This is an excerpt from a report made to the Aviation Safety Reporting System. The narrative is written by the pilot, rather than FAA or NTSB officials. To maintain anonymity, many details, such as aircraft model or airport, are often scrubbed from the reports.
I entered a taxiway without permission: Taxiway J in front of the FBO.
The available parking space in front of this hangar is limited. When arriving I pulled off the taxiway to the left side of the hangar. The ramp was full to the right side of the hangar, and I chose this spot so as to not block the entrance to the hangar, which appeared to have another aircraft in the process of being towed out.
This part of the ramp is in very poor condition with a dip of one to two feet over a short distance.
When I was ready to depart for my return flight, I was concerned with the dip and the available distance to make a 180 turn. Someone helped me move my plane and towed it out onto the taxiway.
I did not think about being in violation until I started the plane up and was ready to taxi.
This part of the ramp is not visible to the Tower, so I was able to get taxi instructions without the Tower noting my position.
I am making this report because a couple of months ago I had a similar incident on this airport. There is an area on this airport on Taxiway C which is also not visible to the Tower. This spot did not allow radio communication with the Tower, and I taxied past the line on the ramp where the taxiway officially starts without permission.
This is also an area on CXY where the Tower cannot see the taxiway.
As I reflect on how all this happened, I ask the basic question: Why are there taxiways on this airport which are not visible to the Tower? Both of these locations look and act like ramps to me. Neither taxiway goes anywhere except to a dead end.
I would suggest that the entirety of both Taxiway C and Taxiway J be reclassified as ramp areas.
While the Tower issues taxi instructions for these two taxiways, they cannot see most of them and pilots are responsible for taxi safety in those areas anyway.
I would guess that if asked, the Tower Controllers would tell you that both taxiways are an unnecessary headache for them as they must issue the not visible warning constantly.
Primary Problem: Airport
ACN: 2017092
C hold lines sre designed so that 2 airplanes dont end up nose-to-nose with no “out”. Not the case with J. You can tow all day long and not cross the taxiway hold line. Remember they are there do that ATC has the ability to get an aircraft from a taxiway to a non-movement area without somebody blocking the way.
Looking at the airport from above, it appears the movement area markings are a greater distance from the runway than average. If one is based at an airport where they are much closer to the runway, that can catch a pilot by surprise because the pilot, out of habit, may not even be searching for the movement area markings with the runway still seeming to be so far away. Danbury, CT has an very unusual feature with the hold short line on one taxiway over 600ft from the edge of the runway while at Hartford-Brainard, they are closer to 200ft. These variations for movement area and hold-short markings I suppose are necessary for runway safety area needs – at Danbury there are nearby obstacles and high terrain which probably factor in somehow. I.e. I doubt the FAA would be able to make any changes in the markings.
I would suggest checking with the local folks (pilots, FBO’s, and there’s even a FSDO) to review procedures. There might be a need for training at the FBO who put his airplane in the movement area – that shouldn’t have happened.
“I would suggest that the entirety of both Taxiway C and Taxiway J be reclassified as ramp areas.”
Good idea; but you’re not going to solve the problem through the ASRS.
Why not get the FAA, your airport’s advisory committee (assuming you have one…), any other users and/or tenants that want to add their weight, and the airport “owner/operator” together and address it???
Someone just needs to take the initiative: Better than continuing to flirt with disaster….