Originally Posted by
MarkerInbound
Clearance - Official authorization for something to proceed or take place.
Nope, just because CLEAR is in clearance does not mean that your path is clear, just that the powers that be have granted authorization to do whatever you are going to do.
"After the landing, line up and wait" seems like an invitation for problems to me.
The understanding and usage of the words "cleared to land" is different in the USA compared to almost every other ICAO member state that I know.
The USA has their own justification for how and why they do it in this unusual way, but it does lay open the possibility of this actual occurrence, due to the specific way landing clearance is issued in the USA.
The words "reasonable assurance" have a lot to do with this, as I understand it. For those interested, delve into ICAO Doc 4444 7.10.1, 7.10.2 and also look at Figure 7-3 including wording "cleared to cross the threshold of the runway-in-use".
There are some words in 7.10.2 which I believe the USA does not follow - they even have "shall not" in with those words - so I don't know if that is a filed difference by the USA from ICAO, or maybe they are following those. A question to the USA ATCOs regarding this - can you clear an aircraft to land when another one is on the approach ahead and that aircraft has not yet crossed the threshold of the landing runway?
Apologies for getting a bit ATC specific here.
The crew radio procedures and the usage / observation of the light from the tower are two different items concerned in this occurrence, which are other areas for discussion, as some of you all are!