In article ,
"Viperdoc" wrote:

Flying the pattern also means understanding who's ahead or behind you. It's
unrealistic to expect a G-V fly a pattern behind a guy in a 150.

Both of my planes have a difficult time flying a pattern with a 150- I need
to be at least at 100, and preferably 120k. Otherwise I'll be hanging on the
prop in slow flight, and SOL if the engine quits, or in the other case, well
below Vyse if an engine quits. Neither is a good situation.

Yet, flying a wider and faster pattern commensurate with the safer speeds
often leads me to be either cut off, or having to do S turns for the 150
pilot doing a five mile 65K final.

The same guy who flies the 5 mile final also tends to use all of the 5500
foot runway to turn off as a matter of convenience.

So, how about thinking about the people behind you as well as in front of
you in the pattern?


I've had that happen to me! I extended a formation to let a Mooney in,
spaced myself so he would clear at the second exit -- he decided to take
exit #3, while slowing down to taxi speed and keeping in the center of
our 150 ft wide runway! I radioed, "Mooney clear right, please." Nothing!

Another time (some 40+ years ago, I was flying a Beech 18 into an
airport, where a Champ was doing T&Gs. I spaced myself, but he decided
to stay on the runway and slow-taxi to the end. I cleaned it up, applied
climb power and held it low until I passed over him. The sound of 2
R-985s at climb power HAD to get his attention!