[Tommy]

This comment is not for Ernie so much as it is for anyone reading this thread who thinks his point of view makes sense. The next time you are flying on an airplane, imagine that the air traffic controller has cleared the pilot to land. As he approaches the wet runway in very poor weather, a combination of unpredicted winds and a slightly high approach sets him up to land much farther down the runway than desired. The pilot realizes that it would be much safer to add power, climb back up to a safe altitude and come back for a second approach than to skid off the end of the runway while trying to land. Do you really want the pilot to continue the bad landing just because an air traffic controller sitting in a nice comfy tower cleared him to land? Of course not. Air traffic controllers are responsible for managing the traffic in their airspace. Responsibility for the safety of the aircrew and passengers is entirely that of the pilot in command. ... I've taught dozens of people to fly and I would never tolerate a pilot allowing an air traffic controller to put him and his crew in a situation where his only two choices were to come dangerously close to another airplane or make a crash landing.