How far out is short final?

simtech

simtech

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Simtech
I'm hearing a lot of youtubers saying on CTAF "short final runway X." Yet it really appears they are still like a half mile to a mile out....I don't know maybe my perception is off but calling short final and then taking over a minute to touch down is not short final to me. If I call short final im usually in the airport perimeter and touching down in a few seconds.
 
I would think short final is anywhere between 1/2 mile out and about to touchdown.
 
"The aircraft you are following is on short final."

("Just go ahead and land. Act as if he isn't there because for your intents and purposes he isn't. I'm only saying he hasn't landed because he hasn't and I have to say so legally but he practically he has and if he biffs it on final and you run in to him while you are landing it isn't going to cause me much more paperwork either way so whatever.")
 
simtech said:
I'm hearing a lot of youtubers saying on CTAF "short final runway X." Yet it really appears they are still like a half mile to a mile out....I don't know maybe my perception is off but calling short final and then taking over a minute to touch down is not short final to me. If I call short final im usually in the airport perimeter and touching down in a few seconds.
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A mile out would not take more than minute unless they're flying an ultra-lite.
 
Seems like 6 or so miles for a towered field, 2 or so non towered, think it also depends on your speed, short final for a J3 is a little shorter than short final for a G6
 
EppyGA said:
A mile out would not take more than minute unless they're flying an ultra-lite.
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You right, so if it took a minute he was farther out than a mile which seems excessive to call short final. Nothing short in a mile or more out.
 
good question. assuming you're talking about a 'typical' GA plane most of us fly.....

I'll go with having to meet all of these before calling short final:

  • less than a half of a half mile (so I'm assuming you're turning final a half mile out, or calling "on final" also about a half mile out if you're straight in)
  • you've turned/joined final, you're lined up, you've checked instruments, you do final gumps check
  • you most likely have the runway made if u lose an engine
 
eman1200 said:
good question. assuming you're talking about a 'typical' GA plane most of us fly.....

I'll go with having to meet all of these before calling short final:

  • less than a half of a half mile (so I'm assuming you're turning final a half mile out, or calling "on final" also about a half mile out if you're straight in)
  • you've turned/joined final, you're lined up, you've checked instruments, you do final gumps check
  • you most likely have the runway made if u lose an engine
Click to expand...

Yep typical GA plane. You criteria fits what I would think.
 
simtech said:
I'm hearing a lot of youtubers saying on CTAF "short final runway X." Yet it really appears they are still like a half mile to a mile out....I don't know maybe my perception is off but calling short final and then taking over a minute to touch down is not short final to me. If I call short final im usually in the airport perimeter and touching down in a few seconds.
Click to expand...

Add it to the pet peeve list. I've trended toward not even using the expression anymore, specifying distance instead; e.g. "1/4 mile final."
 
I've even heard folks who say "N123 is 'very' short final for RWY X." None of these are necessary radio calls to make, unless somebody requests it.

I suppose the distance of "short final" varies for most everyone.
 
Shawn said:
Short final for me is anything tighter than a standard pattern turn to final.
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A standard pattern turn is 3/4 mile. So 0.74999 mile is short final?
 
now that I think about it, towered fields have called out 'traffic on short final' (me) farther out than I would have. not by much, but still.
 
If I am inbound to land and someone ask me how far out I am, I will use time to land. Something like 1 minute to land, or 1 mile out, 30 seconds to land.
 
About a month ago I was going into St George Utah, 5 miles south of the field and still a little high, called position, and entering downwind. Southwest flight came on and called " on final", I reported downwind and height, and they answered back, On final, at 12.5K... I said "Ok, no visual on the traffic" and made a few S turns until they reported "Southwest Short final.. 4 miles out... so I extended a ways to make sure they got down before turning base.. I don't like following in 737's... Love bigger planes using uncontrolled airports... I thought it was funny that they were " on final at 12.5K"
 
I never tried to put this into numbers but I think I've always envisioned it to be somewhere between halfway from the base-final turn and touchdown and touchdown.
 
I have seen an aircraft call short final about 2 seconds before touching down.

It was a crop duster....pattern altitude was about a hundred feet....I think he got a nosebleed...
 
I only call "Short Final" when I fly a very tight pattern. It's basically to warn any planes waiting to take off that I might be unexpectedly close. My plane has a lot of drag, and I tend to come in high and slip down to the landing. It's interesting how many people don't seem to look above the 3 degree glide slope....

Ron Wanttaja
 
For me, short final is when you are close enough that anything getting in front of you would require a go round.
 
Since we are talking pilot controlled airports here wouldn't short final be defined as "whatever the hell you want it to be?"
 
Glenn D said:
About a month ago I was going into St George Utah, 5 miles south of the field and still a little high, called position, and entering downwind. Southwest flight came on and called " on final", I reported downwind and height, and they answered back, On final, at 12.5K... I said "Ok, no visual on the traffic" and made a few S turns until they reported "Southwest Short final.. 4 miles out... so I extended a ways to make sure they got down before turning base.. I don't like following in 737's... Love bigger planes using uncontrolled airports... I thought it was funny that they were " on final at 12.5K"
Click to expand...

I think most GA planes on downwind could be on the ramp and tied down by the time a 737 at 12,500' would be a problem.
 
Short final should mean that there is a user already on final and stay the heck out of his/her way.
 
I kinda stopped using it - but if I have to extend downwind for someone flying "cross country on final", I might mention the distance when turning from base-to-final, as in "Cessna 1234 turning mile-and-half final for 27", just so someone entering the pattern will know I'm WAY out on final, have an idea where to look for me. . .
 
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