On 2007-11-28 18:54:54 -0800, "Vaughn Simon"
said:



I landed at a very quiet uncontrolled field a few weeks ago. As I taxied
back on the taxiway for my departure, I kept hearing a helicopter calling out
pattern legs for a place called "tango".

The same right of way rules apply to a taxiway as anywhere else for
aviation. If the aircraft are "converging," then whoever is on the
right has the right of way. Airplanes do not have the right of way over
rotorcraft. Landing aircraft have right of way over aircraft whether
they are in flight or maneuvering on the ground.

Aircraft on the water follow the same rules as any other watercraft.
Even the morons on jet skis are supposed to follow those rules,
although for some reason they seem to be completely unaware of them --
to their peril.

§Â*91.113Â*Â*Â*Right-of-way rules: Except water operations.
(a) Inapplicability. This section does not apply to the operation of an
aircraft on water.
(b) General. When weather conditions permit, regardless of whether an
operation is conducted under instrument flight rules or visual flight
rules, vigilance shall be maintained by each person operating an
aircraft so as to see and avoid other aircraft. When a rule of this
section gives another aircraft the right-of-way, the pilot shall give
way to that aircraft and may not pass over, under, or ahead of it
unless well clear.
(c) In distress. An aircraft in distress has the right-of-way over all
other air traffic.
(d) Converging. When aircraft of the same category are converging at
approximately the same altitude (except head-on, or nearly so), the
aircraft to the other's right has the right-of-way. If the aircraft are
of different categories—
(1) A balloon has the right-of-way over any other category of aircraft;
(2) A glider has the right-of-way over an airship, powered parachute,
weight-shift-control aircraft, airplane, or rotorcraft.
(3) An airship has the right-of-way over a powered parachute,
weight-shift-control aircraft, airplane, or rotorcraft.
However, an aircraft towing or refueling other aircraft has the
right-of-way over all other engine-driven aircraft.
(e) Approaching head-on. When aircraft are approaching each other
head-on, or nearly so, each pilot of each aircraft shall alter course
to the right.
(f) Overtaking. Each aircraft that is being overtaken has the
right-of-way and each pilot of an overtaking aircraft shall alter
course to the right to pass well clear.
(g) Landing. Aircraft, while on final approach to land or while
landing, have the right-of-way over other aircraft in flight or
operating on the surface, except that they shall not take advantage of
this rule to force an aircraft off the runway surface which has already
landed and is attempting to make way for an aircraft on final approach.
When two or more aircraft are approaching an airport for the purpose of
landing, the aircraft at the lower altitude has the right-of-way, but
it shall not take advantage of this rule to cut in front of another
which is on final approach to land or to overtake that aircraft.
[Doc. No. 18334, 54 FR 34294, Aug. 18, 1989, as amended by Amdt.
91-282, 69 FR 44880, July 27, 2004]
--
Waddling Eagle
World Famous Flight Instructor