Definition
An airport operating practice in which a runway is used not only for takeoffs and landings but also as a surface for aircraft to taxi on. This dual role is common at smaller airports that lack a full parallel taxiway, and it is recognized as a contributing factor to runway incursions and runway confusion because aircraft taxiing on the runway must share that surface with arriving and departing traffic.
Plain English
Using the same strip of pavement both as a runway and as a path for aircraft to drive along on the ground. Pilots taxi on it and also take off and land on it.
Context Anchor
Seen in airport layout and runway confusion discussions, especially when reading about why pilots may mistake a runway for a taxi route or enter the wrong surface.
Why Pilots Care
Failure to recognize or correctly follow this procedure increases the chance of runway incursions or conflicts with arriving and departing traffic.
Grounding Statement
Picture a runway that is not only a takeoff and landing strip, but also part of the path aircraft use to move around the airport on the ground.
Intuition Check
Do not assume a runway is only used for takeoffs and landings. In this context, the same runway surface may also be used for taxiing when airport procedures or instructions allow it.
Example Sentence 1
Because the field has no parallel taxiway, the joint use of a runway as a taxiway means pilots must announce their position and intentions clearly before back-taxiing for departure.
Example Sentence 2
During joint use of a runway as a taxiway, pilots must remain alert for landing traffic and hold short when instructed.