FAA ambiguity

G.R. Patterson III wrote:

Obviously, the FAA feels that it's safe enough to *suggest* that we
come in at
1,000' AGL, *suggest* that we enter the pattern on the downwind leg
at a 45
degree angle or come straight in, *suggest* that we report our
position by
distance and direction (as opposed to something like "on the VOR
approach"), and
doesn't feel that safety would be significantly improved by
*requiring* us to do
anything beyond get the plane down in one piece.

I don't have a problem with that, myself. They've made the
recommendations and a
sensible pilot will not deviate much from them.


I would definitely deviate from the first one you mentioned. The
latest AC "recommends" that pilots fly patterns at 1,000' AGL. That's
not a very good suggestion at an airport that has a published pattern
altitude of 800' AGL (of which there are many examples throughout the
country). Instead, I fly the published altitude. If there is none,
THEN I'll fly the recommended 1,000' AGL.

Other regs require me to acquaint myself with all of the information
pertinent to a flight before I go. Why would I ignore an 800' AGL
pattern altitude listed for an airport, in favor of following the
recommendation in AC?


John Galban=====N4BQ (PA28-180)