Narrative:

While parked at the GA ramp at new bern, nc, we contacted new bern ground and requested taxi instructions for a wbound VFR departure. The ground controller instructed us to 'taxi to runway 4.' I then asked the ground controller if he wanted to taxi via taxiway B and taxiway a, and he replied 'affirmative.' we began taxiing on taxiway B. During the next min or so, my student and I discussed whether or not we were cleared to cross the active runway (runway 4). We both felt that we had been 'cleared' to taxi to runway 4 and, therefore, it was ok to cross the active runway (runway 4). Upon crossing runway 4 and turning right onto taxiway a, the ground controller asked us 'what were your taxi instructions?' I replied that 'we were cleared to taxi to runway 4,' he replied that 'taxi to runway 4 does not give you clearance to cross the active runway, and you have just created a runway incursion.' I acknowledged his transmission. We departed the airport without further incident. Upon arriving back at our home base, I researched the phrase 'taxi to runway X' in the aim. There I found that the controller was right. Taxiing to a runway doesn't give one clearance to cross the active runway. Upon discussing this phrase with several pilots, including a retired check airman for a major airline, we all agreed that the phrase 'taxi to runway X' is misleading, confusing and unsafe. Unless you read, understand, remember and apply the phrase (from the aim) in an actual circumstance, we all felt that the natural understanding of 'taxi to runway X' is that one would be cleared to taxi all the way to the runway in question. Today I called the tower supervisor at new bern and had a good conversation with him regarding this incident. He informed me that they're not required to tell pilots to 'hold short of runway X' when issuing taxi instructions that require one to cross the active runway. If we are really concerned about runway safety and reducing runway incursions, how long does it really take for the ground controller to add to his instruction 'taxi to runway 4, hold short of the active' and add that extra safety margin? My student and myself learned a lot from this. I will be certain to brief students about taxiing across active runways. In addition, I will incorporate a review of operations at twred airports for all flight reviews I conduct in the future.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CFI AND HIS STUDENT PLT CROSS THE ACTIVE RWY 4 AFTER BEING CLRED TO TAXI TO RWY 4. ACFT HAD TO CROSS RWY 4 AT MID FIELD TO GET TO TKOF END AT EWN, NC.

Narrative: WHILE PARKED AT THE GA RAMP AT NEW BERN, NC, WE CONTACTED NEW BERN GND AND REQUESTED TAXI INSTRUCTIONS FOR A WBOUND VFR DEP. THE GND CTLR INSTRUCTED US TO 'TAXI TO RWY 4.' I THEN ASKED THE GND CTLR IF HE WANTED TO TAXI VIA TXWY B AND TXWY A, AND HE REPLIED 'AFFIRMATIVE.' WE BEGAN TAXIING ON TXWY B. DURING THE NEXT MIN OR SO, MY STUDENT AND I DISCUSSED WHETHER OR NOT WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS THE ACTIVE RWY (RWY 4). WE BOTH FELT THAT WE HAD BEEN 'CLRED' TO TAXI TO RWY 4 AND, THEREFORE, IT WAS OK TO CROSS THE ACTIVE RWY (RWY 4). UPON XING RWY 4 AND TURNING R ONTO TXWY A, THE GND CTLR ASKED US 'WHAT WERE YOUR TAXI INSTRUCTIONS?' I REPLIED THAT 'WE WERE CLRED TO TAXI TO RWY 4,' HE REPLIED THAT 'TAXI TO RWY 4 DOES NOT GIVE YOU CLRNC TO CROSS THE ACTIVE RWY, AND YOU HAVE JUST CREATED A RWY INCURSION.' I ACKNOWLEDGED HIS XMISSION. WE DEPARTED THE ARPT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. UPON ARRIVING BACK AT OUR HOME BASE, I RESEARCHED THE PHRASE 'TAXI TO RWY X' IN THE AIM. THERE I FOUND THAT THE CTLR WAS RIGHT. TAXIING TO A RWY DOESN'T GIVE ONE CLRNC TO CROSS THE ACTIVE RWY. UPON DISCUSSING THIS PHRASE WITH SEVERAL PLTS, INCLUDING A RETIRED CHK AIRMAN FOR A MAJOR AIRLINE, WE ALL AGREED THAT THE PHRASE 'TAXI TO RWY X' IS MISLEADING, CONFUSING AND UNSAFE. UNLESS YOU READ, UNDERSTAND, REMEMBER AND APPLY THE PHRASE (FROM THE AIM) IN AN ACTUAL CIRCUMSTANCE, WE ALL FELT THAT THE NATURAL UNDERSTANDING OF 'TAXI TO RWY X' IS THAT ONE WOULD BE CLRED TO TAXI ALL THE WAY TO THE RWY IN QUESTION. TODAY I CALLED THE TWR SUPVR AT NEW BERN AND HAD A GOOD CONVERSATION WITH HIM REGARDING THIS INCIDENT. HE INFORMED ME THAT THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED TO TELL PLTS TO 'HOLD SHORT OF RWY X' WHEN ISSUING TAXI INSTRUCTIONS THAT REQUIRE ONE TO CROSS THE ACTIVE RWY. IF WE ARE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT RWY SAFETY AND REDUCING RWY INCURSIONS, HOW LONG DOES IT REALLY TAKE FOR THE GND CTLR TO ADD TO HIS INSTRUCTION 'TAXI TO RWY 4, HOLD SHORT OF THE ACTIVE' AND ADD THAT EXTRA SAFETY MARGIN? MY STUDENT AND MYSELF LEARNED A LOT FROM THIS. I WILL BE CERTAIN TO BRIEF STUDENTS ABOUT TAXIING ACROSS ACTIVE RWYS. IN ADDITION, I WILL INCORPORATE A REVIEW OF OPS AT TWRED ARPTS FOR ALL FLT REVIEWS I CONDUCT IN THE FUTURE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.