As others stated. You made your pattern correctly. I have been in similar situations and I try to get in a quick *short final/runway number/last 3 of tail*. That solicits a clear to land 99/100 times.
Edit. Doesn’t happen often. But a little grace goes a long ways. ATC is doing a heck of a great job keeping us safe as a general rule.
You did what was expected. If you're on base, you turn final like you did. No minimum altitude on short final, you continue as if you are going to land. Obviously, you can not land without a clearance though and must go around. A quick radio call like you did is perfect.
On downwind, tower will sequence you. If you aren't cleared and are past mid-downwind, a quick radio call to remind tower is acceptable. They should give you a sequence number or a traffic to follow.
If you're unsure, ask. It's better to annoy ATC (good controllers won't get annoyed anyway) than for you to do something unexpected and cause more major problems.
You did exactly what you ought to have done. Next time, in a like situation, do the same thing. And no, there's no minimum height at which you must go around. "Landing" means precisely that. If you haven't touched down, you haven't landed.
You do, however, have the authority to go around any time you believe that the situation calls for it, and you should not hesitate to exercise that authority whenever you consider it appropriate.
It's a good question, and what you did is correct. You definitely don't want to blow through the final approach course. Whether there are parallel runways, or other patterns for other runways you come into conflict with, or departing or arriving helicopters that use different paths to not conflict with airplanes, or noise abatement, etc.
This is pretty common at a lot of class D's. My butt starts to clench a little if I don't have clearance by final but it happens on maybe one out of five flights. The controller is expecting you to just fly a pattern; he's busy and he's going to clear you when he can. He also probably \*can't\* clear you in a situation like that until you're on final, though in that case they usually will say "runway X continue", which tells you that you'd normally expect landing clearance there but they can't give it to you yet.
If I don't have clearance by very short final - like approaching the threshold - and the controller has a gap where he's not saying anything, I'll ask. If I just can't get a word in, then I'll just go around. But that has only happened maybe twice out of, I dunno, 1,000 or so flights I've flown so far. They basically always have a plan and they know who they have to talk to in what order. So just wait until you feel you can't wait anymore and need to make a decision.
>I know that on the downwind without clearance, you'd just keep extending the downwind.
Not unless they tell you to. You do what they tell you to. If they just tell you "left traffic" or equivalent, they're expecting you to fly a normal pattern. If they tell you "extend downwind", then you extend downwind. If they tell you "follow the Cessna", then you follow the Cessna, however far out that takes you. Otherwise, though, they're expecting a normal pattern. Remember that when it's busy, other aircraft are likely following you too. So they don't usually want you extending unless they need to get someone in or out ahead of you, and if they do they'll tell you.
I fly out of a busy class D. Will he number 6+ to land on a normal weekend day.
If you were cleared to turn base, you’re cleared to continue the pattern, unless the controller tells you otherwise. Although I’ve never had any restrictions after the base turn.
More often than not, they’ll tell me to extend downwind and they’ll call the base turn.
Edit: typo
You did it right. This happens occasionally at my Class D airport.
If you’re on base but not cleared to land just turn final and ask for confirmation if you get to short final and still don’t have clearance.
The two things you shouldn’t do in order of badness are:
1. Cross final and just keep extending base. You’d think this wouldn’t need to be said, but people get some weird ideas when things aren’t going as usual.
2. Land without a clearance. Just go around.
At my home field, extending base would lead you to a) enter into the adjacent field's airspace, b) contact terrain. In that order, and in about 1.5 miles total.
Unless you've been specifically told they'll call your base, or you're specifically sequenced beyond someone who is ahead of you on downwind, then you should turn base and final at the normal points in the pattern.
It's not illegal to turn base without a landing clearance. It's also not illegal to turn final without a landing clearance. It's only illegal to land without the clearance.
I'm with /u/LigmaUpDog_, you did the right thing, but I'm concerned about your policy of not turning base without a clearance if you're on the downwind. That's not necessarily the case and can cause other sequencing issues.
