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Aviation vocabulary · Air Traffic Control & Radiotelephony

Clearance

Meaning in aviation, with examples

/ˈklɪrəns/nounCore term

In aviation, clearance means: Permission from air traffic control for an aircraft to do something specific, such as follow a route, take off, enter airspace, climb or land.

In Turkish: müsaade, izin, klerens

How it is used

A clearance must be read back by the pilot. Before departure crews receive a route clearance, often by datalink; later come the takeoff, approach and landing clearances. Pilots request, receive, read back and follow clearances.

Example sentences

  1. We are ready to start, but our clearance to Izmir has not come through yet.

  2. The pilot read back the clearance, and the controller noticed the wrong altitude.

Common collocations

  • request clearance
  • departure clearance
  • landing clearance
  • read back the clearance
  • ATC clearance
  • air traffic controlThe service that guides aircraft on the ground and in the air to keep them safely apart and moving in an orderly way. Controllers give instructions and clearances by radio.
  • readbackRepeating an ATC clearance or instruction back to the controller, so that the controller can confirm it was heard and understood correctly.
  • cleared for takeoffThe ATC phrase that gives an aircraft permission to start its takeoff run on a specific runway. It is normally given by the tower controller.
  • flight planThe official details of a planned flight sent to air traffic services before departure: route, levels, speed, aircraft type, fuel endurance and alternate airports.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Air Traffic Control & Radiotelephony

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