Landing clearance???

[Cappytan]

Yep, have to hear "Cleared to Land". And how many times have you asked on short final, knowing you haven't been told, only to hear "of course, you're cleared to land".......oh right. And if I didn't hear that and something happens? CYA boys and girls!

 

[Hold West]

Yep, have to hear "Cleared to Land". And how many times have you asked on short final, knowing you haven't been told, only to hear "of course, you're cleared to land".......oh right. And if I didn't hear that and something happens? CYA boys and girls!

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.

 

[Say Again Over]

Hold West

Hey, we do APPRECIATE it!

 

[ReverseSensing]

"I didn't hear you so I shot you the green light".

That's what I'm talkin' about! :beer:

 

[Av8rPHX]

I agree... gotta hear those 3 magical words "cleared to land". If in doubt just call up the tower and say "xyz tower,airplane 123 confirming we are cleared to land". Can never do too much CYA when flying.

 

[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.