Who has final authority to accept or decline any land and hold short (LAHSO) clearance?

• A. Pilot in Command
• B. Air Traffic Controller
• C. Flight Service Station
• D. Airport Manager

Answer: (A)

The Pilot in Command has the final say on whether to accept or decline any land-and-hold-short clearance. A LAHSO instruction requires landing and stopping short of an intersecting runway, which directly affects your aircraft’s performance, braking, and the usable runway length. Because safety of the flight hinges on whether your glider can meet the distance and stopping requirements under current weight, configuration, and conditions, it’s the PIC’s responsibility to determine if it’s feasible. If not, you should decline the clearance or request an alternative.

Air Traffic Control can propose or issue the LAHSO clearance, but they cannot override the pilot’s judgment on whether it can be safely complied with. Flight Service Station provides weather and other information, not the final decision on the clearance, and the Airport Manager isn’t involved in the flight clearance decision.