"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in message
ink.net...

"Douglas Paterson" wrote in message
...
[snip]
I queried tower on the phone after
landing, they explained (and cited an appropriate reg) that it
essentially
means "hey, we told you the weather's below mins; you fly your airplane,
we don't mind if you land on our runway." That clearance may or may not
exist in the civilian world, I don't know. USAF flies under its own
rules--they mirror both FAA and ICAO regs, but there are plenty of subtle
differences (as there are between FAA and ICAO).
[snip]
So someone within the USAF thought USAF tower controllers should inform
flight crews that landing was at their own risk when the weather was below
approach minimums? What does that mean, exactly? Does someone else
assume the risk when weather is above approach minimums?

That phraseology doesn't exist in the civilian world, but it's not because
the USAF "flies under its own rules." All controllers in the US are
required to provide services in accordance with FAA Order 7110.65, it
doesn't matter if they wear a uniform.


HOW it got into the regs, I can't say; I read it for myself, though, it's
there (or at least it was at the time). It "means" what I somewhat
flippantly said in my earlier response--it emphasizes the fact that the
controller has advised the pilot of the below-mins wx conditions. The
controller tells the pilot that he may land on the runway (as opposed to
being *denied clearance to land* and diverting or holding, etc.), but that
because of the conditions he's doing so "at his own risk." I think it's
less about assuming risk, exactly, and more about communicating that point
(my opinion). Of course, the pilot will always be responsible for any
mishap; but, let's say the controller clears an aircraft to land knowing
that the weather is below minimums--in any mishap, that controller is going
to be hung to dry as well (at least in the USAF world).

I spoke imprecisely when I said the USAF flies under its own rules--yes, it
flies in compliance with FAA (and ICAO and host-nation, where applicable)
rules. There are some pretty broad exceptions granted to the military *by
the FARs*, though, and that's the point I was trying to make....

Air Force Instruction 11-202 Volume 3
[http://www.e-publishing.af.mil/pubfi...i11-202v3.pdf]
is the "General Flight Rules" for USAF pilots--chapter 1 of that pub does a
pretty decent job of explaining that inter-relation if you want the details.
Similar relationships exist as well, for example, for the control of
aircraft (though I'm not familiar enough with that side of things to give
you a citation).

--
Doug
"Where am I to go/Now that I've gone too far?" -- Golden Earring, "Twilight
Zone"
(my email is spam-proofed; read the address and make the appropriate change
to contact me)