Editor’s Note: Whether you are a seasoned aviator or just embarking on your flying journey, exploring new destinations is one of the most thrilling parts of being a pilot. Sporty’s created a new digital guide takes this excitement to the next level by showcasing 50 fun flying destinations across the United States—Sportys.com/FunFlying. Enjoy these helpful tips for a successful weekend getaway from contributing author, Eric Carnahan.

You have earned your pilot’s certificate. You are ready to spread your wings for your first weekend getaway. This is part of the reason you learned to fly.

Weekend getaways are part of the fun of having a pilot certificate.

After you have decided on your destination, what should you concern yourself with other than the usual preflight planning?

First, what services does the FBO provide? There typically are fees to park overnight, but perhaps those fees are waived with a minimum fuel purchase. Investigate whether the entire fee is waived or just a portion.

For ground transportation, are rental cars available and will you be able to pick up and return the rental to the airport? If not, will the rental car company be able to pick you up and return you to the airport on your planned departure day? Or maybe an Uber or Lyft is all that is necessary.

How about fuel availability—is it full-service or self-service? Is the pump operational? NOTAMS may or may not have been published if the equipment is not operational. Have you ever used a self-serve pump? Depending on where you learned to fly, you may not have had to fuel the airplane. It is not difficult, but you may want to make sure that someone is at the airport who can assist if needed.

There is nothing like trying to depart on a Sunday morning and needing assistance when no one is around. The departure date or day of the week can make a difference. Check the FBO operating hours and emergency (after hours) phone number. I always plan for enough fuel to fly to another airport for fuel if something happens and I am not able to fuel up at the destination airport.

If it is an unattended airport you intend to visit, are tie-downs available? And not just the physical place to tie down, but the ropes or chains to secure the aircraft? If not, you may have to bring a tie-down kit along. Are hangars available if the weather becomes an issue, such as frost on a cool morning or if thunderstorms develop? Who would you call to have the aircraft moved if necessary?

Are hangars available if the weather becomes an issue?

You will typically be required to provide a credit card after arriving at the airport. If there is more than one FBO, do all accept general aviation aircraft? Is a reservation required for your arrival?

A phone call or email to the FBO can answer these questions before the flight, helping to eliminate any stress after you arrive. Make sure to have phone numbers for the FBO. Some FBOs want you to call ahead so they can move the aircraft closer to the terminal so that you don’t have to carry your luggage across the ramp to the plane.

Also, consider all of the available airports in the area you are flying into. The landing fees may be a little more expensive at a larger airport, but you may have better availability of a rental car and rates for the car may be cheaper.

Lastly, have a plan of what you will do if the weather will not let you depart as you planned. Even the best weather planning can change your planned departure.

Line up and wait is an air traffic control (ATC) procedure designed to position an aircraft onto the runway for an imminent departure in order to expedite the flow of traffic. The procedure is not available at all towered airports and is subject to a number of restrictions. When a pilot hears the ATC instruction LINE UP AND WAIT he is cleared to taxi onto the departure runway and position the aircraft for takeoff. In earlier aviation days, this was known as “position and hold” but the phrase was updated to provide additional clarity.

ATC Procedure

Line up and wait is an ATC procedure that is only used at certain tower-controlled airports.

An important distinction is that line up and wait is an ATC procedure. It is conducted at certain tower controlled airports where the tower controller knows what he or she has instructed the previous aircraft to do. The reason for a line up and wait instruction is often due to a prior aircraft still being on the current runway or a crossing runway and the controller wanting to expedite the takeoff of the line up and wait aircraft. The reason for expediting this takeoff may be that there is another aircraft on final or in the pattern that will soon be ready to land. The controller is in a position to see all three aircraft and make modifications if the timing is off or there is a delay due to a pilot error in one of the aircraft.

You should be aware, that a line up and wait instruction from ATC is not an authorization to takeoff. You should expect an authorization to takeoff shortly after the controller is satisfied that the condition that delayed you is now safe. If you do not receive a takeoff clearance within a reasonable amount of time, you should contact the controller and remind him or her that you are there. Accidents have occurred after a controller forgot an aircraft waiting on the runway and cleared another airplane to land on that same runway.

Even when following line up and wait instructions at tower controlled airport, it is important for you as the pilot in command to remain vigilant and situationally aware. Listen to the instructions and clearances that the tower is giving to other aircraft in the area. If you hear a clearance to land where you are currently waiting, be alert and ready to call the tower if necessary. You might also consider lining up at a slight angle that affords a better view of landing aircraft approaching behind you.

You should be especially vigilant at night, during reduced visibility, and when the airport is using line up and wait operations on more than one runway. Listen carefully for your call sign and the runway that you are using. Be alert for similar sounding call signs and avoid following the instructions for a different aircraft than yours. When in doubt, contact ATC for clarification. If you are unable to raise ATC, have an escape plan for getting you and your aircraft to a safe location if you are concerned about another aircraft landing in your location.

If you are the landing aircraft and you hear ATC give line up and wait instructions to an aircraft on the runway to which you have been cleared to land, bensure that the aircraft has departed before you land. Even if you haven’t heard a line up and wait clearance, be sure that runway is clear before landing. Do not hesitate to ask ATC about any traffic that you see on the runway where you are landing.

Line Up and Wait Is Not Applicable at Non-Towered Airports

Line up and wait is an ATC procedure that should not be used by pilots at non-towered airports.

Line up and wait procedures were never intended for use at non-towered airports despite being common practice with some pilots. As indicated, it is an ATC procedure. Without the additional eyes of the controller, and his or her knowledge of the instructions issued to other aircraft, it is simply not a safe procedure to perform.

As the pilot in command of an aircraft that is ready to takeoff, you have no real idea of the intentions of the aircraft that is temporarily blocking your takeoff runway. Will he make the intersection? Will he roll the full length of the runway? How fast will he taxi to the runway exit? Is he unsure of his surroundings and unsure where to turn? Will his takeoff follow a standard pattern departure? Will he abort the takeoff? You may think that you know but you really do not know when the runway will be clear.

Once you are positioned for takeoff, your ability to see the runway’s approach is seriously limited. How close is that final traffic getting? Is there another aircraft approach that is not using a radio? Does the approaching pilot see or hear you?

Is your life and the life of your passengers really not worth waiting until the runway is clear?