On Monday, August 1, 2016 at 1:04:40 PM UTC-4, Dan Marotta wrote:
Hi Evan,



Of course you think there's a right answer because you're a
proponent of the square pattern which, if you've read my posts, I'm
not at all against.Â* I just prefer to fly the pattern which works
best for me and to date, nobody has complained about.



That said, I start monitoring the local field from about 20 miles
out and am aware of the traffic situation so I plan ahead and don't
get into the situation of being #3 but should it still happen:



1.Â* I can reduce my speed considerably and pull up to give time to
others.

2.Â* Take a thermal and climb

3.Â* Land on the parallel taxiway

4.Â* Land on the cross wind runway

5.Â* Land opposite direction (we have a long runway)

6.Â* Land way long

7.Â* Make a close in pattern in front of the 1-34 who's probably at
twice my distance from the runway.Â* I'll be clear at the taxiway
likely before he turns final.



I'm sure I can think of more ways to mitigate the situation but I
don't feel constrained to drive an aircraft as though it were a
train stuck on the tracks.Â* That's the main problem I see with "by
the book" flying.Â* I'm not an outlaw and don't mean to come across
that way, but I have to sniff when I'm told that there's only one
right way to do something.Â* One of my EE professors back in the
early 70s (an old German) used to sniff at what he called "cooking
book engineers".Â* I took that to heart and try to do what I think is
best for a given situation and what works best for me.Â* I understand
that, as a CFI you're pretty much constrained to teach by the book,
but let me ask you this:Â* Is there anything in the FAA's Glider
Flying Handbook that you know to be wrong?Â* Do you teach it wrong if
it's so published or do you teach it right? I do what needs to be
done and yes, I could fly a square pattern in the situation you
described.Â*



And another question:Â* Have you ever seen someone really get into
trouble because the pilot in front of him in the pattern flew way
too far out before turning base and #2 felt that he had to fly even
further to maintain spacing?Â* I have.



Now please tell me your correct answer.Â* I'm genuinely interested
and I've enjoyed this discussion and hope that others less
experienced might undertake to learn to think outside the box.



Regards,

Dan




On 8/1/2016 5:59 AM, Tango Eight wrote:



On Sunday, July 31, 2016 at 10:32:02 PM UTC-4, Dan Marotta wrote:



Fly what works for you and don't disparage techniques that are out
of your sphere of experience.


...pop quiz then.

You're #3 in the pattern behind a student in a 1-34 flying a standard glider pattern and a tow plane. Behind you is another student + CFI in an L-23. What kind of pattern are you going to fly, and why?

I think there's a right answer to this question.

best,
Evan






--

Dan, 5J

As an instructor I spend most of my time trying to get pilots to get in the box and stay there.
That box involves the use of a rectangular pattern with adjustments as needed for the situation at hand. Cook book- Yes. That said following a cook book doesn't often lead to disaster.
UH