I know someone who flies the pattern as you describe; he had flown F-4's onto carriers. My instructor told me he felt it was safer to separate tasks in the pattern rather than combine them. So I do it his way...

-John, Q3

On Tuesday, March 4, 2014 11:54:37 AM UTC-5, kirk.stant wrote:
I wonder if part of the problem we have in patterns is the patterns themselves. Probably because of a military aviation background, I really (for both power and gliders) prefer the military continuous 180 turn from a lower closer downwind to final to the civilian higher, downwind - turn - base - turn - final approach.

I keep the pattern speed a bit high (say 60 - 65 knots in glass), half spoilers abeam the touchdown aimpoint, about 500' agl, pretty close in to the field, then at the TLAR point, roll into about 30 degrees of bank and turn in. If wide I can steepen up, if tight open out, but the turn is one continuous turn until rollout on final, and then I start transitioning to my final speed and adjusting to where I want to touch down.

Lower and closer in, I find it a lot easier to judge the angles; I HATE long finals!

So the turn is pretty much like any thermalling turn while adjusting the center, without having to roll completely in and out twice with the usual chance to under/over rudder the turn..

Just my 2 cents...

Kirk
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