Hey guys,

I don't mean to be an ass, just want to offer some tribal knowledge since we are seeing more and more of you folks at ORD these days and from the looks of it, some guys are not familiar with some of the goofy little nuances of the place. With the merger I'm sure we'll be seeing more of you and maybe this can help some of your fellow pilots.

When you push off F-14, please don't flip around and face A until you get a taxi clearance. When someone has flipped around and sits, the flights at F-12B-D can't be boarded. We all know how long it can take to get a taxi clearance and if you sit blasting the 12 gates, you may end up inadvertently delaying some other flights. Same thing down at B-22. If you 1/2 turn out before you get a taxi clearance, they may not board the other plane.

Having pushed off the F-11/12 gates, please pull forward to the edge of A when you are ready to taxi and waiting for clearance. Don't sit right in front of your gate. Ramp will often bring the next plane for your gate in one side of the alley, or Y and then turn them around behind you. If you don't pull up, they can't get in. It can cause a traffic jam at the end of the alley and someone has to take a lap.

Finally, when exiting a runway, keep moving. A couple weeks ago, I had the great sit on M short of M2 waiting for my gate. We watched a guy clear 10, and he could not get a word in on ground so he stopped (lot of hangar repos, and foreign crews so it was crazy on ground). The plane behind him had to roll to the next taxiway before he could clear and the third guy had to go around. A few minutes later, an American 757 did the same thing and the sequence repeated itself. We watched 2 go arounds in maybe 15 minutes. Figure out the flow of traffic and keep moving. Ground knows you're there, he'll get to you.

Again, I am not trying to bag on anyone. I am just trying to offer some tidbits I've learned in my years based there. Hope it can help!

 

That place is a GD nightmare and you're advocating people to keep the rig moving, I get it but really ask yourself is it that wrong that someone doesn't want to get violated ?

 

Chicago wont violate you for the stuff he is mentioning. I think pilots, more often than not, throw themselves under the bus when the controllers could care less. Also, Ifly17 im sure you can understand, but we are so short staffed we get crews from all bases that just aren't familiar with chicago when they show up, but your advice is appreciated.

 

It is true . . . you will not get violated . . . golden, golden rule at ORD is NEVER, EVER stop your aircraft. Keep it moving somewhere, just don't hit anybody or anything.

The best taxi clearance I have ever personally heard on the radio at ORD was for a Polish (LOT) heavy - it went something like this after several radio transmissions where the LOT pilot just could not get the taxi clearance readback correct for the rather complicated taxi instruction to the runway - "LOT 123 Heavy taxi to 32L, I don't care how you get there, just get there, and don't hit anybody or anything." Guess what happened next? Everybody survived!!

ORD is the best. You gotta love one of the worlds busiest airports where if you just keep moving you will not get in trouble, where there is only ONE departure procedure, and it is radar vectored.

 

Violated? Huh? The long running joke is that ORD is the world's largest uncontrolled airport.

 

Taxi instructions can be long and complicated in that place. I've noticed that sometimes their so busy that they just tell you "standard taxi" when you exit the runway. If you don't know what the standard taxi is, query the controller.

 

I actually got that clearance once at night after a long day and I stumbled a little on the read back.

Also you are always cleared to land unless told otherwise. Once I was coming in to 22R and tower was busy getting guys off 14L. I couldn't get a word in. Finally over Target, I said we are over target for 22R in a expedited voice. The controller said you are always cleared to land and you are always cleared to taxi to your gate if it is open. If it is not open you are cleared to taxi to the box. If I see a safety conflict with any of those we will tell you to do something else.

The ORD guys are great. If you are on ARC or have a long sit go up into the tower and talk to them. They welcome pilots up there and you'll probably learn something.

 

or look at the chart with the standard taxi routes on it.

but anyway, good post. we've all been there. we were all new to o'hare once. it can definitely be daunting. but like someone else said, DO NOT STOP and you will be fine. obviously, don't cross any hold short lines or cross any runways. stop at those! but once you're inside all the runways, keep moving, figure out the traffic flow (clockwise or counterclockwise) and get in line. i promise you the worst thing that will happen is that you'll drive around the airport a full circuit before you get to talk to ground.

if you're not causing them problems, they literally couldn't care less about what you're doing. it's true!

 

If you don't know what the standard taxi is you should check your 10-7 pages.

 

It can get so busy there that the ground controller will never let off his transmit button to allow anyone to say anything. I have landed, taxied twice around the loop, then parked at the gate and never was able to talk to ground.