Narrative:

I had some interesting thoughts about lahso on my last flight into dca. Lahso can't work at dca and many other airports. This is because pilots are reluctant to accept a lahso clearance; even though it is probably well within their capability most of the time. The stakes are too high and for lahso you must be sure. I think the FAA should start a new program called the 'preferential runway exit program.' here is how it looks in my imagination: at dca preferential runway exit points for runway 1 are taxiway north and runway 33. For runway 19; they are taxiway F and runway 22. Definition: 'a preferential runway exit point is a taxiway or intersecting runway that ATC prefers the aircraft use to exit the landing runway once safe taxi speed is reached.' ATC landing clrncs would sound like: 'air carrier X cleared to land runway 1; preferential exit at taxiway north or runway 33.' the readback; 'air carrier X cleared to land runway 1; taxiway north or runway 33.' accepting this clearance does not obligate the pilot to taxi clear at a requested point. He may still use the entire runway if required. Preferential runway exit program does 2 things in dca: 1) it gives advanced notice of ATC's desire. 2) it allows the aircraft to taxi clear on an intersecting runway. This is normally forbidden without a specific clearance (aim 4-3-20-a). Preferential runway exit program was implemented with a short bulletin and several notes on the dca airport diagram and the approachs to runway 1 and runway 19. Dark blue taxiway lead-off ctrlines from the runway centerline to the preferential runway exit program runway exit points were painted next to existing markings. The last step in implementing the program would be to install dark blue high intensity recessed lead-off lights extending from the runway centerline down the center of the preferential runway exit program runway exit points. They would be visible on final approach and flash in sequence in the direction of runway exit. They would be controled by the tower and once installed could be substituted for the verbal preferential runway exit program clearance described above. Runway 18C at cvg would also use preferential runway exit program at txwys K and J. Several other large airports would also use preferential runway exit program.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CRJ PLT SUGGESTS USING PREFERENTIAL RWY EXIT NOTIFICATION INSTEAD OF A LAHSO LNDG IN ORDER TO CLARIFY ATC'S NEEDS AND DESIRES.

Narrative: I HAD SOME INTERESTING THOUGHTS ABOUT LAHSO ON MY LAST FLT INTO DCA. LAHSO CAN'T WORK AT DCA AND MANY OTHER ARPTS. THIS IS BECAUSE PLTS ARE RELUCTANT TO ACCEPT A LAHSO CLRNC; EVEN THOUGH IT IS PROBABLY WELL WITHIN THEIR CAPABILITY MOST OF THE TIME. THE STAKES ARE TOO HIGH AND FOR LAHSO YOU MUST BE SURE. I THINK THE FAA SHOULD START A NEW PROGRAM CALLED THE 'PREFERENTIAL RWY EXIT PROGRAM.' HERE IS HOW IT LOOKS IN MY IMAGINATION: AT DCA PREFERENTIAL RWY EXIT POINTS FOR RWY 1 ARE TXWY N AND RWY 33. FOR RWY 19; THEY ARE TXWY F AND RWY 22. DEFINITION: 'A PREFERENTIAL RWY EXIT POINT IS A TXWY OR INTERSECTING RWY THAT ATC PREFERS THE ACFT USE TO EXIT THE LNDG RWY ONCE SAFE TAXI SPD IS REACHED.' ATC LNDG CLRNCS WOULD SOUND LIKE: 'ACR X CLRED TO LAND RWY 1; PREFERENTIAL EXIT AT TXWY N OR RWY 33.' THE READBACK; 'ACR X CLRED TO LAND RWY 1; TXWY N OR RWY 33.' ACCEPTING THIS CLRNC DOES NOT OBLIGATE THE PLT TO TAXI CLR AT A REQUESTED POINT. HE MAY STILL USE THE ENTIRE RWY IF REQUIRED. PREFERENTIAL RWY EXIT PROGRAM DOES 2 THINGS IN DCA: 1) IT GIVES ADVANCED NOTICE OF ATC'S DESIRE. 2) IT ALLOWS THE ACFT TO TAXI CLR ON AN INTERSECTING RWY. THIS IS NORMALLY FORBIDDEN WITHOUT A SPECIFIC CLRNC (AIM 4-3-20-A). PREFERENTIAL RWY EXIT PROGRAM WAS IMPLEMENTED WITH A SHORT BULLETIN AND SEVERAL NOTES ON THE DCA ARPT DIAGRAM AND THE APCHS TO RWY 1 AND RWY 19. DARK BLUE TXWY LEAD-OFF CTRLINES FROM THE RWY CTRLINE TO THE PREFERENTIAL RWY EXIT PROGRAM RWY EXIT POINTS WERE PAINTED NEXT TO EXISTING MARKINGS. THE LAST STEP IN IMPLEMENTING THE PROGRAM WOULD BE TO INSTALL DARK BLUE HIGH INTENSITY RECESSED LEAD-OFF LIGHTS EXTENDING FROM THE RWY CTRLINE DOWN THE CTR OF THE PREFERENTIAL RWY EXIT PROGRAM RWY EXIT POINTS. THEY WOULD BE VISIBLE ON FINAL APCH AND FLASH IN SEQUENCE IN THE DIRECTION OF RWY EXIT. THEY WOULD BE CTLED BY THE TWR AND ONCE INSTALLED COULD BE SUBSTITUTED FOR THE VERBAL PREFERENTIAL RWY EXIT PROGRAM CLRNC DESCRIBED ABOVE. RWY 18C AT CVG WOULD ALSO USE PREFERENTIAL RWY EXIT PROGRAM AT TXWYS K AND J. SEVERAL OTHER LARGE ARPTS WOULD ALSO USE PREFERENTIAL RWY EXIT PROGRAM.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.