Taxi operations at major airports

[G.Khan]

Certainly have a few points.

I have flown into JFK/EWR/SFO/LAX/ANC and ORD.

Yes the taxi instructions are confusing because you have to read all the small print notes on several pages in the ground section, often, it would seem contradictory or conflicting or just plain not clear. You have to try and remember all those notes as well as acknowledge all transmissions from the tower/ground movement controller. But, in addition, you have to have the fingers of a carpet weaver and the ears of a bat to cope with the multitude of frequency changes from Tower, to Ground, to Terminal/Gate Control, (often a couple a frequency changes on Ground alone), not to mention the possibility of a call from the agent advising a gate change etc. as well as monitoring the taxying and doing the after landing checks. At times such as this a third crew member can be a life saver.
What seems to get most of us is the fact that, on clearing the runway and changing to ground, we don't just get a clear set of instructions and control to our gate but have to liaise also with another agency who control the terminal we use or any other piece of the real estate that we traverse to get to where we want to go.

On top of that, due to density of traffic, the controllers all, to the unpractised non American ear, appear to speak far too fast, break to another a/c without pause and resent a request to 'say again'!


Taxying at LHR is a dream compared to the USA, at night, for instance, at LHR, just, "follow the greens", but even in the daytime it is not a real problem. I could not agree that LHR is 'High Risk' at all. Paris(CDG) on the other hand is a confusing nightmare, especially on the South West side near the cargo terminal!

I think it would help if carriers who don't fly to the USA as reularly as some, pooled their knowledge as well as seeking information from the regulars to the USA and ensured that a very concise and up to date briefing was available on request, possibly on the net.