Originally Posted by
angry tanker
So, dumb question, but why did these guys land without a clearance? I know with flag ops, less gas, but still, who would land without any clearance on the radio? Dulles, BWI, there was other options...
Ah, the fear of going missed in DCA.
Originally Posted by
Sliceback
Sooo, if there's no controller on duty the airport is....uncontrolled. Can you land without a landing clearance at an uncontrolled field? Yes.
Originally Posted by
chuckyt1
I think that, given the same circumstances, I would.
Judgment is a cruel mistress. I sometimes hate the fact that it is being regulated out of the cockpit.
I get it, but is it
safer, to land or go-around?
Could you make a safe landing in this situation as these pilots did? Absolutely.
But there are two questions you'll be asked- what happened and why did you land?
If you went around, there is only 1 question asked, what happened? If you landed, there is rightfully a lot more questions and for good reason. You may feel as if the decision is beyond reproach but obviously it won't be will it?
I ask because think about AMR 1420, different situation for sure but the lesson learned was to not force a landing and to flip the previous mindset of we're going to land unless XYZ to now we're going to go-around unless we have XYZ.
Like I said, I get landing, I find it easier to run around on the ground in ORD or EWR without talking than to go to YYZ and be led by the hand everywhere. But, you're landing an airliner into a peculiar situation to say the least and don't forget, your bravado rights are compromised when you are strapped into a part 121 airliner.