Short Finals

[Departures Beckham]

When listening to STN's Tower frequency I often here '...after landing 737 on short finals...'. My question is what constitutes 'short finals'.

Are you on short finals within a specific time, distance, altitude of the runway threshhold, or is it just a term used to signify the close proximity of the aircraft?

[FWA NATCA]

Re: Short Finals

Short Final normally means someone with 1/2 a mile of the landing thresshold.

Mike

[Spitoon]

It's not defined in the UK (I seem to recall that 'long final' is more than 4 miles) but for a B737 I would call inside a mile short final. A light single would have to be closer so maybe it's a matter of time to touchdown too.

In the example you give, when telling another pilot about the aircraft, it would have to be clearly visible too.

[GoneWest]

....and, as an aside, the word is "Final" (singular - no 'S').

[chiglet]

GW,
Sorry, but I have never heard any Pilot call "final"
It's always XXX "finals!
we aim to please, it keeps the cleaners happy

[eastern wiseguy]

quite right Chiglet. But GW is correct the call should be final.Perish the thought that we could all get our phraseology wrong

[Go Around]

Sorry Chiglet....my company uses the correct "Final" without an "s"..... but you're right not many do.