are not insulated from the mistakes made by airliners, ATC, other GA pilots, or ground vehicles and pedestrians. One prominent example happened less than a year ago when a controller in San Diego cleared a GA jet to land and then issued instructions to a 737 to taxi onto the same runway.
Fortunately, the GA pilot saw the 737 before it disappeared below his windscreen and went missed. It made local news, but with a less attentive GA pilot, it could have been a national headline.
Government reports also indicate a rise in ground-only incidents involving airplanes hitting other airplanes, ground vehicles, and pedestrians. The common thread is a rise in conflicts where at least one vehicle is either on the ground or just lifting off.
The common solution is situational awareness. For all of us, reviewing safety practices at and around airports is more vital than ever.
At controlled airports
Review the latest airport diagram and NOTAMs for anywhere you’ll be flying–noting closures, changes, hotspots, and anything unusual.
Listen to ATC instructions critically. Do they make sense? If they don’t, ask for clarification and state any concerns, especially when talking to Tower or Ground.
Don’t just “monitor” Ground; listen to it. Pay attention to the exchanges between ATC and other aircraft rather than just waiting to hear your tail number called.
Keep your head on a swivel. Other aircraft can sneak up on you when you least expect it, like when you’re confidently following ATC instructions to the letter. The same goes for ground vehicles and pedestrians.
Use all your lights. It’s poor form to blind other pilots with your strobes while taxiing, but everything else is fair game, including your taxi light while in flight. Be seen.
At uncontrolled airports
Follow the relevant points listed above, and add the following.
Make use of CTAF. Start listening to CTAF 5-10 minutes before departure.
Upon departure, listen and announce position and direction on CTAF until you’re well clear of the departure airport’s area. Making that call upon leaving the pattern, then again a few miles later, is optimal.
Look around. Your obstacles include fast-taxiing local pilots who have become too comfortable with their airport, wayward golf carts whizzing down taxiways, transient traffic unfamiliar with the airport, and student pilots unfamiliar with, well, flying.
Keep in mind that, despite pilots knowing they’re acting as their own ATC at non-towered airports, a higher percentage of accidents happen there.