I was with my CFI so we called the tower from the classroom and filed a NASA report.
Lucky for me this was in Asheville (KAVL) and they train controllers there too and it's all, basically, in one room so everyone knew we were coming in and there was only one other A/C sitting at the departure end holding short waiting on us. Super lucky. It sucks when you are so used to being told everything to do and having to argue with ATC about bogus turn instructions at 300' AGL that then when they forget it's still your fault.
We went back and listened to the ATC recordings and the regional carrier that landed before we took off asked the tower if they were cleared to land so I think we weren't the only pilots missing some calls.
On the flip side the chief was a hardass and would make me call the tower and get clearance to land before beginning my descent while running the pattern. Other schools / instructors always made a call on short final to remind the tower we were still out there but the chief would fly a 10 mile downwind before he would descend and turn base without clearance. Now I think he really did know something
Had he tried to do something nonsensical approach/tower/CFI would have noticed and said something.
