"Jim Cummiskey" wrote in message
...
Actually, no. If you think about it, if you approach the numbers at a ~30
deg angle, and a "proper" downwind to base turn is made at a ~45 deg
angle,
there will be no conflict whatsover.

How do you figure that? Firstly, the "45 degree key point" taught students
for where to turn base is just a rule of thumb...base turns are made much
earlier and much later than that, depending on factors other than just
following a rote procedure.

Secondly, the flight path of an airplane flying 90 degrees to the runway
heading on base intersects the flight path of an airplane flying 30 degrees
to the runway heading, heading straight for the numbers. Since the flight
paths intersect, there certainly IS a potential for a conflict.

I'd agree that the odds of there being a conflict on the downwind leg
(rather than the base leg) are low (though not nonexistent since extended
downwinds are a common enough procedure, especially at towered airports),
but to say that "there will be no conflict whatsoever" is hugely and
inappropriately optimistic.

Pete