Definition
Painted markings on a taxiway that indicate the point where an aircraft must stop when it does not have clearance to enter or cross the runway. They consist of four yellow lines -- two solid and two dashed -- running across the taxiway, with the solid lines on the side from which the aircraft is approaching the runway.
Plain English
A line painted across the taxiway that tells the pilot to stop and not go any further toward the runway without permission.
Context Anchor
Seen on taxiways near runway entrances and exits, especially when taxiing off the runway after landing or waiting to cross or enter a runway.
Why Pilots Care
They prevent runway incursions by establishing a clear stop point until ATC issues clearance to proceed.
Analogy
They work like a stop line at a busy road crossing, but for runway boundaries. You do not treat the boundary as clear until the whole vehicle is past it.
Intuition Check
Do not read “holding position” as a general waiting spot. In this context, it means a specific painted boundary line that controls movement into or out of a runway area.
Example Sentence 1
After landing, the pilot continued taxiing past the runway holding position markings before stopping to complete the after-landing checklist.
Example Sentence 2
The crew identified the runway holding position markings on the taxiway and held short until the controller cleared them onto the active runway.