wrote:

I keep asking for some regulation at the cylinder that will make it
easier for me to anticipate likely hazards. And the constant response
is density. I've flown the 1-mile "turn cylinder" for several seasons
now, and I've come to the conclusion that it does little to alleviate
congestion.

Morning Chris,
I think the problems in traffic separation can be solved with good
radio procedures like those we have adopted at Montague. The County
insists we use 122.8 for T/O and landing, so we tell all finishers to
call on 123.3 at 10 miles out, get the winds to see which way we are
landing and then switch to 122.8. They are instructed to call 4 miles
from the center, then in the gate (1 mile on DME) with direction and
condition, ie, JJ....In the gate.......from the S/W............high.
The finisher has been listening for 10 miles and knows who's in front
of him and their condition (low man gets priority). I have done this in
a contest with 80 ships at Reese. Charlie had similar procedures in
place and I never had even the hint of a problem.
I take that back, at Montague we did have a guy with a bad radio that
landed against traffic, thankfully we have a 200 foot wide rudway and
both pilots stayed to the right. His radio problems were a continuing
thing and I felt he should have dealt with it. He should have known his
radio wasn't working when he got no reply and heard nobody talking. We
gave him a hand-held for the remainder of the contest.
JJ