Champion Citabria 7ECA
Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Commercial
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 12.1; Flight Crew Total 1042.8; Flight Crew Type 7.0
Communication Breakdown; Human-Machine Interface; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Returned To Gate; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft; Human Factors
The flight was an instructional/checkout flight in the FBO's Citabria 7GCBC. I was sitting in the front seat and my instructor/check pilot was in the back seat. [After we] were cleared to taxi to the run-up area for RWY by ground control I had some trouble maintaining directional control while taxiing. When we got to the run-up area; my instructor exited the airplane to look at the tail wheel. He was out of the plane before I could advise ground control of our intent. My instructor discovered that the tail wheel was flat. As my instructor was coming back into the plane; Ground Control advised that; in the future; no one should exit the airplane once in the movement area without advising the tower/ground and without receiving permission. There were no other planes in the run-up area.I apologized to the tower/ground controller and nothing more was said. My instructor advised the controller that we would need to shut down and probably be towed back to the ramp. He asked the controller to contact the FBO by telephone; which the controller did; and he then advised us that the FBO would send a mechanic out to the plane.From my perspective; I have always contacted tower/ground before exiting a plane or if something unusual results during the run-up. In this case I did not follow my normal procedures because I was with an instructor and I deferred to him. This is a good example of what not to do. Just because an instructor was present; I should not have abdicated control of the situation to him. I was PIC and should have advised him to remain in the airplane until I spoke with the tower/ground controller.
When the instructor/check out pilot exited the aircraft at the run-up area to inspect the condition of the Citabria's tailwheel due to directonal control issues on taxi out; Ground Control remonstrated the reporter/pilot being checked as to the need to coordinate any such egress in a movement area with ATC.