
A Quick Reference to Airfield Standards [pdf] - app4soft
https://www.faa.gov/airports/southern/airport_safety/part139_cert/media/aso-airfield-standards-quick-reference.pdf
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FabHK
Given this remarkable amount of standardisation (also internationally, see
ICAO annex 14 [1]), and the clear distinction between runways (white markings,
white and green/red lights) and taxiways (yellow markings, blue lights), it is
even weirder that pilots keep landing on (or trying to land on) taxiways [2],
including even Han Solo [3].

[1]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standards_And_Recommended_Prac...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standards_And_Recommended_Practices)

[2]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Canada_Flight_759](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Canada_Flight_759)

[3]
[https://www.theguardian.com/film/video/2017/mar/25/harrison-...](https://www.theguardian.com/film/video/2017/mar/25/harrison-
ford-to-air-traffic-control-im-the-schmuck-who-landed-on-the-taxiway-audio)

~~~
rhombocombus
as unequivocal as it seems, certain air conditions can make it hard to pick
out the runway, particularly if the runway is concrete and the rest of the
ramp area is in blacktop. Ford made a big mistake at a major airport, but
having landed at a lot of smaller airports I can totally see how it could be
easy to land on a taxiway by mistake if you haven't been into a place before.
That said, I always like to fly over a spot before I land at it if I haven't
been there before, which almost always eliminates any ambiguity, but I can see
how the mistake happens.

~~~
tonyarkles
If I remember the details right, there were two parallel runways (call them
17L and 17R) and a taxiway to the right, running parallel to 17R. It was night
time, and 17L was closed for construction/repair (lights off). He was cleared
to land on 17R, saw two lit lines, and landed on it.

It's not that hard to imagine how that could happen to someone. We heard about
it because it was Harrison Ford, but I'd wager it happens more often than we'd
like to think about...

~~~
FabHK
The scenario you describe was what happened with the Air Canada flight: 28L
was closed and lights off, so the Air Canada flight that was cleared to land
on 28R nearly landed on taxiway C, where 4 airplanes were sitting waiting to
take off (and apparently came within less than 5 meters (15 feet) of hitting
one of them).

This btw also points to problems with the NOTAM system.

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app4soft
YSFlight user[0] made POC "Airfield Lighting"[1,2,3]

[0]
[https://forum.ysfhq.com/viewtopic.php?f=302&t=9596&p=114194#...](https://forum.ysfhq.com/viewtopic.php?f=302&t=9596&p=114194#p114194)

[1] [http://i.imgur.com/MFlehkM.png](http://i.imgur.com/MFlehkM.png)

[2] [http://i.imgur.com/am9LzmZ.png](http://i.imgur.com/am9LzmZ.png)

[3] [http://i.imgur.com/3KjRHk7.png](http://i.imgur.com/3KjRHk7.png)

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tomcam
Anecdata adding little to the conversation: I almost bought a 40 acre farm in
a little burg next to Redmond, WA that had a named, FAA-designated airstrip I
planned to rename after my wife. If I understand correctly, the FAA
designation means it needs to be accessible to any pilots. Neighbors said
small planes were known to land in the middle of the night. My wife would not
have appreciated this.

