When can you sidestep to the landing runway on approach?

• A. When the landing runway is in sight
• B. When cleared by air traffic control
• C. At any time during approach
• D. Only after touchdown

Answer: (A)

Visual contact with the landing runway on approach is the trigger for sidestepping to that runway. When you can see the runway, you have the necessary situational awareness to determine its position, confirm it’s the intended landing strip, and assess whether a safe sidestep is feasible within your current flight path. Seeing the runway lets you align the aircraft and complete the transition to the landing path with the proper clearance from other traffic and obstacles. If you don’t have the runway in sight, you can’t reliably verify you’re targeting the correct strip or ensure a safe maneuver, so sidestepping isn’t appropriate. The option about waiting for ATC clearance isn’t the deciding cue here, and sidestepping at any time or only after touchdown wouldn’t be safe or possible in practice.