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Option clear
Executive summary
"Cleared for the option" is an ATC landing clearance that authorizes a pilot to choose among several landing maneuvers—touch-and-go, stop-and-go, full stop, low approach or missed approach—primarily used for training and pattern work; official guidance and several pilot-focused sites list those same options [1] [2]. Aviation forums and practical guidance agree pilots should, when practical, inform ATC of intentions if deviating from routine expectations, but reporting practices vary and controllers sometimes remind pilots to clarify [3] [4].
1. What the phrase actually authorizes
"Cleared for the option" explicitly permits a pilot to perform multiple possible runway maneuvers without obtaining a new clearance for each one: touch-and-go, stop-and-go, full stop, low approach or missed approach. IVAO’s ATC procedure page lists these five maneuvers as precisely what the clearance allows [1]. Training and pilot-education outlets like Boldmethod also summarize the clearance as giving the pilot “pretty much” all of the pattern choices, matching IVAO’s list [2].
2. Who uses it and why
The clearance is used mainly at controlled airports for training, practice approaches, and flight-school operations because it streamlines repetitive pattern work: instructors and students can cycle through multiple landings without repeated radio exchanges [1]. Boldmethod frames the clearance as the one that “gives you the most choices” from a tower controller, which explains its appeal in busy pattern practice [2].
3. Reporting and communication realities — what pilots and controllers disagree about
Operational culture is not uniform about when a pilot must announce which option they’ll take. IVAO guidance warns controllers should not issue the clearance unsolicited and implies the clearance is for known training use [1]. On forums, experienced pilots report differing controller behavior: some controllers ask pilots to state intentions if they plan a full stop, while many pilots maintain a full stop is one valid option that does not, by rule, require immediate advance notification [3] [4]. That mismatch produces the common practical advice: if you intend a full stop or an atypical maneuver, tell ATC as soon as you can [3].
4. Safety and runway-use implications
Because the clearance allows immediate re-takeoff (e.g., touch-and-go, stop-and-go), controllers must balance traffic flow and wake/taxi conflicts. Boldmethod’s description of stop-and-go operations underscores the need to avoid “camp-and-go” behavior that would obstruct other arrivals, and it implies pilots should be mindful of runway occupancy times when exercising options [2]. IVAO explicitly frames the clearance as an ATC procedure tailored to controlled environments where that balance can be managed [1].
5. Common misunderstandings and forum experiences
Online pilot communities frequently debate whether a full stop landing automatically triggers extra reporting; several posters argue a normal full stop executed from an option clearance does not require additional reports if you exit the runway normally [3]. Others recount episodes where controllers appeared to expect verbal clarification, illustrating that human factors and local procedures create friction between textbook rights and real-world expectations [4] [3].
6. Practical guidance for pilots
Based on the available guidance and community experience: use "cleared for the option" at pattern-focused fields and only when it’s appropriate for traffic; if you plan a full stop or any action that could disrupt expected flow, announce it as early as possible; and be prepared for some controllers to ask for clarification even when the clearance technically allows your chosen option [1] [3] [2].
Limitations: official regulatory texts or FAA AIM excerpts are not included in the provided sources, and the reporting above relies on IVAO ATC procedure guidance, aviation education pieces, and community forums; those sources align on the core meaning but reveal variation in local practice and controller expectations [1] [2] [3].