Maule Driver wrote:
Agreed. Over the airport in a descent, enter left dowwind and land. Eyes
and ears peeled the whole way. Broadcast my intentions in as concise a
manner as I can. Or just enter behind the last pilot.

Frankly, If I were approaching from the NW and saw someone from the NE do a
"cross, fly out, RH 225 to the 45 entry", I would be totally confused and
surprised to see that you are landing at the same airport I was aimed at.
But my eyes would be on you the whole way.

Well, I've managed to stay out of this thread 'til now, but the pressure is
irresistible.

I see some merit in the 225 deg turn to the 45 entry.

Descending onto the downwind from across the field puts any traffic already on
the downwind underneath me and made more difficult to see due to my low wings
and the ground-clutter background. As I make a descending left turn, my view of
the airplane I am about to cut off is blocked by my rising right wing.

On the other hand, with the 225 deg turn to the 45 entry method, I cross the
downwind safely above pattern altitude, and in my 225 deg right turn I have a
full view of the downwind and my lowered right wing is out of the way. I view
the downwind from pattern altitude, so I am looking for traffic against the sky
instead of against ground clutter. My own airplane is in a turn for several
seconds, presenting a more visible profile and increasing the opportunity for
other pilots to see me.