Taxiway names

[JonathanB]

Is there a system for naming taxiways?
I've noticed that Taxiways that parallel runways are A and B unless there is more than one runway and or the runways aren't parallel. It would help in remembering the names if there is a system. Thanks.

[roe]

Is there a system for naming taxiways?
I've noticed that Taxiways that parallel runways are A and B unless there is more than one runway and or the runways aren't parallel. It would help in remembering the names if there is a system. Thanks.

I'm sure there's a system somewhere, and I think it's something like this: All taxiways are named A, B, so forth, and 'exits' from the taxiway (either to other taxiways, parking, runways etc) are numbered on top of that, so A1, A2, etc. The difference between taxiway and 'exit' can get blurry sometimes though, there's an airport in Italy which had a runway incursion disaster a couple of years back, if I recall correctly, all the taxiways are called R+number, which would imply there's only one taxiway (R), and all the others (which go around the entire airport) are just exits to and from that taxiway. At Frankfurt Hahn (not Frankfurt Main, which is the big one and have a normal naming scheme, Hahn is a smaller one, way off in the west, frequented by RyanAir) in Germany, all exits have their own letters, there's a big taxiway A along the entire length of the runway, exits are labeled C, D, E, F, G, and M. There are also two exits on the displaced threshold for runway 3 called B1 and B2, but there's no B, so here they must've figured "they are so close to each other let's give 'em the same letter".

Don't know if I helped much, and I'm sure someone has a documented naming scheme somwhere, but that's how I think of it anyway.

[ronr530]

In looking at the airport diagram for KJFK, the two loop taxiways that go around the entire airport are A and B.  I can't say for sure, but this may be the norm whenever there are loop taxiways or "main" taxiways that run past all the terminals at an airport.  Looking at KLGA, this idea holds true.  But if you look at KORD, the taxiway that loops around all the terminals is B.  There is an A taxiway but it's a short one located at the northeast corner of the terminal area.  The taxiways that exit the ramp area and cross over B are labeled A1, A2, etc.  At KJFK these same taxiways are labeled with two letters and don't seem to follow any pattern.  In fact some of them have their own single letter label.  And KLGA is different again.  And for KLGA the Z taxiway and Y taxiway are at complete opposite ends of the airport and at KJFK they intersect each other.  It doesn't look like any system to me.

[InterpreDemon]

Take a look at KHPN, where I used to base.

http://155.178.201.160/d-tpp/1303/00651AD.PDF

Sort of shoots down earlier theories, though it appears they started with the main taxiway for the main runway (16/34) and went up with all the turn-offs, then jumped to the other side. Back when I flew there I think what is now Lima was Hotel, but all the FBOs have been moved since then, Westair formerly being on the southwest end of 16 across from Bravo.

[JonathanB]

I tried a search at the FAA web sight. Came up with nothing. Maybe Couldn't think of the right search criteria. Well maybe someone who knows will  see this and answer if there is a system or not? Thanks for everyone for their input.

[sykocus]

http://www.faa.gov/airports/engineering/

You might find something there.
 
AFAIK there are "guildlines" for naming taxiways but I think they are only guidelines. Not that long ago ORD added a branch of taxiways that had the same names as gates at the terminal. When controllers wanted to send emergency vehicles to taxiway W2 sometimes they would go to gate W2 and vice versa. It took a lot of pressure from the FAA to rename them.

You have to consider different airports  develop differently over the years. JFK was opened in 1948. That's years before the first jet airliners entered service. They probably didn't envision there would ever be much more then 20ish taxiways. As the number and size of aircraft increased they had to add pavement to to existing infrastructure. It's not practical it reame all the taxiways every time a new one is built. Other airports like IAH, were built in the modern era to be handle large numbers and large aircraft. You'll notice the taxiways on the west side of the airport are W_. The ones on the south side are S_.

[JonathanB]

sykocus,
I tried the link. Couldn't find anything.
InterpreDemon,
The crossing runways might have something to do with it and then again maybe there isn't a system.

[sykocus]

after a little more searching i did come across this

http://www.faa.gov/airports/engineering/engineering_briefs/media/EB_89.pdf

[JonathanB]

sykokocus,
Thanks. That seems to be the last word.

[SkyViking]

Back in the good ol days before guidelines and ICAO standardization, the A and B that loop around most major airports were called Inner and Outer. From JFK to LHR to ORD etc usually the perimeter taxiways around the ramp and aprons were referred as such.  Due to confusion by forign and non-familiar crews and close calls, the inner and outers were re-named and most were given Alpha and Bravo.  Kennedy controllers were famous for giving the following clearance after landing, "Clipper One Heavy, turn right on the outer, left on the inner, ground point niner!"