Has this happened to you?

[B190Captain]

I was taxiing to the end of the runway and about 3/4 of the way down the tower controller says, "Taxi into position and hold." My FO reads it back but I noticed a 737 on about a 2 mile final. I keyed in and said "You sure about that?" The controller realized what was going on and said, "Hold short, Good call."

I felt good that day, I saved lives including my own.

Has anyone else have had a similar scenario out there in our nation's airports?

 

[Blueline]

Hold short

I've had it happen twice. First time in MHT. Cleared for takeoff and SW 737 taxied across the runway before advancing the thrust levers. I told the controller that we would hold our position for a minute. He never acknowledged anything.

Second time was in OKC. Traffic on <1 mile final. We were cleared for takeoff. Told controller we would hold short. Again the controller never said anything.

It pays to pay attention....

BL

 

[Gulfstream 200]

Save lives? ..well...OK...

But this is the reason we have eyes. We check final before taxiing onto the runway, right?....also another reason to turn on ALL lights once cleared onto active. So even if we missed him at night, he wouldn't land on US! (we hope)

controllers are human, only trust them as far as you can throw them.

 

[FN FAL]

My FO reads it back but I noticed a 737 on about a 2 mile final.

Maybe the tower guy knew it was really a 3 mile final and considering the approaching aircraft's ground speed, figured you had time to get that bucket of rivets off the runway in about 90 to 120 seconds or so.

I never turn down those "traffic is on a two mile final" take off clearances. You usually get an immediate turn out heading instruction, which means you get a legal chance to buzz the tower and if you have to abort takeoff on the runway, you get to make a jet airliner take a 3,000 dollar turn around the patch.

 

[capt. megadeth]

Have you guys ever flown into MDW? This is an everyday occurrence. They clear someone into position when you are on final at 800' AGL

 

[B190Captain]

Maybe the tower guy knew it was really a 3 mile final and considering the approaching aircraft's ground speed, figured you had time to get that bucket of rivets off the runway in about 90 to 120 seconds or so.

I never turn down those "traffic is on a two mile final" take off clearances. You usually get an immediate turn out heading instruction, which means you get a legal chance to buzz the tower and if you have to abort takeoff on the runway, you get to make a jet airliner take a 3,000 dollar turn around the patch.

The 737 was too close and I was too far from the end of the runway. The 737 was awful big and I may have misjudged the distance in my initial post. He was more like a 1 to 1 1/2 mile final.

The controller told me to "TAXI INTO POSITION AND HOLD." I did not get a Takeoff clearance.

 

[mar]

Hey man, it was a good call.

B190Captain--Good call man. Don't sweat it. Part of being in charge is standing up and taking some feather ruffling whether or not the decision was a good one.

In this case it was a good one. But someone will always try to ruffle your feathers if just to stop your head from swelling too much.

One day I entered the pattern VFR in a 207 at an airport with intersecting runways. There was a new controller on, just getting checked out....

...and everything went to hell. There was just too much traffic going too many different directions and the instructor let it go too far.

I told the tower I was departing the area to the southeast and I'd re-enter in a few minutes.

Sometimes you just gotta say, I'll come back when you can play nice.

 

[8HourPilot]

Right on good call, and again nice avatar

 

[rfeathe1]

Back in the 1970s at Detroit City Airport I was position & hold on rw 33 awaiting IFR release. After about 1 minute I was released & cleared for takeoff & at the same time noticed an aircraft decending through the clouds & alined with rw 15. I asked the tower if they wanted me to fly over or under the aircraft landing on 15. They quickly had me exit the runway.

 

[blueridge71]

If there is traffic that close on final, the controller is supposed to call it out in the clearance. Normally they do. This guy apparently missed it.