Real World question on Engine Runup

[Al FR-153]

In days of old, and my younger days, almost every airport with a paved runway (before blacktop runways) there was an engine runup pad/ hot spot, usually complete with a blast fence. Aircraft, one after another, would make their turn into the runup area before taking the active for takeoff. Today, those are gone from larger airports where jets are king and recips take a backseat to everything. I still do a runup (showing my age) but the question is WHERE? Is it done on the taxiway (where you have time to shut down in case of brake failure) at the hold-short line, after taking the active, or some other desired location (in real life)? I realize the engines are far more reliable, but still want to blow the carbon out before throttle up on the active.

Thanks in advance. It is a question that has been bugging me.

[Oracle427]

I usually do it at the hold short line, whether at a towered field or uncontrolled. At soft fields I do it before taxi but reposition the plane by hand to avoid blasting others.

[pilotgod]

Actually, quite a few airports will have a hammerhead near the end of the taxi way just before the runway. if they don't then the hold short line (if there are no aircraft behind you), or the "corner" where the taxi way turns to the runway are pretty good spots. If I have a ways to go to get to the runway, I will do the run-up on the roll as the high power settings are only needed briefly and I will be able to go slightly faster on an open taxi way then I can in a congested ramp area.

[Lewis - A2A]

Short hold from my experience but that's only little UK club strips.

EDIT;
Thinking about it, its before hold short depending on how busy the place is.

[JetSet321]

I try to get it done before I get to the hold short line, that way no one behind me is waiting on me while I do the run-up.

If there isn't a designated spot for run-ups, I'll usually turn the aircraft so its at a 45 degree angle to the the taxiway, that way my prop blast isn't hitting the aircraft behind me, and do the run-up while waiting in line to take the active.

[Al FR-153]

Thank you everyone. The consideration for fellow flyers is expected by not providing a good dose of prop-wash, but rarely have I had another bird close to my tail feathers on taxi in FSX. I have been doing it after the turn on the taxiway and before the hold-short, but wondered what was happening in the real world. Pilotgod, I haven't run into any FSX modeled hammerheads that I can remember. Having done quite a few airport mods in FSX, that is something that should be done too. I'll watch and see if I can find some in FSX.

Thank you ALL.

[pilotgod]

They are modelled wrong, but they are there. KPWT has a large square area at the corner to turn onto RWY 01 (real world, the taxi way is closed beyond this spot for the displaced threshold and the old pavement is used). My old airport in Texas, KGKY, has them in the default if I remember correctly.

[Rocket_Bird]

I think that you can technically do it anywhere so long as what's downwind of the propeller isn't facing any people or expensive property. I've done em in aprons, designated spots, and short of the runway on the taxiways. With towered airports, you can typically ask where on the field you can go to do your run up, especially if you are unfamiliar with the field. Some airports will tell you to go some obscure place, but it's not unusual that they tell you just short of the runways. Some smaller airports, I normally ask the locals where to best do it, and often what I get is simply right there on the apron.

[pilotgod]

I think that you can technically do it anywhere so long as what's downwind of the propeller isn't facing any people or expensive property. I've done em in aprons, designated spots, and short of the runway on the taxiways. With towered airports, you can typically ask where on the field you can go to do your run up, especially if you are unfamiliar with the field. Some airports will tell you to go some obscure place, but it's not unusual that they tell you just short of the runways. Some smaller airports, I normally ask the locals where to best do it, and often what I get is simply right there on the apron.

Yup, always know what is behind you. One of my CFI's flung a rock through the windshield of a Mercedes SLK that was parked 100 feet away the other side of the airport perimeter fence. He was not happy when he got back and met the disgruntled owner.

[JamieKugelmann]

At my local airport while training, I run up outside the planes' hanger first of all after startup and warm up, then taxi along to the runway and just before the runway there is a wide open space with other planes there where we run up also. I am flying a Tecnam P92 with a Rotax engine which is a lot different to the Lycoming or Continental engines. When I was training in a C150, we run up by turning into the wind just before the hold short line on the taxiway.

[Scott - A2A]

Sometimes when there isn't a runup area, you just have to find a little spot before the active where you won't blast anyone and do a fast runup. I don't understand what some of these pilots are doing running their planes up for so long. It really should be quick.

Scott.

[Oracle427]

I think some people do runup and also do all sorts of pre-takeoff activity such as setting up a flight plan in the GPS or their COMM and NAV radios. I could understand an IFR pilot waiting for a clearance, but they usually move off to the side while waiting. I get all the radios and other stuff set up before I taxi to save time and avoid getting in everyone else's way.

I got my first taste of a very busy day at KCDW yesterday with at least 4 aircraft doing a run-up. I noticed that there was a place near the hold short line of runway 28 and just beside the parking that you could squeeze into without blocking access to the runway. Unfortunately, everyone doing a run-up in there was either blasting the parked cars or the parked aircraft, neither of which seemed great. I guess you have to do with what you are given.

[Mitchell - A2A]

Sometimes when there isn't a runup area, you just have to find a little spot before the active where you won't blast anyone and do a fast runup. I don't understand what some of these pilots are doing running their planes up for so long. It really should be quick.

Scott.

Yes, a run up should take no more than 10 seconds in a basic aeroplane (fixed pitch prop) and no more than another 5-10 seconds per engine when cycling the prop(s) in a complex aeroplane. If there’s no one ahead and you have the space it can be done while taxiing on a long taxiway. On floats we do it in the beginning of the takeoff run. You don’t need to make a big deal of it; but ALWAYS do it before takeoff. Murphy’s Law says that the day you don’t do a run up is the day you will surely have an engine failure on takeoff because of one damn’ thing and/or another. It’s like when the plane always leaves on time when you’re late to airport but always leaves late when you’re on time.

Apropos to nothing at all, an old East End London mate of mine used to say, “Life is sometimes bollocks but the bleedin’ alternative is far soddin’ worse, init?”

Mitchell

[joe bob]

I was thinking this morning that perhaps I am the typical accusimmer.
A cold morning on the east coast, I decide to work the pattern while waiting for my daughter to get ready for school.
I carefully let my Cessna warm up then perform a proper run up before takeoff.
My daughter ready, we dash out to the car and I fire up the old Toyota, slam it into reverse and we are off inside of 30 seconds.
It kind of makes me wonder about about my priorities sometimes.

[Medtner]

Regarding the last post and cars I have noticed that after starting to fly the A2A-planes I let my car warm up more before driving (or at least pushing it hard).
I drive a Citroën 2cv, so its 602cc 2-cyl engine does probably not take much to get the oil flowing, but I listen more carefully to it and always let it warm up more before driving. (the benefit is that all the 29 HP are available when it is warm!)