Originally Posted by
VRFast
For airports without a control tower, no ATC, pilots operate using the see and avoid method if weather permits. You’re obviously supposed to be safe and stay away from other airplanes, look both ways before crossing a runway and when taking off and landing. Sometimes it could get dicey depending on flight volume, new pilots soloing, etc. Not sure if this was one of those airports without a tower. At a “controlled airport” close encounters like that shouldn’t happen.
Honolulu definitely has a tower. Plus, the runways are shared by the adjacent Hickam Air Force base. There’s a bit of traffic at HNL between commercial passenger planes, private planes, military and cargo traffic, plus helicopters.