(Answered) Land-Air 'Mech mode conversion questions

[Nerroth]

I have a couple of LAM-related questions, if they aren't too much trouble to ask:

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By my reading of the current (6th printing) Alpha Strike: Commander's Edition rulebook, if a LAM in ASF mode wishes to convert into AirMech mode, it has to place a token at its landing location along a Low altitude flight path (which ends at that token), and move as an AirMech thereafter.

To clarify, does the LAM actually land, convert into AirMech mode, and then decide whether to take off as a WiGE unit or not? Or does the LAM have the ability to transition into WiGE movement at the token's location, without physically landing on the map surface as an interim step?

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Further, it's noted that when a LAM in AirMech mode converts into ASF mode, it draws a valid flight path from its current location on the board once the conversion is announced.

Does it make a difference whether or not the AirMech is on the ground or still in flight (from a previous turn's worth of WiGE movement)? Or does the AirMech have to be landed before it can convert into, and then take off as, an ASF?

[nckestrel]

The AirMech, during conversion, is assumed to be 1 elevation and using its WiGE movement.
When converting from fighter to AirMech, the AirMech is at 1 elevation above the ground at the beginning of its AirMech movement.  It does not actually "land" to ground level. 
When converting from AirMech to fighter, the AirMech should already be airborne (1 elevation or more).   If the AirMech converts to fighter while at ground level, the fighter is also landed and must use the take off rules for aerospace fighters to get airborne.
In neither case is it required that the AirMech be at ground level. 
(In the future will likely change the wording to avoid using "landing" or "landed" to describe the AirMech status.)

[Nerroth]

Thank you kindly for both replies.