"Land at your own risk"

[R22 Driver]

I reckon that all LA pilots have heard this landing clearance before. I'm interested to know what ATC services I'm getting, and more importantly, what I'm not getting, when given a "land at your own risk" clearance at a towered airport

 

 

Thanks, R

[lelebebbel]

From FAA order JO 7110.65S

Air Traffic Control, Chapter 3 (Terminal), Section 11 (Helicopter Operations)

 

http://www.faa.gov/airports_airtraffic/air...#atc0311.html.1

 

 

3-11-6. HELICOPTER LANDING CLEARANCE

 

a. Issue landing clearance for helicopters to movement areas other than active runways, or from diverse directions to points on active runways, with additional instructions, as necessary. Whenever possible, issue landing clearance in lieu of extended hover-taxi or air-taxi operations.

 

.....

 

b. If landing is requested to nonmovement areas and, in your judgment, the operation appears to be reasonable, use the following phraseology instead of the landing clearance in subpara a above.

 

PHRASEOLOGY-

PROCEED AS REQUESTED, USE CAUTION (reason and additional instructions, as appropriate).

 

c. If landing is requested to an area not visible, an area not authorized for helicopter use, an unlighted nonmovement area at night, or an area off the airport, and traffic is not a factor, use the following phraseology.

 

PHRASEOLOGY-

LANDING AT (requested location) WILL BE AT YOUR OWN RISK (reason and additional instructions, as necessary).

 

See also "Takeoff from non-movement areas"

Edited June 11, 2008 by lelebebbel

[Gomer Pylot]

The short version is that you're landing to a spot the tower can't control, thus there may be things on the ground that he can't see, or has no communication with. It's your responsibility to clear your landing area.

[R22 Driver]

Thanks guys.

[JDHelicopterPilot]

It is more common than you may think to get this from the tower. It's not just a LA thing. Reason is more offten than not helicopters land right into a ramp area and don't use a runway or taxiway. As others pointed out the landing is at your own risk. Tower/ground control has no control over the area and cannot ensure that it will be safe to land when you get there.

 

Use great caution when landing in a non-movement area! You may have an aircraft that is moving around, or cars, fuel trucks even other helicopters taking off and landing. I have made quite a few go arounds as a result of different dynamic obbstructions that have moved into my landing zone. If in doubt just go around and tell the tower. No big deal

[yzpilot]

FWIW, not just a helicopter clearance. I flew a Hawker (biz jet) out of Tulsa, OK for a while and while they were remodeling the tower the landing clearance for runway 18R was "Landing runway 18 right at own risk, area not visible from the tower."

[Chopperjess]

Here's an Example:

 

At John Wayne airport out in Southern California, my flight school Helistream for instance is on top of a building with a few helipads. Tuesday night I went on a night flight, and we asked the tower inbound for the pads. They told us to Land at our own risk at Tridair (Helistream).