Backtaxi is an airport ground procedure which involves the use of any portion of a runway as a taxiway for an aircraft to taxi in the opposite direction from which it will take off or has landed. The procedure is commonly used at smaller airports and private strips which may not have separate paved taxiways parallel to the runway. It is a higher-risk procedure, as pilots may not see, or hear the radio transmissions from, aircraft taxiing on the runway.