Originally Posted by
usedtobeATC
I gave clearance for take off when arriving traffic was not less then 2.5 miles before RW (VMC). I did it for 42 years as a Tower controller.
NATS controllers at Gatwick did it at a shorter range than that; I was on the flight deck of a '737 and from 4 mile final, 3 aircraft were cleared for departure before we got landing clearance.