Narrative:

During a training flight; I was instructing the student on proper round-out ht and attitude. We requested and received an option clearance with no restrs. During the low-pass; we touched the runway more than once and were advised by the tower that this was an illegal operation. The controller explained that we were allowed only one contact with the runway and had conducted 'multiple touch and goes' without approval. Since we were conducting round-out ht practice; we were necessarily close to the runway and at low speed which resulted in inadvertent multiple contacts with the runway surface. On a subsequent approach; we requested and were granted approval for multiple touch-and-goes. The controller went on to explain that the reason for the regulation was that if we had progressed far enough down the runway allowing him to clear another aircraft for landing behind us and we then touched the runway again after they landed; it would have resulted in an operational error for him. I have been a certificated pilot for over 13 yrs and a CFI at this airport for the last 3 yrs. I can't remember being taught this particular regulation and was under the impression an option clearance allowed for unrestr operations concerning the runway. While I have heard of a clearance for multiple touch-and-goes; I didn't anticipate that this was required in this situation since the intent was not to touch the runway at all. Furthermore; I have done this type of training before with the same inadvertent contact with the runway and received no such admonition from the controllers.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT PRACTICING LNDG ROUNDOUTS TOUCH THE RWY SEVERAL TIMES ON THE SAME LNDG. ATC CALLED THE ACTION ILLEGAL.

Narrative: DURING A TRAINING FLT; I WAS INSTRUCTING THE STUDENT ON PROPER ROUND-OUT HT AND ATTITUDE. WE REQUESTED AND RECEIVED AN OPTION CLRNC WITH NO RESTRS. DURING THE LOW-PASS; WE TOUCHED THE RWY MORE THAN ONCE AND WERE ADVISED BY THE TWR THAT THIS WAS AN ILLEGAL OP. THE CTLR EXPLAINED THAT WE WERE ALLOWED ONLY ONE CONTACT WITH THE RWY AND HAD CONDUCTED 'MULTIPLE TOUCH AND GOES' WITHOUT APPROVAL. SINCE WE WERE CONDUCTING ROUND-OUT HT PRACTICE; WE WERE NECESSARILY CLOSE TO THE RWY AND AT LOW SPD WHICH RESULTED IN INADVERTENT MULTIPLE CONTACTS WITH THE RWY SURFACE. ON A SUBSEQUENT APCH; WE REQUESTED AND WERE GRANTED APPROVAL FOR MULTIPLE TOUCH-AND-GOES. THE CTLR WENT ON TO EXPLAIN THAT THE REASON FOR THE REG WAS THAT IF WE HAD PROGRESSED FAR ENOUGH DOWN THE RWY ALLOWING HIM TO CLR ANOTHER ACFT FOR LNDG BEHIND US AND WE THEN TOUCHED THE RWY AGAIN AFTER THEY LANDED; IT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN AN OPERROR FOR HIM. I HAVE BEEN A CERTIFICATED PLT FOR OVER 13 YRS AND A CFI AT THIS ARPT FOR THE LAST 3 YRS. I CAN'T REMEMBER BEING TAUGHT THIS PARTICULAR REG AND WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION AN OPTION CLRNC ALLOWED FOR UNRESTR OPS CONCERNING THE RWY. WHILE I HAVE HEARD OF A CLRNC FOR MULTIPLE TOUCH-AND-GOES; I DIDN'T ANTICIPATE THAT THIS WAS REQUIRED IN THIS SITUATION SINCE THE INTENT WAS NOT TO TOUCH THE RWY AT ALL. FURTHERMORE; I HAVE DONE THIS TYPE OF TRAINING BEFORE WITH THE SAME INADVERTENT CONTACT WITH THE RWY AND RECEIVED NO SUCH ADMONITION FROM THE CTLRS.

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.