What should I do if an aircraft comes from the front on the same taxiway taxiway?

ATC
1

Last time I was at Paris airport where ATC was also active. I was going from my gate towards runway 27 when an aircraft approached me on the same taxiway. We both held our positions for almost 5 minutes but there was no response from ATC, then I pushed back and gave way to the aircraft in front, and then the response came from ATC that read the user guide from the home screen, now you guys tell me what should I request from ATC in this situation

2 Likes
2

I suggest messaging the controller that was active. They can explain to you why they referred you to the User Guide.

3

In my opinion, it is about being aware of your surroundings. If you see another aircraft heading towards you on the same taxiway, it would be best if you held your position at a spot where the other aircraft could turn onto another taxiway, thus no longer creating a conflict

1 Like
4

It depends on the controller. He can ask other plane for prog taxi inst or make 180 to clear the taxiways ASAP.:slightly_smiling_face:

1 Like
5

100% this.

Now to answer your question about what to do, generally you should have an idea of the taxiway layouts of the airport you’re at.

Be familiar with potential hotspots—which are intersecting taxiways where potential conflicts are most likely to occur, usually as a result of arriving traffic coming off the runway or departing traffic heading to the runway. The hotspots are usually taxiways that branch off of a runway exit, typically toward the end of the runway. Or it can be an intersection where multiple taxi lanes become a single one.

You want to have a good idea of these spots so that you can be proactive once you’re approaching them. If you know you’re headed to a hotspot then you can be prepared to hold or change your taxi lane. This is easier said than done especially if you’re not given specific drag & taxi instructions. But if you are, hopefully ATC is providing that route to deconflict you in advance.

If you’re already stuck in a situation where you’re head-to-head with another plane and your only choice is to pushback then it is what it is. That’s the only choice in real life after all.

6

Assume all other pilots are dumb as rocks and will do the most idiotic things possible, and not check their surroundings at all. Then, take action to put yourself in a position where that can’t affect you. For example, if you’re not on a specific taxi route you can dodge to a parallel or just take a different path if you see someone coming. If that’s not an option, stop before the next intersection to give them space to turn off.

7

If true, a 5-minute unresolved GWC is not top notch work from whoever was controlling Ground that day.

Anyways, to summarise the above, you can consider:

  • slowing down and/or hold position, hoping ATC notices.
  • (from me) re-requesting taxi clearance provided the conflict remains unresolved for 3-5mins.
  • moving forward, contacting the ATC afterwards on IFC to provide feedback on the unresolved conflict and/or get clarification on the situation

I stress the last point very much, because that’s how we learn and improve. What I dislike about some of these ATC topics is that OPs generally never feedback privately to the ATC in-question.

IFATC members are neither untouchable nor infallible, we are just one DM away.

3 Likes
8

I was thinking that too. I feel like that ground conflict falls on the responsibility of the ground controller.

1 Like