"Dave" wrote in message
oups.com...

I had a similar experience awhile back. While taxiing out for takeoff
I heard an announcement on the CTAF - delivered so fast as to be
unintelligible. After completing my checklist I did a 360 to
scan for traffic. Nothing - So I took the runway and announced my
takeoff. Then somebody piped up on the channel lambasting me about not
keeping clear of the runway for the "approaching IFR traffic".
So I looked again - and lo and behold, there it was: a speck in the
sky approaching from downwind. I could easily have taken off and
turned crosswind before there would have been a conflict - but elected
to hold on the ground. Then I discovered that my place at
the hold short line had been taken by another aircraft, and there was
no room to return to the taxiway (without going off into the grass).
So I announced "holding at the departure end" and remained there until
the approaching aircraft declared a missed and passed overhead.

So who is right and who is wrong in that situation? Am I obliged to
vacate the runway by any means (at the risk of damaging my aircraft)
just because somebody is "landing" (though he may actually be planning
to execute a missed approach) - or is the runway "mine" because I am
occupying it, and got there first?


Although he made one or more mistakes in not clearly announcing is position
and intentions, and perhaps approaching the wrong direction (depending on
the winds) - the landing aircraft does have the right-of-way over aircraft
operating on the surface. The only exception is aircraft that have just
landed, and are attempting to clear the runway.

Your post also states that you took the runway, and then announced your
intentions. Always announce taking the active at least 10 seconds on so
before you actually do. That way a landing aircraft has time to respond. If
he knew you were taking the active, you would have probably heard from him
before you crossed the line.