About to cross the numbers: not cleared to land yet

cessnajockey454 said:
Landing at a small airport with a new tower, I was told to report 2 mile final for 17.

When I got to the 2 mile point, the Controller was busy talking to a couple of military jets - one on final for 12, doing T&G's with a departure leg that crosses the departure leg of 17, and one approaching the airport from the South with an intention of landing on 12.

There was finally a pause on the radio at about a one mile final and she asked my position. I told her where I was and she went on a long diatribe about the other traffic as I'm approaching the numbers to the runway.

When she was finished talking, I was about to cross the numbers - so I just rattled off my N number, cleared to land 17?

So she informs me that she hasn't given me clearance to land yet. Now, I really wanted to land as opposed to launching off into the path of the jet approaching 12 for his T&G - this would have put him behind me for a short time before I would be able to break left.

So I put in lots of flaps, slowed down over the runway and asked "Are you going to clear me to land on 17?" She finally did and I touched down 1/2 of the way down the 5,000 runway and was told to hold short of 12 after clearing 17 which I did.

My question is how should I have handled this differently? What do you when the controller is busy or extremely wordy and you need to get a clearance to land? And why didn't she just confirm 'cleared to land 17' when I asked and needed it since she was about to do it anyway...instead of arguing about it?
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File an ASRS, and call the supervisor of the tower and let them know what happened. If I am over the numbers, and there is a traffic conflict if I do a go around, and am forced to because the controler responds with "I have not cleared you to land" then WTF am I supposed to do? I understand that that they(controlers) get busy. But there is no reason to show everyone your authority by responding the way she did.

P.S. This is why the ASRS system was desgined, for ways to improve saftey. If you had done a go around, would it have been "too close for comfort?"
 
mshunter said:
File an ASRS, and call the supervisor of the tower and let them know what happened. If I am over the numbers, and there is a traffic conflict if I do a go around, and am forced to because the controler responds with "I have not cleared you to land" then WTF am I supposed to do? "
Click to expand...

Makes being in a helo nice.....
 
cessnajockey454 said:
Landing at a small airport with a new tower, I was told to report 2 mile final for 17.

When I got to the 2 mile point, the Controller was busy talking to a couple of military jets - one on final for 12, doing T&G's with a departure leg that crosses the departure leg of 17, and one approaching the airport from the South with an intention of landing on 12.

There was finally a pause on the radio at about a one mile final and she asked my position. I told her where I was and she went on a long diatribe about the other traffic as I'm approaching the numbers to the runway.

When she was finished talking, I was about to cross the numbers - so I just rattled off my N number, cleared to land 17?

So she informs me that she hasn't given me clearance to land yet. Now, I really wanted to land as opposed to launching off into the path of the jet approaching 12 for his T&G - this would have put him behind me for a short time before I would be able to break left.

So I put in lots of flaps, slowed down over the runway and asked "Are you going to clear me to land on 17?" She finally did and I touched down 1/2 of the way down the 5,000 runway and was told to hold short of 12 after clearing 17 which I did.

My question is how should I have handled this differently? What do you when the controller is busy or extremely wordy and you need to get a clearance to land? And why didn't she just confirm 'cleared to land 17' when I asked and needed it since she was about to do it anyway...instead of arguing about it?
Click to expand...

So you weren't configured to land before?
I wouldn't worry about traffic conflict. Doesn't sound like it would have been too close anyways. If you feel, though, that traffic would have been a problem roll in the steepest bank you feel comfortable with as soon as your tires are off the ground to maintain whatever separation you need.

Nonetheless, I would have called the tower and had a very friendly conversation with this punk B.
 
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