Author Topic: landing clearance question  (Read 9096 times)

Offline icissel

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landing clearance question
« on: August 21, 2009, 04:08:22 PM »
when a tower controller issues a landing clearance and in that clearance states "(callsign) cleared to land (runway), traffic a boeing 747 heavy on a 1.5 mile final" is that boeing landing on the same runway? if so is it landing before or after the aircraft being given clearance? also what is the distance from the airport at which an airplane is usually given landing clearance?



Offline jonnevin

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Re: landing clearance question
« Reply #1 on: August 21, 2009, 05:22:34 PM »
yes that would be on the same runway, as opposed to the controller saying "boeing 747 on 1.5 mile file on the parallel runway". those instructions would usually involve the 747 ahead of the landing plane, although if it was a slow moving plane (GA plane maybe) and there was someone with significant overtake speed behind them the controller might say "xxx cleared to land 27, maximum forward speed, 747 en trail on a 6 mile file".

i'll leave the answer on the official distance for clearance to a controller. it generally has always seemed to me like it's on the handoff into their airspace, but i'm sure there is something more official.

Offline ATCWanAaB

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Re: landing clearance question
« Reply #2 on: August 21, 2009, 07:00:01 PM »
A landing clearance can be given at a large variety of distances from the runway based on the specific traffic situation at hand.

If there are no other traffic conflicts to deal with, the tower controller can give the landing clearance once the aircraft is under his control (Lets say 10 miles from the runway).

If there is lots of traffic, and the controller cannot safely clear the plane to land until the traffic situation is resolved, then the pilot might get a landing clearance on short final (mile or sometimes less from the runway).


Offline atcman23

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Re: landing clearance question
« Reply #3 on: August 21, 2009, 09:37:13 PM »
Landing clearances differ a little by country and sometimes by airports (more by country though).  In any case, most contain the same information.  First, the tower controller is clearing you to land on a specific runway.  Based on the original post here, the controller is advising the aircraft that there is an aircraft in front of them that has been cleared to land.  Here in the US, they are required to give the trailing (or preceding) aircraft the type and location on the approach of that aircraft.  You hear this all the time at large, busy airports, especially if heavy aircraft are involved or in a case where you have different aircraft of varying weight classes as wake turbulence then becomes an issue and you'll hear the phrase "caution wake turbulence" thrown in to the clearance as well.  You should be hearing this with almost all situations involving a 747 in front of any other type of aircraft (including another heavy).

Lastly, typically the aircraft they are pointing out is landing on the same runway as the second aircraft.  However, there are also procedures for aircraft landing on a parallel runway separated by less than 2,500 ft (primarily in the US, not sure about other countries). 

There's really no defined distance that the aircraft has to receive a clearance by; I think the last post pretty much summed it up (when the tower controller has positive control and no conflicts exist or any potential conflicts are expected to be resolved upon arrival of the cleared aircraft).  I've seen aircraft cleared on short final and aircraft cleared miles out; it just depends on the traffic at the airport at that  time.

Offline icissel

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Re: landing clearance question
« Reply #4 on: August 22, 2009, 01:08:19 AM »
so if aircraft a is cleared to land and in that clearance it is stated that aircraft b is on a 2 mile final that means aircraft a must be how far out?

Offline atcman23

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Re: landing clearance question
« Reply #5 on: August 22, 2009, 08:58:43 AM »
Almost, but not quite.  Aircraft A is the first in line to land.  Aircraft A will receive a normal landing clearance and it's likely no traffic will be pointed out to him (if aircraft A is a small aircraft and a 747 is following it, the controller may point that out to aircraft A).  Aircraft B is behind Aircraft A (#2 to land), Aircraft B will get the clearance to land and the controller will point out Aircraft A (the aircraft in front of them) and Aircraft A's location on final (1 mile final, 2 mile final, short final, etc).  We don't know how far aircraft B is from the runway as it's not necessary information to the pilot of Aircraft A and the pilot of Aircraft B probably has an idea of approximately how far they are from the runway.  If you had a third aircraft involved, then the controller would tell the third aircraft the distance Aircraft B was from the runway.

Hope this helps... sometimes it gets a bit confusing. :)

Offline sykocus

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Re: landing clearance question
« Reply #6 on: August 22, 2009, 09:06:33 AM »
so if aircraft a is cleared to land and in that clearance it is stated that aircraft b is on a 2 mile final that means aircraft a must be how far out?

There isn't one answer for every situation. There are many factors that come in to play. Are the aircraft VFR or IFR? Is the airport surrounded by Class B, C or TRSA airspace? Is there a wake turbulence separation requirement?