‘Cleared to Land’ is a critical review of the politics of planning and the political scheming that took place during the search for London’s 3rd airport. Why was Stansted selected when it didn’t meet any of the criteria laid down for the 3rd airport? How were the costs distorted to favour Stansted in the face of public opposition to it? And who was the puppet master pulling the political strings behind the scenes?  Cleared to Land offers some insights into the machinations of government and the planning process and advocates that if the saga of Terminal Five and the Third runway at Heathrow are anything to go by then nothing has really changed during the last 40 years.