Opinions please, preferred pattern joining methods

Consider you're NE of the airfield, non towered airport, runway 18/36,
standard left pattern applies, with runway 36 the active. I'm
interested in hearing what your personal method of joining the pattern
would be, while adhering to the FAR's and AIM.

I've two thoughts:

Fly south, then west, pass overhead the field, and then 2 or 3 miles
later do a descending 225 degree right turn, and join on a 45 degree
to downwind, or

Stay east and then south of the airport, and join a straight in
outside 5 sm.

Opinions?

Stan

wrote in message
...

Consider you're NE of the airfield, non towered airport, runway 18/36,
standard left pattern applies, with runway 36 the active. I'm
interested in hearing what your personal method of joining the pattern
would be, while adhering to the FAR's and AIM.

I've two thoughts:

Fly south, then west, pass overhead the field, and then 2 or 3 miles
later do a descending 225 degree right turn, and join on a 45 degree
to downwind, or

Stay east and then south of the airport, and join a straight in
outside 5 sm.

Opinions?


Head southwest and enter left downwind.

I'm with McNicholl on this one, technically it would probably be a
crosswind entry. But it depends. Listen to the radio. Where is the
other traffic? The idea is an orderly flow of aircraft around the
pattern. Whatever else you do, enter behind one of the other planes and
make sure you don't cut anyone off. I am one of these people that
believe that if there is no one around, you can fly to the center of
the runway and do a "midfield" crosswind entry if the downwind is on
the other side of the field from you. And this works fine if there is
no one around to cut off. Or if you know where all the other airplanes
are and you wont interfere.

If in doubt, the best thing would be to fly to the other side of the
airport well north of the pattern and enter the downwind at a 45. This
is what I would do if I approached and there were a lot of radio
position calls indicating a lot of traffic in the pattern.

I'm with McNicholl on this one, technically it would probably be a
crosswind entry. But it depends. Listen to the radio. Where is the
other traffic? The idea is an orderly flow of aircraft around the
pattern. Whatever else you do, enter behind one of the other planes and
make sure you don't cut anyone off. I am one of these people that
believe that if there is no one around, you can fly to the center of
the runway and do a "midfield" crosswind entry if the downwind is on
the other side of the field from you. And this works fine if there is
no one around to cut off. Or if you know where all the other airplanes
are and you wont interfere.

If in doubt, the best thing would be to fly to the other side of the
airport well north of the pattern and enter the downwind at a 45. This
is what I would do if I approached and there were a lot of radio
position calls indicating a lot of traffic in the pattern.

Steven, thanks for the reply. Assuming you're vfr, and not off an ifr
approach, are your suggesting to proceed southwest at pattern altitude
and join downwind with a 45 degree or so left turn?
after all, all turns to the left when approaching to land!
Just looking for some ideas on what considered acceptable.

On Sun, 30 Jan 2005 21:56:06 GMT, "Steven P. McNicoll"
wrote:


wrote in message
.. .

Consider you're NE of the airfield, non towered airport, runway 18/36,
standard left pattern applies, with runway 36 the active. I'm
interested in hearing what your personal method of joining the pattern
would be, while adhering to the FAR's and AIM.

I've two thoughts:

Fly south, then west, pass overhead the field, and then 2 or 3 miles
later do a descending 225 degree right turn, and join on a 45 degree
to downwind, or

Stay east and then south of the airport, and join a straight in
outside 5 sm.

Opinions?


Head southwest and enter left downwind.

wrote in message
...

Steven, thanks for the reply. Assuming you're vfr, and not off an ifr
approach, are your suggesting to proceed southwest at pattern altitude
and join downwind with a 45 degree or so left turn?
after all, all turns to the left when approaching to land!
Just looking for some ideas on what considered acceptable.


Yup.

On Sun, 30 Jan 2005 21:08:42 GMT, wrote:

Consider you're NE of the airfield, non towered airport, runway 18/36,
standard left pattern applies, with runway 36 the active. I'm
interested in hearing what your personal method of joining the pattern
would be, while adhering to the FAR's and AIM.

Stan,

ASSUMING IFR conditions (900 ft ceilings at my airport), I would descend
quick as I can to MDA, I then would cross midfield, turn left for downwind
and circle to land on 36.

To go out 5 miles for a straight in, you run the risk of losing the runway
environment should visibility be lower then VFR minimums.

Allen

"A Lieberman" wrote in message
.. .

ASSUMING IFR conditions (900 ft ceilings at my airport), I would descend
quick as I can to MDA, I then would cross midfield, turn left for downwind
and circle to land on 36.

To go out 5 miles for a straight in, you run the risk of losing the runway
environment should visibility be lower then VFR minimums.


Why are you concerned about losing the runway environment should visibility
be lower then VFR minimums if you're already assuming IFR conditions? If a
900' ceiling makes it IFR conditions we're talking about a Class E surface
area.

On Sun, 30 Jan 2005 23:20:54 GMT, Steven P. McNicoll wrote:

Why are you concerned about losing the runway environment should visibility
be lower then VFR minimums if you're already assuming IFR conditions? If a
900' ceiling makes it IFR conditions we're talking about a Class E surface
area.

Hi Steven,

I am very new to this IFR stuff so bear with me....

I was told that on a VOR A type approach or circle to land, that once you
identify the runway environment, you must remain in visual contact.

Once you lose sight of the runway environment, I was told you must execute
a missed approach. Even though I may be in class E space, I must maintain
visual contact with the runway environement to land. Thus my position to
overfly the airport and always to keep it in my sight.

If I was to extend my downwind or an extended final to such where I lose
contact with the runway (as proposed by the original poster, a five mile
final), then missed approach would be appropriate especially if you are
coming into an airport without nav aids such as a localizer or ILS.

I am based in MBO (Madison MS) and runway 17/35 does not have any nav aids
for landing other then the VOR A or B approach.

In my instrument training, I have landed at minimums at MBO with my
instructor, and I sure was glad to experience it with a CFI on board!
Coming in at minimums makes for a VERY TIGHT pattern.

The poster subsequently did post that what should be done under VFR
conditions.

Hope this makes sense.

Allen

"A Lieberman" wrote in message
...

I was told that on a VOR A type approach or circle to land, that once you
identify the runway environment, you must remain in visual contact.

Once you lose sight of the runway environment, I was told you must execute
a missed approach. Even though I may be in class E space, I must maintain
visual contact with the runway environement to land. Thus my position to
overfly the airport and always to keep it in my sight.

If I was to extend my downwind or an extended final to such where I lose
contact with the runway (as proposed by the original poster, a five mile
final), then missed approach would be appropriate especially if you are
coming into an airport without nav aids such as a localizer or ILS.


Keeping the runway in sight does not require 3 miles visibility.