Confused

[Dawg]

Everytime I am going to land at this particular controlled airport the tower controller says "winds are such and such clear to land". It upsets me because I thought that the controller should always state the runway number you are cleared to land on. I discussed it with several of the captains I fly with and they said that if you have the atis and the atis says that they are landing at a particular runway that the controller does not have to say what runway you are cleared to land. Is this so? I find it hard to believe.

Thanks.

[meritflyer]

I've never heard of that requirement. It may be in the ATC handbook though. Me personally? I think they should always say the runway to avoid any problems.

[DE727UPS]

If there is only one active runway, they don't have to say the runways number.

[bLizZuE]

I always read back which runway I'm landing on anyways.

[Dawg]

It's runway 3/21, you can either land on 3 or 21. I guess the active one should be the one the controller asigns, right? Which goes to my question, if Atis says runway 3 are you telling me that an FAA controller does not have to tell me what runway I am cleared to land on. It seems incredible. Either way I always respond to the controller "Cleared to land and runway number". But it just erks me.

[sopdan]

If they only have 3/21, and the ATIS says they are using rwy 3, than it seems prudent to me that you are to land on rwy 3 unless told otherwise. Also, what do they tell you on initial contact (make left base/downwind/straight-in for rwy xx, etc.)? Honestly, I don't find it that big of a deal...

[TFaudree_ERAU]

Dawg, where are you? The runway here is numbered 3/21 and the tower controllers never specify the runway when clearing for takeoff or landing.

[mikecweb]

They also need to say the runway if an instrument approach is being conducted to a closed runway.

[rickyrhodesii]

This is straight from the FAAO 7110.65 (the Air Traffic Bible)

3−10−5. LANDING CLEARANCE

a.

Issue landing clearance. Restate the landing runway whenever more than one runway is active, or an instrument approach is being conducted to a closed runway.

PHRASEOLOGY−

CLEARED TO LAND,

or

RUNWAY (designator) CLEARED TO LAND.

Also, if you state you have the current ATIS code or "have the numbers," the controller may omit the runway, wind or altimeter. The ATIS will state which runway is designated as the active runway, either 3 or 21.

[daveatc]

We only say it if multiple runways are active. If there's only one, you just get 'cleared to land.' If the ATIS says it, why would I say it again? It's not just prudent to land on the runway the ATIS says, it's required. Plus, unless something magical is going on, that is going to be the runway most aligned with the prevailing winds.

[X-Forces]

Originally Posted by daveatc

We only say it if multiple runways are active. If there's only one, you just get 'cleared to land.' If the ATIS says it, why would I say it again? It's not just prudent to land on the runway the ATIS says, it's required. Plus, unless something magical is going on, that is going to be the runway most aligned with the prevailing winds.

[Dawg]

Originally Posted by daveatc

We only say it if multiple runways are active. If there's only one, you just get 'cleared to land.' If the ATIS says it, why would I say it again? It's not just prudent to land on the runway the ATIS says, it's required. Plus, unless something magical is going on, that is going to be the runway most aligned with the prevailing winds.

What you say makes perfect sense, I was just under the impression that that tower always had to state the runway you are cleared to land regardles of Atis or not or 1 rwy or several. Thanks for the clarification!

[jtrain609]

I'm always coming off an approach into the surface area of the airport, so when I check in it's almost always, "Tower flight 4024 on the ILS 8." If there are any questions about which runway I think I'm gonna land on, I figure he'll bring them up there.