FAA Airline Transport Pilot (ATM)Navigation, Air Traffic Control and ProceduresMedium
Tower issues a Land and Hold Short Operation (LAHSO) clearance to an airliner, specifying an Available Landing Distance (ALD) of 5,500 feet. The crew's calculated required landing distance for current conditions is 5,800 feet. What should the crew do?
- ADecline the LAHSO clearance and request full-length landing
- BAccept the clearance since the difference is minor
- CAsk ATC to move the hold-short point farther down the runway
- DAccept the clearance and plan for maximum braking
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. Decline the LAHSO clearance and request full-length landing
Pilots must decline a LAHSO clearance whenever the calculated landing distance exceeds the published Available Landing Distance, regardless of how small the margin appears. There is no penalty for declining, and safety margins for landing distance must not be compromised.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Accepting despite insufficient distance risks a runway overrun; margin size is irrelevant.
- C. Pilots cannot unilaterally request a change to the published hold-short point.
- D. Maximum braking does not compensate for an ALD shortfall in required planning distance.
LAHSO Decision Criteria
Land and Hold Short Operations require the pilot to confirm the published Available Landing Distance is equal to or greater than the aircraft's required landing distance before accepting the clearance.
- ALD must be published and briefed before accepting
- Pilots may decline LAHSO for any reason without penalty
- Required landing distance must not exceed ALD
- LAHSO is optional; a full-length landing may always be requested
Memory trick: 'If landing needs more room than ALD allows, say no.'