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This video shows an auto land into Schiphol during bad weather / LVP (Low Visibility Procedures).

After reporting vacated, the ATC instruction is quite short (around 2:45). Simply the gate number. (I'm not sure if part of the conversation is omitted during editing, but nothing seems to suggest that.) This is my transcription of it:

  • Pilot: Ground, hello, 4A, vacated S3
    • ATC: 4A, stand D5
  • Pilot: Stand D5, 4A

As you can see (read, hear), no route is given. I checked the Dutch eAIP but found nothing. The only thing I found is from a Jeppesen chart (dated 2005):

enter image description here

The highlight above hints at, but not explicitly, that taxi routing is not necessarily given – or so I understand it.

If more specificity than EASA is needed, then EHAM would do.

Initially I thought it's a follow-the-greens, but then at the intersection shown below both directions were illuminated:

enter image description here

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  • $\begingroup$ I don't know, but that's the fastest taxiing I've ever seen! I hope it's sped up for the video. $\endgroup$
    – TomMcW
    May 24, 2019 at 18:45
  • $\begingroup$ @TomMcW: Yep, it's sped up in editing, so is the initial approach :) $\endgroup$
    – user14897
    May 24, 2019 at 18:48
  • $\begingroup$ Railroad guy here. I don't get it. If the pilot is only meant to take one taxi route, why are both lit up? Shouldn't that be interlocked to be impossible? $\endgroup$
    – Harper - Reinstate Monica
    May 25, 2019 at 14:32
  • $\begingroup$ @Harper: This type of signalling (follow-the-greens) is a very recent development and is not everywhere. For the standard method used see: How do pilots identify the taxi path to the runway? $\endgroup$
    – user14897
    May 25, 2019 at 15:31
  • $\begingroup$ @Harper: Thinking some more about what you said, take the high tech stuff that made FTG possible, and you'll see that the tower can't see the plane in all weather conditions, doesn't know which exit a plane would use to leave the runway, and the fact that there are other planes, i.e., a landing before/after that needs that turn to a different gate, plus the other traffic, all explain why the centerline lights don't have switching, except when you add in the high tech stuff. $\endgroup$
    – user14897
    May 25, 2019 at 15:52

1 Answer 1

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It has nothing to do with LVP, but with the fact that there are standard routes at Schiphol to the main piers;

From the AIP AD 2.1 (EHAM) section 2.1:

Aircraft shall comply with the standard taxi routings to and from the stands as depicted on AD 2.EHAM-GMC. Deviations from the standard taxi routings will be given timely to the pilot by Schiphol Ground.

The AD 2.EHAM-GMC (Ground Movement Chart) shows the following in the legend:

Screenshot from the legend of the chart, showing symbol for standard routing

Late at night, when there is almost no traffic, there is no need to hold aircraft or deviate from the standard route.

The crew is Dutch, they are at their home based, so they are well aware of the routing. So ATC only gives their stand, knowing they will find their way.

There's a double taxiway almost fully around the central terminal area. The outer ring is counterclockwise, the inner ring is for clockwise traffic. The exit for RWY 06 leads straight onto the counter clockwise taxiway. From there you can follow that until A10, which leads you to the D5 gate. There is basically no other way.

the taxi route

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