Landing clearance???

[81Horse]

I had this happen to me today, and I would've asked my instructor had he been there.

Your instructor? Of course you should have asked the controller, who actually was there. Or looked for a green light.

BTW, it's very poor technique for a controller to use the words "land" or "take-off" except as part of the actual clearance to do so -- the potential for confusion is just too great. I can't recall ever hearing "to land" as part of sequence instructions. Are you quite sure you heard the controller correctly?

 

[mcjohn]

I'm surprised on one has metioned this. If he told you that you would be number 2 behind a cherokee then you need to start looking for that cherokee and tell the controller that you're "looking for the cherokee." Once you have it in sight and advise the controller THEN you can expect a clearance to land.

 

[Pantherjon]

Thats right mcjohn, response should sound like this:
N1234: Roger, #2 behind cherokee, looking for traffic(or cherokee spotted)

To which the tower should then say follow traffic, cleared to land

 

[Amish RakeFight]

Definately not a clearance to land. He was only sequencing you and this can quickly be changed depending on traffic popping up.

Many times you'll be told that you're number 2 behind so-and-so, and shortly after some private jet gets close (approach hands them off to the tower and so the tower guy has to fit them in since jets burn fuel much faster down low and generally have wider circling/maneuvering radius') and they generally get priority. Tower will end up resequencing you and may see a better setup by making you number 3, 4 or even 5 depending on other small planes on either side of the downwind simultaneously.

Anyway, ALWAYS expect to hear "cleared to land" before puttign those wheels down.

 

[Amish RakeFight]

One other thing. It's not totally uncommon to hear that your landign clerance has been canceled either. Sometimes this will happen when he needs to resequence you and things may get so busy he'll put you back on the downwind. This may happen becasue of faster traffic behind you or an aircraft that has not yet fully cleared the runway after landing. A slow departure roll can casue this as well.

 

[jergbsn]

Some grumps might get pissy, but it's much better than screwing something up and getting in trouble, or worse...

Who cares if they get upset, that's what they are there for. To help us out... Always, always, ask if your uncertain

 

[skiandsurf]

I know this is probably not right, but here is my story...

Flying into EWR, VFR conditions, cleared for the visual 22L. Tower is talking to everyone but us. The plane behind me checks in at the marker and the tower says "number 2, cleared to land behind the jetstream on short final". I was the jetstream on short final. I still could not get a word in. I knew that the tower knew about us, he just talked about us. I could see that the runway was clear. We landed and I called the tower as we rolled onto the highspeed exit, saying " Nerwark tower it XYZ clear of 22L on taxiway "E"". He had no problem with what we did. My reasoning for not going around, it would have created a bigger problem.

This was over 10 years ago, never been in that situation since.

 

[minitour]

I need to hear those words...it's just something I have to hear.

I flew down 6L at CLE about 1500' one day because they forgot they switched me to the L vs the R and didn't clear me to land, then I couldn't get in a word...finally cleared me to land.

I've just gotta hear those words.

-mini

 

[Sniper Bob]

It's a two-way street, my friend. I only spent about a year in a tower (Dayton, OH) but in that time I was really taken aback at the number of times (probably twice a month) someone came sliding down final with nary a word and touched down. Usually they'd turn off the runway, then you could see them hesitate... and they'd come up on ground frequency.

Once in a while, someone would ask, "uh, tower, did we check in?" My stock answer was, "I didn't hear you so I shot you the green light". Covering your A, there, Cappy.

Other than the powerlines, that's my second-most hated recurring dream.

I've also gotten the "cessna 12345, no need to respond, cleared to land 17R" while in the flare.

 

[Vector4fun]

If I don't remember somebody checking in on final, I'll generally just broadcast "XXX123, cleared to land Rwy17" or similar. Sometimes they answer, sometimes they don't, no biggie. If I needed somebody to go around, I'd be in the final controller's ear, or on guard freq. or something. 99% of the time, I don't. The if the crew asks a sheepish question clearing the runway, we're all covered.

Of course, I'm in a radar tower and have been watching your tag for 15 miles. Where it might be more of a problem is at the little Class D tower without radar. That controller might have forgotten you, and really need a reminder that you're short final....

 

[FL420]

If I'm passing about 500 feet above TDZE assuming a clear runway or a little lower with an aircraft still on the runway and haven't heard the magic words cleared to land I bust in with verify(callsign) is cleared to land. If I don't get a positive response I tell the PF/PNF to prepare to go around.

 

[Lrjtcaptain]

Yes it is

mmm.......If you think thats a landing clearence boss, you best go back and relearn alot especially if you claim to be flying the Shorts, appears that you haven't a clue

I don't mean to harp on people on this board, but if somone asks a legitamate question on this board concerning procedures and saftey and you haven't a clue or don't know for sure, don't give an answer. Leave it to the ones that know the answer to answer. Jetspeed, I really hope you were joking cause if I told a gulfstream he was number 2 following a cessna on a two mile final and he turned base and landed, well......That just doens't happen to often because most pilots know thats a "hey, plane, your following another plane on final...let me know when you have him in sight and youll get the magic words "Gulfstream1234 #2 follow the cessna short final, runway 14 cleared to land."

 

[Lrjtcaptain]

Let me reiterate something here too everyone, just a bit of ATC knowledge. I have a Yak land today behind a bonanza and the rwy distance requirments for a single behind a single is 3000ft of runway, yes, your cleared to land even though someone is still on the runway, He chewed my ear off telling me that I couldn't do that....Guess what, I can and I do and I will.

 

[great cornholio]

Let me reiterate something here too everyone, just a bit of ATC knowledge. I have a Yak land today behind a bonanza and the rwy distance requirments for a single behind a single is 3000ft of runway, yes, your cleared to land even though someone is still on the runway, He chewed my ear off telling me that I couldn't do that....Guess what, I can and I do and I will.

I've only seen that a few times as it seems like most controllers would rather have the 2nd prop guy do S turns or go around then have the 3000ft seperation. So most guys probably have never seen this in thier life...and I cant really think of were a pilot can read that kind of stuff and I forget how I learned it. On the other hand I have heard N1234 expidite past Blank intersection...followed by N4567 cleared to land....

 

[great cornholio]

Ok back to the original quesion. It is pretty common to hear "Cleared to land number 2 behind a blah" With that you hear the magic words cleared to land so it counts as a landing clearance. If you hear something like "Youre number 2 for runway 17 following a Cessna on the left base" then it is not a landing clearance. However you can expect a landing clearance when you get the traffic in sight and report it to tower or the other traffic clears the runway.