Opinions please, preferred pattern joining methods

On Tue, 01 Feb 2005 01:21:06 GMT, wrote:

Instructors out there, is this what you teach students as a preferred
entry method, or do you prefer they comply with the aim
recommendations?
Just wondering how many pilots prefer to just make the simplest entry,
minimizing time manoeuvring in the pattern, and perhaps being safer on
the whole

FWIW, I was taught that if approaching an uncontrolled field from the
non-pattern side, fly 1000' over pattern altitude to midfield, turn to
cross pattern at 90deg angle, fly outbound, make a right-descending
turn to enter 45 deg inbound leg (assuming left traffic, left turn for
right traffic), join pattern a-la AIM on downwind. If joining from
the pattern side of the field, maneuver to be at pattern altitude and
make 45deg entry a-la AIM. When breaking off an instrument approach
in VMC, once told to change to advisory, maneuver as needed to enter a
standard VFR pattern, including breaking off a straight in approach to
an in-use runway and join the pattern.

"Bob Gardner" wrote in message
...
Forget about everything but safety. Flying over the center of the field
500 feet (or more) above pattern altitude keeps you away from everyone
taking off and landing... Bob Gardner


I like that "more" part. Larger aircraft will often use a pattern 500 ft
higher.

"Andrew Sarangan" wrote in message
1...

Depends on what the weather is, and if there is VFR traffic. If it is
IFR conditions and no VFR traffic is observed, then circle anyway as you
please, while looking out for traffic.


Anyway I please? What about FAR 91.126(b)?



If there are other VFR traffic, I don't like either of your options. Too
much maneuvering for the first option, and it is best to avoid straight-
ins when there is VFR traffic.


Why is it best to avoid straight-ins when there is VFR traffic?

"Peter Clark" wrote in message
news

When breaking off an instrument approach
in VMC, once told to change to advisory, maneuver as needed to enter a
standard VFR pattern, including breaking off a straight in approach to
an in-use runway and join the pattern.


Why?

"Dan Luke" wrote in
:


"Andrew Sarangan" wrote:

Too
much maneuvering for the first option,

Yup.

and it is best to avoid straight-
ins when there is VFR traffic.

Why? If you're approaching from a direction that is straight in to your
runway, what would be safer--flying all over the area to set up for a
downwind?



The final leg is where two airplanes are most likely to come in contact.
This is where they are converging towards the runway, and the pilots are
least likely to be scanning. This is also when two airplanes will be at
different altitudes, making them harder to spot. How many times have you
followed a traffic in the pattern and lost visual contact after it turns
final? A straight-in is notorious for inaccurate distance estimates.
However, I do straight-ins when the situation calls for it. But I've had
several close encouters that makes me think twice in such situations. All I
am saying is that it warrants extra caution compared to other entries.

"Peter Clark" wrote in message
news
When breaking off an instrument approach
in VMC, once told to change to advisory, maneuver as needed to enter a
standard VFR pattern, including breaking off a straight in approach to
an in-use runway and join the pattern.

But isn't a straight-in approach part of a perfectly valid VFR pattern? Why
bother flying around the town when you're already lined up for finals?

D.

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in message
nk.net...
All you need is for someone to be doing what my instructor used to call
"V-bomber circuits" (i.e. not keeping them tight and close in) and you're
in a potentially sticky spot.
Was he British?

Now how did you guess? Really nice bloke, actually - a West Country huntin',
shootin' and fishin' type who flies big things full of cargo for a living
(or did, last time I spoke to him) and doubles as an examiner.

D.

Plus the Skydivers usually open between 1500 and 2000 ft AGL. I would
much rather try avoiding a Parachute rather than a free falling
skydiver.

Ok maybe not an issue at every airport, but certainly an issue at some
of the airports I fly at.

On Wed, 2 Feb 2005 08:48:12 +0000 (UTC), "David Cartwright"
wrote:

"Peter Clark" wrote in message
news
When breaking off an instrument approach
in VMC, once told to change to advisory, maneuver as needed to enter a
standard VFR pattern, including breaking off a straight in approach to
an in-use runway and join the pattern.

But isn't a straight-in approach part of a perfectly valid VFR pattern? Why
bother flying around the town when you're already lined up for finals?

(applies to Steve's reply as well)

The way it was explained to me, if there are already aircraft in the
pattern, doing a straight in would likely cut them off, and would
increase exposure to a base-to-final/straight-in final midair (I'm
assuming this is also attempting to comply with 91.113(g), don't get
lower on a straight in just to have right-of-way).

Course, if there's nobody discernable visually or via radio already in
the pattern when I get there I'd continue the approach straight-in and
land, but if I can't ensure that I'd come in behind someone already on
downwind, I'd maneuver to get behind them in the sequence.

I agree, Cross midfield at pattern altitude, and enter down wind. give
way to aircraft entering on the 45. The reason for instructors
teaching the crossing at 500-1000' over and then entering the 45 is a
because that is the recommended proceedure in the AIM. This is one
area that I think the AIM is lacking in that I can not come up with any
good reason to do this over the cleaner shorter and aurguably safer
method of crossing at pattern altitude and just turning downwind. I
really like the AOPA Air Safety Foundation document on flying and
Non-towered airports. I just wish they could get the FAA to go along
with (and provide FAA documentation) supporting the Alternate pattern
entry they show. Perhaps more instructors would start teaching the
alternate method which I believe is safer.

(My Safer aurgment goes like this: Against overflying and enter on the
45. 1. flying over the pattern it is very difficult to see aircraft
below you in the ground clutter. 2. How far out do you go to get out of
the pattern to descend to pattern altitude. I watch twins routinely fly
3 mile patterns, This is nearly a Cross Country in the J-4. 3.
Skydivers and Turbine aircraft patterns are routinely at the 1500 to
2000' level. 4. above 1000' it is much more difficult to see Windsocks
and other details about the runway. For overfly at Pattern altitude.
1. Efficent 2. Never leave gliding range of the runway 3. Can see other
aircraft better since they should all be at pattern altitude. 4. Can
See windsock and other runway details better.

Brian