Jargon: 'short finals' etc
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Jargon: 'short finals' etc
Lots of talk on the LHR B777 incident referring to 'short finals', 'late finals' etc, including various punters critical of the grammar!
Can someone clarify please!
Can someone clarify please!
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Yes - it should be "final" as opposed to "finals", although the latter word is commonly used. In layman's language it's when the aircraft is very close in to the airfield during its landing approach, say within a mile or so. "Long Final" is on the approach outside 4 nm but I haven't been able to find a definition for the term "short final" which, again, is in popular use. Pilots and controllers know what it means though. If you are a controller and have three lined up for departure, when someone reports "short final" is when the little window in the side of your head that reads your age starts going round like a fruit machine.
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I'm a light aircraft pilot (DA-40) so don't fly the heavy metal. I do mix with the larger bizz-jets (G-V's etc) often at my base airport.
I use long final (note the singular!) for 4 to 8 miles.
Short final means less than 4 miles
This sounds like a long way..but bear in mind that 4 miles (to the *centrepoint* of the runway..which could be half a mile from the threshold or the Navaid that is in use) is not far. 2 minutes at 120 Knots ! 1 minute 18 seconds at 180 knots. Not long.
You don't want to be on (or clearing) the runway when things are that close !
Hope this helps
Random
I use long final (note the singular!) for 4 to 8 miles.
Short final means less than 4 miles
This sounds like a long way..but bear in mind that 4 miles (to the *centrepoint* of the runway..which could be half a mile from the threshold or the Navaid that is in use) is not far. 2 minutes at 120 Knots ! 1 minute 18 seconds at 180 knots. Not long.
You don't want to be on (or clearing) the runway when things are that close !
Hope this helps
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Short final means less than 4 miles
However when used short final normally means " Hey controller give us a landing clearance we are getting a bit close"
Yep - precisely the attitude which causes accidents.....
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I have once used the phrase "extremely short final" before.
On approach into UK airfield, a/c ahead had landed an cleared runway, expecting landing clearence soon after, but nothing. Carried on down approach, still nothing, over numbers, still nothing, so Called on Radio " G-XX Extremely short final" to which tower responded "oh umm yes G-XX clear to land" - not sure what they were doing in the tower at the time but any later and I'd have been back on the power for another lap of the airport !!. Was only in a C152 though - nothing big with passengers !!.
Just out of interest HD, I'm still a fairly low houred PPL at the mo. What would have happened if I'd have landed anyway without clearence ?. I could see that the runway had been vacated a couple of mins prior, and there was nothing else manouvering/waiting to cross/on the radio etc. Would I have got a stern talking to afterwards ?.
On approach into UK airfield, a/c ahead had landed an cleared runway, expecting landing clearence soon after, but nothing. Carried on down approach, still nothing, over numbers, still nothing, so Called on Radio " G-XX Extremely short final" to which tower responded "oh umm yes G-XX clear to land" - not sure what they were doing in the tower at the time but any later and I'd have been back on the power for another lap of the airport !!. Was only in a C152 though - nothing big with passengers !!.
Just out of interest HD, I'm still a fairly low houred PPL at the mo. What would have happened if I'd have landed anyway without clearence ?. I could see that the runway had been vacated a couple of mins prior, and there was nothing else manouvering/waiting to cross/on the radio etc. Would I have got a stern talking to afterwards ?.
