Second guess myself on runway assignment

evapilotaz

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Feb 13, 2012
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Gilbert AZ. VFR All Year Baby
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Drone airspace abuser
So I was three miles out and the controller said cleared to land on runway 22l.
As I entered short final i started second guessing myself about the runway assignment. I called on the radio tower please confirm runway assignment 22l for 91e. Did I irritate the controller by this? Just wondering.
 
Ha...nope. Never second guess yourself when it comes to clarifying if you are not 100% sure and second guessing your clearance or instruction...even if it could "irritate" the controller. He is sitting safely on the ground in his chair.

Just the other day I made the call "Tower, Cessna XZY holding short runway 28 right ready for departure"

Tower: "Cessna XYS, cleared for takeoff runway 28 right..." then proceed to give me a departure instruction and asked me a question that I was not expecting and threw me for a loop. Got it figured out after some back and forth then started to roll...then hit the brakes. "uhhh, Tower, Cessna XYZ...confirming I have takeoff clearance on runway 28 right, right?"
 
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When in doubt, ask. You can't worry about what they think about your query.
 
It's never wrong to confirm the info. Better to ask than to do something wrong and get a violation.
 
It's never wrong to confirm the info. Better to ask than to do something wrong and get a violation.

This x10. A runway violation will aggravate you a lot more than asking the controller a second time. Telling the FAA that you didn't want to bother the controller isn't a real solid defense.
 
He'd be more irritated if you landed on a different runway from where you were cleared.
 
He'd be more irritated if you landed on a different runway from where you were cleared.
This. If you are unsure ask again. It beats getting violated over something you could have confirmed or corrected
 
Get rid of the notion that you might "irritate" a controller. They exist to serve the needs of the aviator, not the other way around.
 
Don't make a choice based on what others might think of it, only what you think of it. You're stuck with you no matter what, so you do what you think is best and damn the rest.
 
@flyingron -funny!
Rule #1. If there is ANY doubt; there is NO doubt. Check/Confirm/Ask/Stop. Asumptions will end in tears.
 
Yep. I've second guessed myself on receiving a landing clearance before so I've done the "confirm 123BZ cleared to land runway 22L". It confirmed the landing clearance, and the runway for that matter.

It shouldn't bother the controller, but if it does, that's his problem, not yours. Always verify a clearance or instruction you're not 100% certain you understand.
 
Ask. If you are trying to decide whether or not to ask, ask.

Sometimes the controller will misspeak, too. If you get a rwy or pattern entry instruction that just doesn't seem to make sense, ask.
 
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