What should you do after landing and clearing the runway at a towered airport?

After landing and clearing the runway at a towered airport, it's important to stay on the tower frequency until you receive specific instructions. This practice ensures that the tower controller is fully aware of your position and any potential traffic conflicts on the runway and taxiways. It allows for better communication and coordination, ensuring safety and efficiency on the airport surface.

When you remain on the tower frequency, the controller can provide you with detailed taxi instructions, which might include routing to the terminal, waiting for other traffic, or other important notifications regarding your next steps. This helps to maintain a clear understanding of the situation as you transition from the active runway to the taxiway.

Switching to ground frequency immediately without instructions may interrupt communication, and there could be critical information that you might miss from the tower controller. Likewise, contacting the delivery controller or beginning to taxi without guidance could also lead to confusion and possible safety issues. Safely managing coordination and communication during this phase of flight is essential for all pilots.