About avoiding airspace and cruising

On Fri, 20 Apr 2007 19:27:05 -0400, Roy Smith wrote:


Just call up the tower and tell them that you will be orbiting at 1500 (or
whatever altitude you pick), near the north (east, whatever) edge of their
airspace.

I don't think anyone's mentioned it yet, but similar tips can apply to
untowered airports if you're shooting photos or sightseeing near the
pattern.

Announcing your intentions by ANSWERING other aircraft in the pattern
can help everyone's day stay nice.

In article ,
Erik wrote:
Jose wrote:
I'm always afraid of sounding like a dumbs417 calling towers, though.
I avoid it at every opportunity.


You should practice it at every (reasonable) opportunity. They don't
bite.

Jose

Unless you do something really dumb.

Even when you do something really dumb, they don't bite.

I was flying into SAC one time, and the tower told me to report
left downwind. I had a brainfart and had my left and right confused,
so I flew a right pattern. The guys in the tower noticed my mistake,
but cleared me to land anyway. I'm sure they made some comments
about my intelligence to each other, but nothing was said over the
radio.

I heard someone else do something similar at PAO, and when it was
pointed out, they responded with "I always get confused when I fly
inverted" and tower replied with "happens to me all the time too".

Talking to tower or approach just takes practice to get comfortable
with it.

John
--
John Clear - http://www.clear-prop.org/

In article , Rich Ahrens
wrote:

Larry Dighera wrote:
On Fri, 20 Apr 2007 18:08:22 GMT, Larry Dighera
wrote in :

vindictive == initiative

And "uncongealed airspace"? Beats the opposite, I guess.

fluidic space, anybody?

On Apr 20, 5:35 pm, (John Clear) wrote:
In article ,

Erik wrote:
Jose wrote:
I'm always afraid of sounding like a dumbs417 calling towers, though.
I avoid it at every opportunity.

You should practice it at every (reasonable) opportunity. They don't
bite.

Jose

Unless you do something really dumb.

Even when you do something really dumb, they don't bite.

I was flying into SAC one time, and the tower told me to report
left downwind. I had a brainfart and had my left and right confused,
so I flew a right pattern. The guys in the tower noticed my mistake,
but cleared me to land anyway. I'm sure they made some comments
about my intelligence to each other, but nothing was said over the
radio.

I heard someone else do something similar at PAO, and when it was
pointed out, they responded with "I always get confused when I fly
inverted" and tower replied with "happens to me all the time too".

Talking to tower or approach just takes practice to get comfortable
with it.

John
--
John Clear - http://www.clear-prop.org/

I've found that some tower folks can be very enjoyable to talk with.
Just don't be funny when there are more than one or two aircraft in
the area. The tower folks have to be on top of the job and
professional.

wrote in message
ups.com...
On Apr 20, 5:35 pm, (John Clear) wrote:

I've found that some tower folks can be very enjoyable to talk with.
Just don't be funny when there are more than one or two aircraft in
the area. The tower folks have to be on top of the job and
professional.


I find it to be about 50/50.

I have to admit having worked with a number of controllers with a good
attitude towards work, and it makes being part of the "system" very
enjoyable. But I have also had some really bad experiences with others as
well, and it happens to dang often. I think if the FAA and fellow
controllers would better "police" the problem children, a lot more pilots
would utilize ATC services insteading of flight planning to avoid them, and
everyone would benefit.

Thomas Borchert wrote:
Erik,


I avoid it at every opportunity.



Big mistake. Huge! Many accident reports where one just has to think:
Why didn't he just tell them?

Your original question is the perfect example. Imagine the controllers
have a radar screen and there comes this blip flying in real close to
their airspace and starts circling right where the planes come in. You
better believe they'd love to know what that blip has in mind, however
awkward the guy piloting the blip might explain it ;-) Even if
something like that can't be found in the standard phraseology, if you
make it concise and to the point, everybody will win.

Go become a talker! It's better for you and for everyone around.

Yep, that's my thought. I'd rather be awkward than dead, or worse yet
living while other people got killed in some horrible accident that
was easy to prevent.