Question for Air Traffic Controllers

[Jeff B]

**********

[Mike_ExpressCT]

when "Cleared for the Option", it's your choice between:

-a low approach
-a touch and go
-a stop and go
-a full stop

I don't believe multiple landings are on the list. If you're cleared for "continuous closed traffic", then you can fly multiple laps around the pattern without permission for each landing.

[jmoylan]

From 7110.65:

3-8-2. TOUCH-AND-GO OR STOP-AND-GO OR LOW APPROACH

Consider an aircraft cleared for touch-and-go, stop-and-go, or low approach as an arriving aircraft until it touches down (for touch-and-go), or makes a complete stop (for stop-and-go), or crosses the landing threshold (for low approach), and thereafter as a departing aircraft.

This would seem to imply that since you are now a departing aircraft, you will need additional clearance to make another arrival.

[craigvince]

I read the question a little differently. Being familiar with very looooooong runways, I have in the past landed (full stop), taken off, landed (full stop), taken off and landed again without ever getting to the end of the runway. I would tell the tower what I wanted to do, and they would clear me "for the option". Of course, at a busy airport this won't work. I've done it at Victorville, CA many times (formerly and Air Force Base, very long runway and very little traffic), and have done it here in Stockton a couple times when traffic is minimal.

I don't know if this is what Jeff meant or if he wants multiple closed traffic clearance ??

[xnsxer]

Ive been an ATC for 18 years, RV-8 builder for 10 years . Mike is correct. "cleared for the option" gives the pilot the option of doing a full stop landing, a touch and go, a low approach or a stop and go. Additional clearance is needed for each pattern.

Ed

[John Clark]

Originally Posted by Jeff B

The tower controller said he should have requested "multiple landings"... I searched for such a "clearance" in the Air Traffic Control Handbook (7110.65) and FAR/AIM, nothing showed up... I would have thought the "option" clearance would cover this. It's no big deal, just wondered if someone knew about a ""multiple landings approved" clearance. It could just be a local ATC procedure....

I think the local controller's issue in this case was simply the student pilot doing something the controller wasn't expecting. When there is no answer in "the book," plain english will do the trick. I frequently do "options" on different runways at my home (towered) airport on a quiet morning. But I explain what I have in mind. The clearance is usually something like "cleared for the option, any runway, call downwind each time."

John Clark
RV8 N18U "Sunshine"
KSBA