Cleared for the option

[Guest Pogo]

Can someone please clarify for a British civil flight/tower/atc ops person just what an option is you get cleared for?

We often get things at an airfield very close to us 'cleared for the option' and that can actually be anything from a full stop, low approach, go around or touch'n'go and just what the pilot does can affect our neighbouring pattern.

So just what is an option?

[Riddller]

Hmmm... I always thought it meant cleared for all of the above (plus a stop-and-go) EXCEPT a full stop, and I've got about 1,000 hours in the touch-n-go pattern alone!! (Granted, I was a Nav, but I was NEVER on a flight where we didn't specifically request a full-stop after 20-30 options.) Learn somethin' new everyday!

[HerkDerka]

By the FARs. Option is clearance for the pilot's option of three things:

1. Touch and go

2. Full stop

3. Stop and go

HD

[Scooter14]

Based on HD's post, I would think the low approach, although not listed in the FARs, is probably an unwritten one. Go-arounds are free, right? If not, I owe the people here at Vance a lot of money

[Gravedigger]

The option is great for training because the instructor can throw things at you last minute. Short approach is also approved in the option in the civilian world. Not sure about military.

[Toro]

I don't know about the FARs, but in the military world, the option definitely includes a low approach. The option is great for flexibility, but not as great for ATC and pattern spacing. If you know you are not going to touch down, don't request the option - request a low approach; when you request the option the tower controllers must provide the most conservative spacing - required runway separation from the guy in front of you and the guy behind you under the assumption that you will full stop. It's not really a factor in most places, but if the pattern fills up, you may get sent around from an intended low approach or touch and go.

[HerkDerka]

As I stated earlier, the option is a clearance for three things. It's in the FARs, check it out. And there's no difference between a civil option and a military option (Unless the Chapter 10 says so). Low approaches, they're nothing more than a go-around and go-arounds are free as stated by PAB. Clearing you for the option is clearing you for final, once established on final, the go-around is your decision. You don't need clearance for it. Toro's post was spot on. Hence the reason that you only get the option with an empty pattern, you get cleared for the specific touch and go etc. when your bouncing in a busy pattern.

[ 03. June 2004, 01:28: Message edited by: HercDriver24 ]

[Gravedigger]

I was just adding that though not specified in the fars a short approach is also allowed.

[Guest Sven]

By the FARs. Option is clearance for the pilot's option of three things:

1. Touch and go

2. Full stop

3. Stop and go

- I totally agree with HercDriver

The reason low approaches are not on here is that approach clears u for a low/instrument-apporach. The tower gives clearances regarding his runway ==> Cleared to land, Cleared for the Option,...

I have never heared "Cleared for the Option" from approach control.

[Gravedigger]

FYI: I think there is some confusion in this thread. A low approach is far different, excuse the pun, from a short approach. A short approach is done in a VFR traffic pattern. If there is someone on final and ATC wants you to scoot in front of them, they will say make short approach cleared to land. If you are a student and the instructor wants to pull your engine, they will either ask for a short approach, and hint you of their plans, or just ask for the option so that you don't know their intentions.

[Guest Pogo]

Thanks to everyone who replied, it's been very educational reading the replies.

The couple of minutes you each spent replying will save us hours in the future.

[ 03. June 2004, 17:27: Message edited by: Pogo ]

[HerkDerka]

Here it is out of the AIM:

4-3-22. Option Approach

The "Cleared for the Option" procedure will permit an instructor, flight examiner or pilot the option to make a touch-and-go, low approach, missed approach, stop-and-go, or full stop landing. This procedure can be very beneficial in a training situation in that neither the student pilot nor examinee would know what maneuver would be accomplished. The pilot should make a request for this procedure passing the final approach fix inbound on an instrument approach or entering downwind for a VFR traffic pattern. The advantages of this procedure as a training aid are that it enables an instructor or examiner to obtain the reaction of a trainee or examinee under changing conditions, the pilot would not have to discontinue an approach in the middle of the procedure due to student error or pilot proficiency requirements, and finally it allows more flexibility and economy in training programs. This procedure will only be used at those locations with an operational control tower and will be subject to ATC approval.

I guess that updated it this year. I remember the option used to be only for TNG, full stop, and SNG. Still doesn't make alot of sense in that low approaches and missed approaches don't require a clearance. Go-arounds are always pilots discretion.

HD

[Guest BBC]

As a practical matter, "Cleared for the Option" is usually used to give the pilot a choice between a low approach and a touch and go.

Don't know what the FAR says, but that is what I have seen in my experience

[Guest yittlefrog]

I'm a tower controller at Eglin AFB, and when we clear a pilot for the option it clears them for touch and go, low approach, stop and go, full stop, and missed approach.

Pogo was right about having to be conservative with pattern spacing. C-130's like to do stop and go's when we clear them for the option which can really make for a bad day if you have a flight of fighters coming in to initial and you break them too early. You end up having to send the fighters around with a C-130 taking off from the same runway. The fighters will fly right up the back of the C-130.

Here at Eglin, we don't clear fighters for the option unless we have no other traffic. With other aircraft, it just depends on what else is going on. If the fighter wing is performing a recovery, we usually don't clear anyone for the option.

The reason low approaches and missed approaches require a clearance is for separation. If we have something on the runway that the pilot is unaware of such as crossings of vehicles and aircraft at an intersection or vehicles on the runway, if we let that aircraft make a low approach or missed approach, we've just had a separation bust according to air traffic rules. In this case, we'll sometimes clear someone for an altitude restricted low approach. Usually 500 feet above the ground with makes it legal.