She said cleared "straight in" for runway 21L. That (to me) is to come in
on the final approach path, i.e. extended runway centerline. I think tower
controllers always give you a position to enter the airport traffic pattern.
They either give you a downwind, base or "straight in" (i.e. final).

In your situation I think I would have adjusted course to intercept the
final approach fix or the runway centerline 5 miles out which ever was
greater.

Further, it might have been a concern of hers that from your position 240
degrees coming in to 21L you would cross the final approach path of 21R on
short final. If she assumed you'd be on the extended center line of 21L she
might have cleared someone on 21R at the same time making a dangerous
situation.

Kobra
(no expert)


"Jim Cummiskey" wrote in message
...
Hi, all. Ran into this one flying back from KOSH a couple weeks ago:

I check in with the KPRC controller "20 Miles NE" of Love Field in
Prescott,
AZ. She clears me with "Cleared Straight-in Runway 21L, Report 5 miles
final."

I fly directly towards the numbers. My heading was approximately 240
(hence, I'm ~30 deg off of the extended centerline).

At 5 miles from the airport (still offset from the centerline), I report
"5
mile final." She questions my position and gets all snippy (indeed, darn
right rude) that I am "not on final" since I am not on the extended
centerline. She patronizingly cautions me to be "careful about this."

Hence, the question is "What does 'Cleared Straight-in; Report X miles
Final" really mean?" Is it. . . .

(1) You must fly directly from your current position to a point on the
extended centerline that is X miles from the numbers, and then report
(sounds like a base to me).

or

(2) You can fly directly from your current position to the numbers (thus
"straight-in"), and report when you are X miles away.

I obviously vote for #2, but the controller clearly thought otherwise (it
seems to me that if 30 deg = "straight-in" in the IFR domain, it ought to
work well enough for VFR situations). Regardless, it is potentially
dangerous when controllers and pilots define things differently. Which
definition is right?

Regards, Jim