All  taxiways and runways are denoted alphanumerically with signage embossed with large letters
and numbers.

Air traffic control oversees the maze of aircraft and vehicles by issuing specific instructions, and when a pilot is told to "holdshort," i.e. wait for further clearance on the runway or taxiway, instructions must be read back to the controller in their entirety.

However, the rapid-fire radio lingo of a busy airport can sometimes make manoeuvring at ground level challenging -  English is the international language but accents, long flights and unfamiliar airports all add to the equation.

Luckily for me, in the Boeing 787 I have a huge navigation screen - a.k.a. the 'Jum·bo·tron' -  which depicts runways, taxiways and gates.

This article originally appeared in the July 2018 edition of Air Canada's enRoute MagazineExternal site which may not meet accessibility guidelines. as Takeoff with Captain Doug.