Definition
A taxiway that joins a runway at a shallow angle, allowing a landing aircraft to leave the runway at a higher speed than a standard 90-degree exit permits. Designed to reduce runway occupancy time and increase airport capacity.
Plain English
A taxiway that branches off the runway at a gentle angle so an airplane can turn off without slowing all the way down, clearing the runway faster for the next arrival or departure.
Context Anchor
Seen on airport diagrams, runway exit signs, and during landing rollout when deciding where to leave the runway.
Derivation
Exit comes from the Latin idea of “going out.” In aviation, the word points to the place where an aircraft goes out of the runway environment and onto another paved path.
Why Pilots Care
Reduces runway occupancy time, increases airport capacity, and lowers the chance of delays or go-arounds behind slower traffic.
Analogy
Like a freeway off-ramp that curves away gently so cars can exit without stopping, instead of a sharp 90-degree turn that forces traffic to slow to a crawl.
Intuition Check
High-speed does not mean the pilot should leave the runway at any speed they want. It means the exit is designed for a smoother, faster turnoff than a standard sharp runway exit.
Example Sentence 1
After touchdown, the tower asked us to take the high-speed exit at taxiway Bravo to clear the runway for the following arrival.
Example Sentence 2
The airport diagram showed two high-speed exits available on the 9,000-foot runway.