At some larger airports around the country, there may be a need to operate airplanes off converging runways. When that happens, and there’s a tower controller in charge of traffic, land-and-hold-short operations (LAHSO) could be in effect.
In essence, LAHSO is a way to increase airport capacity by placing hold short lines on a runway at the intersection of another runway or a taxiway. When LAHSO is active, ATC clears a pilot to land and hold short, meaning the pilot must land and either exit the runway or stop prior to the hold short lines.
Student pilots should not accept a LAHSO clearance, and accepting the clearance after you get your pilot certificate is completely up to you. FAA guidance makes it clear the pilot shouldn’t accept the clearance if he feels it may compromise safety. A LAHSO clearance also won’t be given if the weather is worse than a 1,000-foot ceiling and three miles visibility.
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