Landing clearence need runway insight confirmation?

breakdown Newcomer

sorry..may be this is stupid question...

1. does landing clearence("cleared to land") for all approaching aircraft on final stage need a confirmation of "runway insight" from tower to pilot?
ex: conform......runway insight? if yes..then cleared to land. if no....report runway/light insight!

2. what about if using ILS DME approach?
the logic is..the instrument approach has contained OCA, DA, etc...so the pilot will be automatically making missed approach when he didn't got runway/runway light insight.
so..is it still need runway insight confirmation?

3. when the ATC's sure the runway is clear..may he give the landing clearance far away from runway? ex: after has transfered from APP to Tower.

4. finally, what is the mean of "Cleared to land"?
are we guarantee the plane will land safely? or we just stating if the runway is really clear of everything?

i really need advice for this condition, especially if there are rule in a book etc explaining this condition.

thanks for the advice.

ATCinWI Senior Member Illinois

"Cleared to Land" means that adequate separation from other airplanes and vehicles will exist when the aircraft crosses the runway threshold. There is no requirement for the pilot to have the runway in sight to be cleared to land, and no maximum distance from the runway for a clearance.

A pilot has to report the runway in sight (or the preceding aircraft to follow) to be cleared for a visual approach. Instrument approaches do not require the aircraft to have the runway in sight to be cleared for the approach or to be cleared to land.

See 7110.65 section 3-10 for specific arrival information, including when landing clearances have to be withheld, wake turbulence stuff, required distance between arriving aircraft, etc...

Roddy_Piper Resident Knucklehead Vegas baby

what ATCinWI said is correct.

the pilot does not need to have the runway in sight to be cleared to land. a specific scenario where this will almost always be true is when u have IFR weather. u can clear an aircraft to land on the ILS with VV002 and 3/4SM (if that's still above minimums) at the FAF and they will not see the runway until they are within a mile or so from the runway. the .65 says you should not withold landing clearance within 3 miles of the runway. so you will almost always be clearing a guy to land without him seeing the runway yet, in this scenario. there's circumstances where this is not true, but mostly this is true.

Mizzou80 Trusted Member

When I was doing my flying lessons and doing touch-and-goes I never said anything about runway in sight (although if you're doing touch-and-goes it's probably assumed, but I never remember saying anything about it even when doing normal aproaches). All that was ever said was

Tower: cesna XYZ cleared to land runway 26 left
Me: cesna xyz 26 left.

Mind you this was all VFR and at a lvl 6 tower, so things were pretty laid back. Maybe it's diffrent at more busy facilites? I don't know.

bryan2215 Rookie New Braunfels, TX

The only time the pilot has to report the runway/field insight is when approach/arrival is clearing the aircraft for a visual approach, not in conjunction with a landing clearance.

Roddy_Piper Resident Knucklehead Vegas baby

the pilot can either report the airport in sight or the aircraft to follow in sight in order to be cleared for a visual approach. an approach clearance is different from a landing clearance. "runway in sight" is not needed for a landing clearance, but could be needed for an approach clearance.

breakdown Newcomer

ok...thanks for sharing
now i understand.

ATCtower Epic Member

I have done most of my flight training at a level 8 tower (APA) and I think Mizzou (I spelled it right this time!) is right. I have almost 1000 vfr landings and have only had to report having traffic in sight when it exists doing touch and goes. There has to be some subsection saying in the event of VFR pattern traffic, it is assumed you will maintain visual contact with the active. I do know running instrument approaches you do not have to have the runway in sight obviously but you are required to announce if you lose visual of the runway after breaking out or go full deflection on the ILS. I dont think that is in the 7110.65 but I am pretty sure it is somewhere in the FAR's I am looking now but cant find anything. Someone let me know if you find the section before I do.