When a taxi clearance to a runway is issued to an aircraft, confirm that the aircraft has the correct ___.

• A. Route
• B. Call sign
• C. Taxiway assignment
• D. Runway assignment

Answer: (D)

When you’re cleared to taxi to a runway, the most important thing to verify is that the aircraft is assigned the correct runway for departure. The runway determines which path the aircraft will take on the ground and, ultimately, which strip it will line up on for takeoff, so confirming the intended runway prevents parts of the surface movement plan from going off course and helps avoid runway incursions. The taxi route and the call sign may be part of the clearance, but ensuring the correct runway assignment is the critical check in this scenario. If there’s any doubt about the runway in use, the crew should seek clarification before proceeding.