"John Clear" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Nils Rostedt wrote:
Slightly OT: Is there a difference between the meaning of "clear to land"
between US and Europe?

The reason I ask is because while watching the traffic flow at FLL, I got
the impression landing clearance for airplane X was given even though
there
were still other planes ahead, as soon as ATC is sure the separation is
big
enough for safety. In contrast, up here ATC gives the landing clearance
only
when the previous plane has actually vacated the runway.


Your understanding of the way it works in the US is correct. ATC
can issue the landing clearance on the expectation that the runway
will be free when you get there.

I've been "number 12, cleared to land" at Palo Alto (KPAO), and on
a different day, heard someone else get "number 15, cleared to
land". When I was number 12, only one plane before me had to go
around for traffic on the runway, which isn't bad at all.

Normally in the UK only one aircraft is cleared to land and that is when the
aircraft is on final approach and the runway is clear of any preceding
aircraft.

An aircraft on final approach with one ahead is asked to continue until
cleared to land or he calls missed approach.