Stupid Newbie Pattern Question

Lakeview Bill wrote:
When you are flying to a non-towered airport, do you always have to fly the
pattern, or can you make a straight-in or crosswind approach?

If these are permissible, under what circumstances?

Thanks...


I remember my examiner advocating a crosswind entry on my (private)
checkride. He preferred it because of the visibility it gave of the
runway, pattern and departing traffic.

Otherwise, there are as many opinions on the supposedly correct way to
enter the pattern as there are pilots (and as others have said, you
don't have to fly a pattern at all if you don't want to).

My personal preference is the 45 deg entry or, if the pattern is on the
other side of the runway, crossing over midfield and joining the
downwind there.

I'll do straight-ins if I"m in a hurry (i.e. need to use the bathroom),
but prefer to fly a full pattern normally. But that's just what I'm used to.

LS
N646F