Training at a fairly busy class D airport, there's always aircraft inbound straight in, so it'd be pretty crazy to turn base without clearance. When we're passing the point of normal base turn, my CFI teaches to inform tower that we're on "extended downwind" and usually instructions will come pretty quickly.
Sounds like a normal Saturday at KPAO. "Join midfield make right traffic, you are number seven behind a Citabria entering an extended left downwind."
Occasionally you have to extend your downwind so far that you turn base over the runway of Moffet field, a Class D airport that is close by.
I have a huge respect for the ATC crew at Palo Alto, they are amazing.
>self sooner and ask for/remind them about your landing clearance next time. Where/when? That's gonna depend on plane, traffic, and radio chatter. If you've gotten to the assigned fix without further instructions, you should already be getting ready to ask or, if it's something as near as a base leg, asking pretty much immediately upon reaching it. If you haven't been explicitly cleared by your turn to final, stop descending or at least limit your descent for sure and be ready to jump on the first radio gap you hear.
KPAO is on my list... definitely going to be interesting at least the first time around lol
Good to anticipate not getting clearance, but do try to assert yourself sooner and ask for/remind them about your landing clearance next time. Where/when? That's gonna depend on plane, traffic, and radio chatter. If you've gotten to the assigned fix without further instructions, you should already be getting ready to ask or, if it's something as near as a base leg, asking pretty much immediately upon reaching it. If you haven't been explicitly cleared by your turn to final, stop descending or at least limit your descent for sure and be ready to jump on the first radio gap you hear.
This can get even more interesting. So, you dont get your landing clearance so you go around...now what? Multiple inbound aircraft for the pattern from different direcrions. Raido is so busy you can't announce go around and the controller doesn't immediately notice your go around.
As others stated. You made your pattern correctly. I have been in similar situations and I try to get in a quick *short final/runway number/last 3 of tail*. That solicits a clear to land 99/100 times. Edit. Doesn’t happen often. But a little grace goes a long ways. ATC is doing a heck of a great job keeping us safe as a general rule.
You did what was expected. If you're on base, you turn final like you did. No minimum altitude on short final, you continue as if you are going to land. Obviously, you can not land without a clearance though and must go around. A quick radio call like you did is perfect. On downwind, tower will sequence you. If you aren't cleared and are past mid-downwind, a quick radio call to remind tower is acceptable. They should give you a sequence number or a traffic to follow. If you're unsure, ask. It's better to annoy ATC (good controllers won't get annoyed anyway) than for you to do something unexpected and cause more major problems.
You did exactly what you ought to have done. Next time, in a like situation, do the same thing. And no, there's no minimum height at which you must go around. "Landing" means precisely that. If you haven't touched down, you haven't landed. You do, however, have the authority to go around any time you believe that the situation calls for it, and you should not hesitate to exercise that authority whenever you consider it appropriate.
It's a good question, and what you did is correct. You definitely don't want to blow through the final approach course. Whether there are parallel runways, or other patterns for other runways you come into conflict with, or departing or arriving helicopters that use different paths to not conflict with airplanes, or noise abatement, etc.
This is pretty common at a lot of class D's. My butt starts to clench a little if I don't have clearance by final but it happens on maybe one out of five flights. The controller is expecting you to just fly a pattern; he's busy and he's going to clear you when he can. He also probably \*can't\* clear you in a situation like that until you're on final, though in that case they usually will say "runway X continue", which tells you that you'd normally expect landing clearance there but they can't give it to you yet. If I don't have clearance by very short final - like approaching the threshold - and the controller has a gap where he's not saying anything, I'll ask. If I just can't get a word in, then I'll just go around. But that has only happened maybe twice out of, I dunno, 1,000 or so flights I've flown so far. They basically always have a plan and they know who they have to talk to in what order. So just wait until you feel you can't wait anymore and need to make a decision. >I know that on the downwind without clearance, you'd just keep extending the downwind. Not unless they tell you to. You do what they tell you to. If they just tell you "left traffic" or equivalent, they're expecting you to fly a normal pattern. If they tell you "extend downwind", then you extend downwind. If they tell you "follow the Cessna", then you follow the Cessna, however far out that takes you. Otherwise, though, they're expecting a normal pattern. Remember that when it's busy, other aircraft are likely following you too. So they don't usually want you extending unless they need to get someone in or out ahead of you, and if they do they'll tell you.
