[metanoia]

Before 9/11 we could easily tour an ATC facility with a group of pilots - tower, center, tracon - under Project Raincheck. Not sure if they've started that back up again or not, but it was definitely eye opening.

Edit: Just read the section under "Line Up And Wait" and lol'ed to myself when I saw this:

"Do not authorize an aircraft to LUAW if an aircraft has been cleared to land, touch−and−go,stop−and–go, option, or unrestricted low approach on the same runway."

I'm pretty sure SFO lines up aircraft on the 28's and simultaneously clears someone before the San Mateo bridge to land, while waiting for a landing aircraft to clear the runway.

[zackbloom]

They absolutely can clear someone to land while traffic is still taking off on the runway. Generally they will have the landing traffic go around if they can’t get the taking off traffic off fast enough. I believe somewhere they can also land traffic with traffic still on the runway if they have three thousand feet of clearance.