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3 Answers

Right of way

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Student Pilot

Who has the right of way at an uncontrolled airport? A lower airplane or a glider above it?

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3 Answers



  1. ayavner on Jan 17, 2019

    Hi there – your reference is here https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/14/91.113 or the AIM, but can you tell us a little more about your scenario here?

    its tempting to say “the glider”, but tell us more about where each aircraft is positioned relative to the airport in question. do you mean both trying to enter the pattern at the same time or is the airplane already on short final? Is there a conflict?

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  2. grmm on Jan 17, 2019

    Thanks ayavner…the question doesn’t explicitly say if I am landing or not. Therefore, would it be the glider since it’s less maneuverable? If the question said we were both landing, then the lower airplane would have the right away, right?

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  3. KDS on Jan 18, 2019

    Imagine you’re in a glider on approach to land and there is also an airplane on approach to land. The airplane pilot sees you in your glider on approach and decides that his airplane has the right of way because he is (left, right, above, below, in front of, or behind) the glider. You try your best to avoid hitting the airplane, but an accident results. Assuming you’re still able to walk, would you get out of your glider an apologize to the airplane pilot?

    Try to imagine that scenario and you should be able to answer your own question.

    Remember, I said it is an intentional decision on the part of the airplane pilot. It’s not a matter of he couldn’t see you and didn’t know you were there.

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