Sorry dude, If I don't hear "cleared to land" I'm going around. There are alot of unwritten rules at many airports, just don't forget the basics and common sense.

 

Yea that's one I'm not comfortable with myself. If I don't hear clear to land I'm not doing it. I'm not paying for the fuel if I go missed but I'm betting my career if I don't.

 

I appreciate you sharing, BUT we should apply a little common sense here. First of all, ORD had one of the closest near misses ever recorded in history between a United 737 and an Atlas 747 a couple of years ago, you would think our friendly folks in the tower would be a bit more cautious about saying things like that to anyone.

Second, there's no way I am landing without a clearance, unless I'm declaring an emergency, particularly in an airport as big as ORD with crossing runways (please see above).

Finally, let's talk about self preservation here, what if you have a fed on board? Yes right there in your jumpseat! Or what if you're on a line check? Are you going to land without a clearance? And if you didn't have a fed or a check airman, why would you even consider breaking a regulation, while increasing your margin of risk?

As far as taxing, I will comply with any "tribal" norms and unspoken rules, within the limits of both the regulations, but most importantly safety, and I really don't give a sh!t if it disturbs their flow. I will not hit another vehicle and or aircraft, nor will I expose myself to a runway/taxiway incursion for which the controllers are now liable to report. I've been in and out of ORD plenty of times, but we run the aircraft, not ATC, and I've never had any problems.

No demeanor to the ATC folks, but they will try to get away with as much as we let them, after all, they are subject to operational pressures just as much as anyone else in this business.

 

If you deem it as the safest course of action by all means. I have landed at ORD without a clearance. If you don't have a landing clearance at ORD it's probably because they are tied up with the aircraft that is going around.

UAL used to teach an initial Captains course and this was one of the questions that they asked - You can't get a word in on the radio because ATC is busy with... You can see the runway is clear. Do you land or go around? The answer that they, and ATC wanted to hear was land.

 

Once again, my job is not to tailor the flying of my aircraft to accomodate ATC's flow, but rather to operate the aircraft as safely as possible within the regulations, and/or under emergency authority. That being said, I am more than happy to work WITH our ATC brothers and sisters, there is a big distinction.

 

Having been ORD based at one point in my career I can sympathize with the craziness that occurs around there, however I would not heed this advice. It's one thing to keep moving after clearing the runway while the ground frequency is tied up, it is quite another to land without a clearance. With all the crossing runways and intersection departures going on at that airport your decision to land without a clearance could be your last.

Regardless of what anyone has told you, I would not land without a clearance.

 

Well, are you going to post in the majors section to AA pilots about your hints and tips about flying in and out of ORD?

The majority of the go arounds I see in ORD are due to ATC pooching the screw, not crews from (insert airline here). Just like when I was LGA based, BOS based, IAD based, LAX based, etc.

 

I mention the two go arounds I have witnessed because of people taking their sweet time getting off the runway. How many have I seen go around for other reasons? Plenty. You jump on my case "because I have been based [here], and [here], and [here]".... come on, get your panties out of a wad. We all know they happen. I am trying to help, not stir up a ruckus. Posts like yours do not help.

Oh, and that AA 757 not only stopped, but did so with half his airplane across the hold short line. Maybe I should go into the flight training forum and ask the pre-private students where you stop after crossing a hold short line since apparently the major guys you reference with your sarcastic remarks don't seem to know and post the answer in the majors forum.... I am trying to offer what I have learned to help make everyone's lives easier, you decide to try get things fired up. Since you have been based everywhere, you sure seem to know better.

And by the way, it is screwing the pooch, not "pooching the screw," though I wonder what that means. Guess being based everywhere means proper English no longer matters.

 

Theres always decaf......

I was simply saying that there's more than one reason for a go around. Show me where I "jumped on your case" as you put it. Careful with the bold part, you can get zinged for flambebait with that language. A former mod is probably spinning right now wishing he still had that authority

You chose to start a thread about a specific airline, yet elected to include another airline that has committed a foible, why? So do as you wish. I'm guessing neither you, nor anybody at the airline that employs you has EVER made a boo boo at one of the world's busiest airports? Or simply stopped the airplane awaiting further instructions because as professional and safe pilots that what we're trained to do?

You picked up on sarcasm earlier, how it got lost here is beyond me, sorry.

 

A Heavy plane still on the end of the runway about to make his turn clear. Me...over the numbers...to ATC "What do u want me to do" ATC LAND! never heard a word and never saw past the first third of the RWY, sorta like landing at Sun-in-Fun...A

Still a jacked up place, but we make it work, work with the guys and they will always work with you...good and bad