On 8/1/2016 9:34 AM, Tango Eight wrote:
Snip...

There are times when a big "bomber" pattern are necessary and safer;
there are also times when you have to get on the ground as fast as
possible. A competently trained pilot can adapt to whatever situation is
encountered and fly accordingly.

kirk 66

Completely agree...

So: what type of traffic pattern allows the greatest degree of flexibility
to meet the needs of a wide variety of situations (traffic, weather,
etc.)?

Is this a trick question?

Where I'm going with this: the guy who has made up his mind 5 (or 500)
miles out what sort of pattern he is going to fly ("I always...") and
sticks to that plan like glue is a pain in the ass (at best).

best, Evan

Completely agree with the PITA bit...nor do I see any fundamental conflict
between the above two views. "Choose wisely," is a great aviation mantra.

FWIW, the only two times I've been "surprised" in the pattern at Boulder (CO,
described earlier in the thread) was from bozo (as in both were experienced
enough and "should have known better [than to do what they did])" glider
pilots, one a visitor, one a local, who entered the pattern (very) late (and
low) from non-standard directions for prevailing conditions, necessitating I
alter my pattern plans, for separation and safety. "Properly educating" locals
is relatively straightforward; the visitor never reappeared & I have no idea
if he learned anything useful from his self-inflicted "idiot's pattern." It
easily could have had something of a bad snowball effect, depending on the
skills and experience of the others in the pattern just then (and there were 2
more in addition to me, as I recall).

Why anyone would thoughtfully choose to fly those sorts of patterns under
busy, benign-weather, conditions is beyond my way of thinking...

Bob W.