Short Runway

[flyaxa]

Hello all...just a frequent travelling enthusiast here, no involvement in the trade. Got hooked back when United started piping ATC through channel 9.

I have a quick question. What is a short runway? For instance, I was listening into JFK tower the other day and some arrivals and departures were given Four Left Short. Others were just given Four Left. What does "Short" denote in the this case?

Thanks much! Love LiveATC.

[bri2k1]

Hi flyaxa, good question. It's unlikely that what you're hearing is a "short runway."  What you're hearing is probably part of an instruction to "hold short of runway 4L."

To avoid misinterpretation, all taxi routes including a runway must include language like "Taxi to runway ___ via taxiway ___" along with explicit instructions to cross (or not to cross) any runways that lie along the specified taxi route.  Particularly at a busy, complex, or unfamiliar field, many pilots will pull up an airport diagram and follow along as they're given a taxi clearance. 

At JFK, a possible taxi clearance might be "Taxi to 4L via A, K, hold short of 13R."  Other times, a plane may be at the runway ready for takeoff, but there could be an arriving flight, so the tower will simply advise to "Hold short of 4L, traffic on short final" or similar.

[flyaxa]

Hi bri2k1...and thanks.
It's not a hold I'm hearing, however. These are landing and takeoff clearances. "Clear to land Four Left short."

[Rick108]

What you may be hearing is something like "cleared for takeoff runway four left shortened".  This means the departing aircraft does not have use of the full runway, usually because one end is closed for some reason (repair, construction, etc.).

[flyaxa]

What you may be hearing is something like "cleared for takeoff runway four left shortened".  This means the departing aircraft does not have use of the full runway, usually because one end is closed for some reason (repair, construction, etc.).

That's it exactly. Thanks! Went back and listened and it is "Shortened." If you pull up KJFK-Twr-Apr-01-2015-1700Z archive you can hear at 00:44, 01:34, 02:52, 0:600. Thanks for the explanation!

[Marty Becker]

The use of shortened is fairly new.

http://www.faasafety.gov/SPANS/noticeView.aspx?nid=3380

[tyketto]

The use of shortened is fairly new.

http://www.faasafety.gov/SPANS/noticeView.aspx?nid=3380

I was going to ask about that, because that didn't appear to be proper phraseology as far as the .65T or .65U went, but there it is, new to the .65V, in 3-9-10.g.2:

g. Whenever a runway length has been temporarily or permanently shortened, state the word “shortened” immediately following the runway number as part of the takeoff clearance. This information must be issued in conjunction with the takeoff clearance.

1. The addition of “shortened” must be included in the takeoff clearance for the duration of the construction project when the runway is temporarily shortened.

2. The addition of “shortened” must be included in the takeoff clearance until the Airport/Facility Directory is updated to include the change(s) when the runway is permanently shortened.

PHRASEOLOGY−
RUNWAY (number) SHORTENED, CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF.

EXAMPLE−
“Runway Two-Seven shortened, cleared for takeoff.”

BL.