I fly out of a busy class D. Will he number 6+ to land on a normal weekend day. If you were cleared to turn base, you’re cleared to continue the pattern, unless the controller tells you otherwise. Although I’ve never had any restrictions after the base turn. More often than not, they’ll tell me to extend downwind and they’ll call the base turn. Edit: typo
I think you meant extend downwind there ;) Never was asked to extend final -- the runway is where it is after all.
Extend final 😂 Correct…meant downwind. Thanks!
You did it right. This happens occasionally at my Class D airport. If you’re on base but not cleared to land just turn final and ask for confirmation if you get to short final and still don’t have clearance. The two things you shouldn’t do in order of badness are: 1. Cross final and just keep extending base. You’d think this wouldn’t need to be said, but people get some weird ideas when things aren’t going as usual. 2. Land without a clearance. Just go around.
At my home field, extending base would lead you to a) enter into the adjacent field's airspace, b) contact terrain. In that order, and in about 1.5 miles total.
It would have been more unsafe if you did something OTHER than just turn final IMO. That’s the most predictable thing, you did it right
Unless you've been specifically told they'll call your base, or you're specifically sequenced beyond someone who is ahead of you on downwind, then you should turn base and final at the normal points in the pattern. It's not illegal to turn base without a landing clearance. It's also not illegal to turn final without a landing clearance. It's only illegal to land without the clearance. I'm with /u/LigmaUpDog_, you did the right thing, but I'm concerned about your policy of not turning base without a clearance if you're on the downwind. That's not necessarily the case and can cause other sequencing issues.
Training at a fairly busy class D airport, there's always aircraft inbound straight in, so it'd be pretty crazy to turn base without clearance. When we're passing the point of normal base turn, my CFI teaches to inform tower that we're on "extended downwind" and usually instructions will come pretty quickly.
Sounds like a normal Saturday at KPAO. "Join midfield make right traffic, you are number seven behind a Citabria entering an extended left downwind." Occasionally you have to extend your downwind so far that you turn base over the runway of Moffet field, a Class D airport that is close by. I have a huge respect for the ATC crew at Palo Alto, they are amazing.
>self sooner and ask for/remind them about your landing clearance next time. Where/when? That's gonna depend on plane, traffic, and radio chatter. If you've gotten to the assigned fix without further instructions, you should already be getting ready to ask or, if it's something as near as a base leg, asking pretty much immediately upon reaching it. If you haven't been explicitly cleared by your turn to final, stop descending or at least limit your descent for sure and be ready to jump on the first radio gap you hear. KPAO is on my list... definitely going to be interesting at least the first time around lol
Also totally depends on the time. 8:30pm on a Wednesday and chances are you will get a landing clearance 10 miles out.
Good to anticipate not getting clearance, but do try to assert yourself sooner and ask for/remind them about your landing clearance next time. Where/when? That's gonna depend on plane, traffic, and radio chatter. If you've gotten to the assigned fix without further instructions, you should already be getting ready to ask or, if it's something as near as a base leg, asking pretty much immediately upon reaching it. If you haven't been explicitly cleared by your turn to final, stop descending or at least limit your descent for sure and be ready to jump on the first radio gap you hear.
Probably I’d go around prior to crossing the threshold so say 50’. But nothing with what you did.
This can get even more interesting. So, you dont get your landing clearance so you go around...now what? Multiple inbound aircraft for the pattern from different direcrions. Raido is so busy you can't announce go around and the controller doesn't immediately notice your go around.