Cleared for immediate take off?

you should only use cleared for immediate or hold short if you know its going to work if he rolls. Its to let him know roll or hold short without wasting time asking if he can roll.

Worked great in the military environment, not so much with cessnas! They do nothing immediately other than foul your runway when you need them clear.

The other day I was working in my Class D tower during a busy stretch. The undermanned arrival control position at my facility was busy enough to the point to where they were missing verbal inbounds, which is the only way I receive them. A Northwest Airlines jet was holding short for traffic at least ten minutes when I saw a hole for his departure. (KC-135 4 mile final, which I gave him traffic on) I asked if he could accept an immediate instead of clearing him for the immediate or hold short. The tower supervisor at the time chewed me out after we slowed down for doing so. He said that was a definite "clear for immediate take off or hold short" situation. Northwest, by the way, departed with out breaking two increasing to three within one minute of departure separation. Would you agree with my actions or not?

I totally agree with you xprtmarksman. Unless, the NWA was a heavy. Then no.

I've even used "be ready for an immediate in about 20 seconds". That way when I need the immediate it won't be a total surprise. I've seen someone use this nifty little beauty.

Callsign, proceed on runway XX and begin taxi down the runway, traffic 3 mile final, additional traffic landing roll will be exiting in 10 seconds, expect departure clearance in 11 seconds and I need you airborne in 12 seconds.

no kidding i heard that and about wanted to laugh. knew what he was doing and didn't necessarily agree but got the guy out. i won't say who it was or where it happened, just that it did. of course he didn't really need him airborne in 12 seconds, was just the message he was trying portray. totally illegal and awesome.

wait until you get ASDE-X with safety logic....it categorizes any a/c over 44 mph or whatever you set it to as a departure...so if you have someone exiting the runway and say something like that....as soon as your departure hits 44 mph and the tail of that a/c is not off the runway on the ASDE-X display...you get a loud girl telling you, "WARNING, RWYXX OCCUPIED." Then...OKC, DC and another facility get an automatic report of what just happened...and there is nothing you can do about it...except wait for a phone call....

all that said...I don't mind the ASDE-X with safety logic....seems to be working ok so far.

__________________
Your friendly neighborhood Lawn Gnome

It was in Para 3-9-9. It was taken out when the change regarding "Cross Runway (#)" was put in. Not so great for a sunny Saturday at a towered GA airport. Definitely slows the flow of departures.

Any time I was cleared for immediate take off, my response was, "November soandso, rolling". I knew the controller didn't want any screwing around.

The thought of not being able to give a heavy an immediate take off is incorrect. You can not give him a rolling take-off. It doesn't say you can't issue a clearance for an imediate take-off. I know it is a play on words but completely legal. You have not solicited nor have you cleared him for a rolling.

wow...never thought of it that way. totally agree now that i think of it. the .65 only says no ROLLING takeoffs. it does NOT say IMMEDIATE takeoff. excellent observation.

__________________

You should only use immediate or immediately to avoid an imminent situation.

You should never willingly and knowingly put an aircraft in a situation where it has to immediately take action to avoid an imminent situation!

Saying "cleared for immediate takeoff" is a misapplication of the rule.

2-1-5. EXPEDITIOUS COMPLIANCE

a. Use the word “immediately" only when expeditious compliance is required to avoid an imminent situation.

b. Use the word “expedite" only when prompt compliance is required to avoid the development of an imminent situation. If an “expedite" climb or descent clearance is issued by ATC, and subsequently the altitude to maintain is changed or restated without an expedite instruction, the expedite instruction is canceled.

c. In either case, if time permits, include the reason for this action.