Questions on landing at a towered airport

OK, well given the variety of opinion on these replies from the NG -- and
i'd suspect variety of local custom-- I'd think that 12R controller had
better clear up if he means a 3 mile final, or a 3 mile base leg.... or he's
gonna be "all over" people all day.
You guys are giving me the mind that it is a good idea to read something
back like below when working with an unfamiliar towered field just to avoid
any confusion at all... at least it gives everyone a chance to sort out
misunderstandings early on:

Tower: "report a 3 mile left base runway 23".
Readback: "copy that 3 mile left base, for a 1/2 mile final, 23, 12F".

BTW, you guys on the NG are great with the different perspectives and
opinions. i don't get this richness from the local CFI's and hangar crowd

T


"BT" wrote in message
...
The rest of the stuff has been hotly debated.. is that 3 miles from the
runway out on base.. or 1 mile out and 3 miles perpendicular to
centerline... so I'll let that go.

But if given a wide pattern at our local airport.. Report 3 Mile Left Base
for Rwy 12R, you had best be 3 miles from the airport headed for a long 3
mile final, and then you get cleared to land. Do not DO NOT cut the
pattern short.. the tower will be all over you for cutting through the
traffic pattern of those he has on left traffic to Rwy 12L.

This happens all the time.. you are approaching the airport from the
Northeast, there is "training or T&G traffic" on the shorter 12L and you
are a full stop.. so you get 12R but tower still needs you to get around
and clear of the 12L traffic pattern. Oh.. and many times.. the tower has
split the airfield.. one tower operator on 12L freq, and one or 12R freq..
and they are standing side by side.

I think you cracked the code.. if in doubt.. clarify..
Welcome Jr Birdman..

kidding aside.. are your local CFIs new to the game? or oldsters that really
have not flown much to other locations?

That is one good thing about the NG... you'll get as many varied responses
as there are options..

I even had the situation where I was on "2 mile left base for 12R" again
coming from the Northeast and now traffic pattern to get around to get to
the "other side". The Tower cleared me to land.. So I acknowledge and
continued on my base to intercept final at about 1.5 miles out and was
working my altitude accordingly.

Because I did not turn towards the runway.. the Tower controller quickly
called and stated that he needed me to turn toward the runway now!! .. he
was very explicit..a s it turned out he was trying to sequence me in front
of other traffic so.. I did just that.. I turned direct to the numbers..
sped up a bit and got the plane down (it's an Arrow, it was easy), I was
about 30 degrees off runway heading.. and I turned to line up in the flare
and still made the mid field turn off.

Believe me when I say these discussions come up with the Tower Cheif at our
local Aviation Assoc monthly meetings.

BT
KVGT
33yrs in Aviation


"Tman" N/A wrote in message
news
OK, well given the variety of opinion on these replies from the NG -- and
i'd suspect variety of local custom-- I'd think that 12R controller had
better clear up if he means a 3 mile final, or a 3 mile base leg.... or
he's gonna be "all over" people all day.
You guys are giving me the mind that it is a good idea to read something
back like below when working with an unfamiliar towered field just to
avoid any confusion at all... at least it gives everyone a chance to sort
out misunderstandings early on:

Tower: "report a 3 mile left base runway 23".
Readback: "copy that 3 mile left base, for a 1/2 mile final, 23, 12F".

BTW, you guys on the NG are great with the different perspectives and
opinions. i don't get this richness from the local CFI's and hangar crowd

T


"BT" wrote in message
...
The rest of the stuff has been hotly debated.. is that 3 miles from the
runway out on base.. or 1 mile out and 3 miles perpendicular to
centerline... so I'll let that go.

But if given a wide pattern at our local airport.. Report 3 Mile Left
Base for Rwy 12R, you had best be 3 miles from the airport headed for a
long 3 mile final, and then you get cleared to land. Do not DO NOT cut
the pattern short.. the tower will be all over you for cutting through
the traffic pattern of those he has on left traffic to Rwy 12L.

This happens all the time.. you are approaching the airport from the
Northeast, there is "training or T&G traffic" on the shorter 12L and you
are a full stop.. so you get 12R but tower still needs you to get around
and clear of the 12L traffic pattern. Oh.. and many times.. the tower has
split the airfield.. one tower operator on 12L freq, and one or 12R
freq.. and they are standing side by side.

"BT" wrote in message
...
I think you cracked the code.. if in doubt.. clarify..
Welcome Jr Birdman..

kidding aside.. are your local CFIs new to the game? or oldsters that
really have not flown much to other locations?

That is one good thing about the NG... you'll get as many varied responses
as there are options..


Yeah my CFI is kinda funny. He's actually posted to this thread. (F.
Baum - a little lower on this thread ). Kinda high on the street smarts,
but not the academic parts of flying!

T