Honolulu demands vigilance

The parallel 4/22 runways are areas of particular concern detailed in a video that shows viewers the airport’s hot spots, where conflicts and incursions most often occur, and the reasons why attention to detail is at a premium. Produced by the FAA in conjunction with AOPA, the National Business Aviation Association, the General Aviation Council of Hawaii, and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, the video details the challenges of operating at what Richard Wayne, air traffic control operations manager, said is “without a doubt one of the most complex” airports a pilot will encounter.

Traffic landing on the 4/22 runways that need to cross the adjacent runway must remain on the runway until cleared to cross one of the connecting taxiways to avoid encroaching on the runway safety area of the adjacent runway. That’s just one of the complicating factors at the airport, and AOPA has posted resources for pilots, including a kneeboard-formatted document that includes the airport diagram and useful information about local procedures. AOPA worked with local pilots and the FAA to produce the materials that aim to help pilots operate safely at Honolulu, and encourages pilots to review the materials.

As local controllers note in the video, the airport can be a confusing place to operate, and if a pilot is ever in doubt about instructions, taxi routes, or procedures, it is always better to ask the controller for clarification than to guess.