Least favorite ATC instructions... ... ...

"Douglas Paterson" wrote in message
...

First time I heard it was McConnell AFB, Wichita, KS (KIAB). Training
sortie, KC-135, we were shooting the full VOR procedure, so several
minutes had elapsed between being cleared for the approach and switching
over to tower. We actually already had the runway more or less in sight
when they called out the weather (below mins; heavy rainshowers) and asked
us for our intentions. When we said we intended to complete the approach
and full-stop, they came back with "Roger, Turbo XX, cleared to land
runway 35L; land at your own risk." For whatever reason, the "official"
weather was wrong, we had plenty of visibility. Landed uneventfully, were
asked for a PIREP, but they didn't change anything based on our input, at
least while we were still on frequency.

I'd never heard that before ("at your own risk"), and we had them
repeat--got the same verbiage. 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). I have an easier time
sorting out the differences between NFL and college ball! That,
actually, is a subject to which I will have to dedicate some serious study
as I ease back into GA....

Second time was at Al Udeid AB, near Doha, Qatar (OTBH). Operational
sortie, KC-135 again, returning from an Enduring Freedom mission. We got
handed off to tower (USAF controllers in a Qatari tower), who told us vis
was below minimums (that area gets some wicked shallow morning fog;
vertical vis typically more-or-less unimpeded, horizontal can go to near
zero). We told them we'd continue and evaluate visibility on final, which
got us the "at your own risk" clearance. Having heard it before, I got to
explain what that meant to the rest of the crew! Landed uneventfully,
were asked for a PIREP, they immediately changed the "official" visibility
to match our observation.


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.