interesting moment yesterday on final

Steven P. McNicoll wrote:

"Ross" wrote in message
...

At our uncontrolled airport there were three planes in the pattern for
landing. A plane calls out that he is 5 miles for the straight in. I
replied that with the traffic, traditional pattern may be appropriate.


Why?



Because straight in approaches at an uncontrolled airport
disrupt the pattern that everyone is using. Perhaps if there
were no other traffic at the time, it would be perfectly fine
but when everyone is in line and doing their thing, someone
cutting in sucks. There is a fairly large municipal airport
nearby that accommodates jets and sometimes, we single engine
folk have to anticipate them, but it still disrupts things.

Erik wrote:


Because straight in approaches at an uncontrolled airport
disrupt the pattern that everyone is using. Perhaps if there
were no other traffic at the time, it would be perfectly fine
but when everyone is in line and doing their thing, someone
cutting in sucks. There is a fairly large municipal airport
nearby that accommodates jets and sometimes, we single engine
folk have to anticipate them, but it still disrupts things.



So you'll gladly adjust the size of your pattern, maybe extend an upwind
or crosswind to fit somebody in the pattern because he enters it the
'right' way. But if he tries to enter on a straight in it's disrupting
the pattern?

Erik wrote:


Because straight in approaches at an uncontrolled airport
disrupt the pattern that everyone is using. Perhaps if there
were no other traffic at the time, it would be perfectly fine
but when everyone is in line and doing their thing, someone
cutting in sucks. There is a fairly large municipal airport
nearby that accommodates jets and sometimes, we single engine
folk have to anticipate them, but it still disrupts things.



So you'll gladly adjust the size of your pattern, maybe extend an upwind
or crosswind to fit somebody in the pattern because he enters it the
'right' way. But if he tries to enter on a straight in it's disrupting
the pattern?

That is a simplistic view of things. Yes it is disrupting, and yes I
would make room. Even if it is not the "right way" of doing things.
I have always (though my flying career is still quite young) entered
on the 45. If I have to go out of my way to enter on the 45, that I
what I do. Would I cut someone off on a disruptive straight in, no.
Are they in the wrong, IMHO yes they are, but I can't argue about it
if I am dead.
Mike Flyin' 8

"Mike 'Flyin'8'" wrote in message
...
So you'll gladly adjust the size of your pattern, maybe extend an upwind
or crosswind to fit somebody in the pattern because he enters it the
'right' way. But if he tries to enter on a straight in it's disrupting
the pattern?

That is a simplistic view of things. Yes it is disrupting, and yes I
would make room. Even if it is not the "right way" of doing things.
I have always (though my flying career is still quite young) entered
on the 45. If I have to go out of my way to enter on the 45, that I
what I do. Would I cut someone off on a disruptive straight in, no.
Are they in the wrong, IMHO yes they are, but I can't argue about it
if I am dead.

http://www.avweb.com/news/pelican/182100-1.html
The 45-Degree Zealots

There's not a syllable in the FARs about 45-degree traffic pattern entries.
Nor does the AIM require them. There exists, however, a small-but-vocal
cadre of pilots - and even some FAA inspectors - who consider any other type
of pattern entry (straight-in, crosswind, etc.) to be a felony. These

By John Deakin

http://www.avweb.com/news/pelican/182100-1.html
The 45-Degree Zealots

There's not a syllable in the FARs about 45-degree traffic pattern entries.
Nor does the AIM require them. There exists, however, a small-but-vocal
cadre of pilots - and even some FAA inspectors - who consider any other type
of pattern entry (straight-in, crosswind, etc.) to be a felony. These

By John Deakin

I would consider myself far from a 45 entry nazi. I have never
complained to anyone on CTAF, nor would I. While in the privacy of my
own cockpit, I do flip them off as they pop up unannounced out of
nowhere. slight exageration for most cases but you get the point.


Mike Flyin' 8

Mike 'Flyin'8' wrote:

I have always (though my flying career is still quite young) entered
on the 45. If I have to go out of my way to enter on the 45, that I
what I do.


I never do, unless my direction from the airport lends an entry on the
downwind. Fly past the airport just so I can get on a 45? You must be
joking.



Would I cut someone off on a disruptive straight in, no.
Are they in the wrong, IMHO yes they are, but I can't argue about it
if I am dead.


You are wrong.

Mike 'Flyin'8' wrote:

I have always (though my flying career is still quite young) entered
on the 45. If I have to go out of my way to enter on the 45, that I
what I do.

I never do, unless my direction from the airport lends an entry on the
downwind. Fly past the airport just so I can get on a 45? You must be
joking.

No. I am not joking. How do you enter the pattern? Certaily not a
straight in at every field. I think I have entered direct on the
downwind once, but it was at 10pm and not another craft was in the
area, but that is not what we are talking about here.

Would I cut someone off on a disruptive straight in, no.
Are they in the wrong, IMHO yes they are, but I can't argue about it
if I am dead.

You are wrong.

No matter how you want to look at it, if there are already some planes
in the pattern a straight-in approach is disruptive. Besides that...
doing the 45 entry. In the end, your and my safety is all that
matters. So what if it takes 2 extra minutes to enter the pattern the
way the majority of the pilots at a particular field expect patern
entry.
Mike Flyin' 8

Mike 'Flyin'8' wrote:
Mike 'Flyin'8' wrote:


I have always (though my flying career is still quite young) entered
on the 45. If I have to go out of my way to enter on the 45, that I
what I do.

I never do, unless my direction from the airport lends an entry on the
downwind. Fly past the airport just so I can get on a 45? You must be
joking.


No. I am not joking. How do you enter the pattern?


The most expeditious way possible. Find a hole and fill it.

"Mike 'Flyin'8'" wrote in message
...

No matter how you want to look at it, if there are already some planes
in the pattern a straight-in approach is disruptive.


No more than entering on a 45 degree turn to downwind is.

On Sun, 29 Apr 2007 11:13:13 GMT, "Steven P. McNicoll"
wrote in
. net:


"Mike 'Flyin'8'" wrote in message
.. .

No matter how you want to look at it, if there are already some planes
in the pattern a straight-in approach is disruptive.


No more than entering on a 45 degree turn to downwind is.


I'd say, that cuts directly to the core of the issue of straight-in
arrivals at uncontrolled fields.

Perhaps the misunderstanding about this issue is a result of most VFR
pilots not having been instructed to use a straight-in approach at
uncontrolled fields, because the of the necessity of observing the
wind direction indicator before joining the pattern, and VFR pilots
relative unfamiliarity with straight-ins due to always being
instructed to report downwind at Class Ds.

I would venture a guess, that most IFR rated pilots understand how the
landing pattern works.