Plane Answers: What preparation does a pilot do prior to a flight? {Gadling}

Oct 13th 2009 12:27PM I am a former Captain at USAirways Express."Could this be the reason for tarmac delays." No! It is a matter traffic flow at the Airport Traffic Area. 2 of the contributing factors for delays are the volume of airplanes scheduled to depart and arrive at a given time period in the Airport Traffic Area, and the weather can reduce this volume."It appears to be in your best intrest to push back and wait." Yes, it would be but there are other reasons for the push back.You have to get in line with" Air Traffic Control" for your departure. Once you push off the gate and call ground control for taxi then that puts you in sequence for departure.The Airline also wants you push off the gate and taxi so that they can use the space for arriving traffic.