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Counting lights to call "RW VACATED"

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Counting lights to call "RW VACATED"

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Old 29th March 2025 | 21:43
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Counting lights to call "RW VACATED"

Warm Greetings to all,
Here is something that often comes up in crew conversation and strongly debated
the question is:
During LVO ops, after landing and as one is vacating the runway we sight alternating green and yellow lights and :
option 1- once we sight all green lights we report runway vacated" - (most documented)
option 2 - once we sight all green lights keep rolling and count out 6 to 7 all green lights ( depending on how big your aircraft is) to ensure your aircraft tail is clear of the ILS sensitive area and then report "runway vacated" - (appears logical cannot find documented evidence)
Can the wise folks here share some light on the evolution of this procedure and is there any merit / documentary evidence to support these.
Apreciate your inputs in this regard.

Last edited by gearpins; 29th March 2025 at 23:47.
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Old 30th March 2025 | 12:05
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Originally Posted by gearpins
option 1- once we sight all green lights we report runway vacated" - (most documented)
option 2 - once we sight all green lights keep rolling and count out 6 to 7 all green lights ( depending on how big your aircraft is) to ensure your aircraft tail is clear of the ILS
There shouldn't be any rush in LVO procedures. Technically explained, you are comparing peanut timing differences in a non-time critical environment. This sounds like pilot invented idea's to give some kind of reference, which is not bad, but it is not a regulation afaik, it is to give you "an idea". When you have to stop or are uncertain, don't call vacated. When you roll, cross the LVO holding position, wait a few seconds, then call vacated.

That said, I know on some airports controllers might be pushing because approach likes to sequence traffic almost as if there is no LVO ops. But these guys have ground radars, they can see when you have vacated. If they start shouting, they know where you are. Which shouldn't make you rush in any way on the other hand.
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Old 30th March 2025 | 19:35
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CAP 413 has a very clear picture defining the word 'vacated' in chapter 11. Look it up.

Anyway, it's common sense isn't it? Merely sighting green lights isn't going to cut it when you are in the pointy end of an A340-600.
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Old 30th March 2025 | 22:42
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THANK YOU, folks, for pointing me in the right direction. After a bit more digging, I found a reference in ICAO -SERA-STANDARDIZED EUROPEAN RULES OF THE AIR.

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Old 31st March 2025 | 06:09
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Thanks!

And to further what BraceBrace wrote, don’t loose sight of the big picture. Literally. Counting lights might impress someone in the simulator, but it does nothing to adres the actual real life threats you face on the ground when exiting a runway in dense fog.
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