Approaching uncontrolled airport at same time

Thank everyone again for all the good comments. The midfield entry is what I was taught, so is what I used. Like all the comments indicate as well as the publications that were linked in an above comment, there are several different ways of entering the "standard" traffic pattern including the midfield entry as shown in Fig 10 of the AOPA publication. The biggest benefit of reading all of your thoughts are that now I know more about what other pilots are thinking when we are in close proximity around an airport, and I think that will help me be as safe a pilot as I can. The reason I chose the 360 is that I didn't have the plane in sight and wasn't certain on what an extended base meant to him and it seemed like the safest maneuver at that time given the circumstances. Thanks everyone and I look forward to hearing more opinions.
 
brcase said:
Since you are about to take your test, you need to read....

http://flighttraining.aopa.org/pdfs/SA08_Nontowered_Airport_Ops.pdf
Click to expand...
You need to stop promoting that trash. It's not based on any critical analysis, for example reaction times, field of view, viewable cross sectional area, etc. Until Bruce Landsberg appeared on the scene at ASF, IIRC, nothing of the sort had ever been published anywhere. I think it's his personal opinion and nothing more. His defense is there's never been an accident doing it. Well, of course not. Until ASF came up with it, no fools did it! Keep promoting that technique, though, and that will change.

brcase said:
For those that claim this isn't an FAA document and it isn't, then read ...

http://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/AC90-66A.pdf

Don't ignore... Section 5g.
Click to expand...
Just because the authors of that Advisory Circular compiled a list of additional sources of related information doesn't mean they vetted everything in them.

fozzie bear said:
Like all the comments indicate as well as the publications that were linked in an above comment, there are several different ways of entering the "standard" traffic pattern including the midfield entry as shown in Fig 10 of the AOPA publication.
Click to expand...
Crossing over an airport at pattern altitude bisects the upwind leg, puts you on the wrong side of the cockpit to best spot traffic on the downwind, converges at a high closing rate (nearly head-on) with traffic entering on the other side or directly head-on with traffic doing what you're doing to the opposite runway--all while you're probably looking out the left window for the windsock. The AOPA ASF has zero official standing on this and should be ignored.

dtuuri
 
Last edited:
I thought my point number two was the bigger issue...reporting 2 miles FROM midfield.
 
MAKG1 said:
If it's truly reported that way, yes.

But "two miles east of midfield" would be fine.
Click to expand...

Nah, read the OP. He reported '2 miles to midfield' and heard the traffic on an extended base (whatever that means). He did a 360 and saw them on final as he was passing the actual 'midfield' point.

My point is;

A, the 360 wasn't necessary as an extended downwind would have done the same, and

B, who the heck reports where they are GOING to be SOMETIME in the future?

Report where you are and not where you aren't. There isn't enough time on Earth to list all the places you are NOT AT.
 
I'm not sure what the reporting issue is. Either I am misunderstanding, or I presented it wrong initially. On my way in, I reported that I was 2 miles out to the Northwest and will cross midfield at pattern altitude, as I did at 9 miles and then 4 miles. I'm not sure how else to report my position with no landmarks on the ground.
 
Now I'm confused. '...and will cross midfield at pattern altitude'...does that mean in the pattern or mean crossing over the field at pattern altitude?

If in the downwind at midfield then the report is: "Podunk traffic, Bugsmasher 1234 midfield left downwind runway 17, podunk"

If crossing over the field then the report is: "Podunk traffic, Bugsmasher 1234 overhead the field at 1,500 feet to join left downwind runway 17, podunk".


What exactly were you doing? I'm guessing you were established in the downwind and getting close to the midfield point. If someone asks where you are then I guess telling them 2 miles from midfield would be fine. But, if you're just making standard reports then a better way would to be just to wait until you're AT the midfield downwind point and report it.

On second thought...i guess the TPA airfield overflight was the bigger issue after all. This seems small now that I've beaten it to death.
 
Maybe my wording was confusing; I apologize. My transmission at that point was as follows: "Airport traffic, Cessna 1234 is 2 miles NW inbound at one thousand six hundred. Will cross midfield and enter left downwind for runway 17. Airport".
 
fozzie bear said:
Maybe my wording was confusing; I apologize. My transmission at that point was as follows: "Airport traffic, Cessna 1234 is 2 miles NW inbound at one thousand six hundred. Will cross midfield and enter left downwind for runway 17. Airport".
Click to expand...

Yup, my misunderstanding. Well worded.
 
DFH65 said:
...Crossing midfield at pattern altitude sounds like a bad idea to me. Unless I am missing something.
Click to expand...

It seems to be becoming popular. I have heard a couple of pilots announcing that they were doing this recently, and I never heard it once in the previous twenty years.
 
When approaching from the upwind side, crossing over the field with a midfield entry to downwind has always made me uncomfortable and isn't one I use. Belly up to someone entering on the 45 or already in the pattern just seems risky.
I think the "traffic circle" analogy is a good one and I prefer to get into that circle. On occasion if conditions are such, I'll go over the airport at 2000 agl or so and teardrop onto the 45 well past the downwind.
Coordinating with other traffic on the radio is always good .. but the challenge is so many aircraft who don't use the radio at nontowered airports.

RT
 
register@teamandras.com said:
When you do this, what's your best practices radio call? Thanks!
Click to expand...

I don't typically give a long narrative of my planned approach and tend more to keep it to the segment I'm on. In this case I would announce position and crossing the airport at xxxx msl. When on the other side I would announce position and entering the 45 to downwind runway xx. When I'm some way away from the airport (8 to 10 mi) initially I'll announce position and intentions ("inbound for landing") and turn on the landing light. That way anyone interested knows where I'm heading.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top