Straight in landing non towered airport

I can guarantee you that every turbine arrival at our airport is doing a straight-in if coming from a direction anywhere remotely aligned with the runway, and I don't blame them. They would cause more disruption barging around the pattern than they would by just landing as expeditiously as possible, and burn a lot less fuel as well. The key is to use CTAF and keep everyone informed. Shoot, even the Champs and Cubs and gliders carry portable COMs these days. Straight-ins have never been an issue at our airport, but then everyone tries to play nice together.
 
rsleeds said:
Maybe it's because he knows he's about to be entertained by the responses to this 13, 293rd version of this thread and that 82% of the responses will be that it's OK if it doesn't cause a problem with other traffic and 18% will declare the insane irresponsibility of doing it. ;)
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So IGNORE IT. posts like #2 (how appropriate) just encourage this kind of stuff.
 
I don't know what the hype is about, Every one does it their way anyway.
 
The FAA should re-write the reg stating XC aircraft have the right of way over aircraft being operated for flight training, practice or to meet currency.
 
Some questions come up repeatedly because not everyone’s been on the forums for years... sometimes searching old threads isn’t of much help... be glad new ppl are asking ?s...
 
Palmpilot said:
Yup. Pattern operations at uncontrolled fields have turned into a free-for-all.
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Yup!

Last “busy” day at our field I was coming in, winds dead calm, I announced 5 miles out from the south west that I’d be entering DW from a 45 for 28. as I got closer I saw some traffic to north of me, I believed to just a bit north of the field maybe flying due east... I kept my eye on him and w no calls half assumed he must be flying over town north of the field... as I got closer I realized he might be going straight in for 10... not quite ready to announce DW but getting there, and still watching the silent guy and some other Cessna says they are headed in to the field and they have approaching traffic in sight, he would follow them in.. wonder if it’s me or the silent guy... before I could key mike silent guy says “yea I’m on final for 10, I think there’s another guy around here somewhere too... I keyed up and said, I’ll just extend my downwind I was just entering and exit the pattern, it’s all yours. I didn’t feel the need to share the pattern area with a guy that heard my proper call, knew he was similar distance out and was going to use opposite runway I announced at about the same time and chose to stay silent... it was a nice night I wasn’t in a hurry but left the pattern shaking my head...
 
Palmpilot said:
Yup. Pattern operations at uncontrolled fields have turned into a free-for-all.
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Have turned into a free for all? When weren't they? If there was a time this wasn't the case, it was quite a while ago.

I learned to fly in the late 90's at an airport that had a flight service station on the field. Multiple times during my private training there I encountered other aircraft in the pattern that were not talking. Not your typical NORDO aircraft like old fabric taildraggers either but HP singles and twins. Not talking and taking off or landing opposite the runway existing traffic was using. I learned early on uncontrolled fields are called uncontrolled for a reason.
 
Clip4 said:
The FAA should re-write the reg stating XC aircraft have the right of way over aircraft being operated for flight training, practice or to meet currency.
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I'm pretty sure Cirrus have the right of way over all other airplanes. * disclaimer, I fly Cirrus.
 
PaulS said:
I'm pretty sure Cirrus have the right of way over all other airplanes. * disclaimer, I fly Cirrus.
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Also...just to get it out of the way, what kind of car do you drive? Assuming that also is a right-of-way type?
:)
 
OP-"(minus of course the idiot that stays off the radios and enter the pattern)" As a student it seems to me that most of the old pilots fly the pattern with respect for those who may not have radios.
 
Juliet Hotel said:
Have turned into a free for all? When weren't they? If there was a time this wasn't the case, it was quite a while ago.

I learned to fly in the late 90's at an airport that had a flight service station on the field. Multiple times during my private training there I encountered other aircraft in the pattern that were not talking. Not your typical NORDO aircraft like old fabric taildraggers either but HP singles and twins. Not talking and taking off or landing opposite the runway existing traffic was using. I learned early on uncontrolled fields are called uncontrolled for a reason.
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What I was referring to was the prevalence of different types of pattern entry. For example, it seems to me that overhead breaks, and midfield crossings at pattern altitude, have become much more common at civilian uncontrolled fields than they were in the 1990s. Both of those have the potential to put aircraft approximately head-to-head with the FAA's preferred 45-degree entry. Advisory circular 90-66A did not mention either of those as an option; they were not incorporated until the B version was published last year.
 
Fabio said:
If you are 10 miles away inbound and scanning the frequency and making the appropriate calls as you get close and find out that apparently you are the only one approaching for landing (minus of course the idiot that stays off the radios and enter the pattern), my question is if it’s ok to declare a straight in landing for rwy X and proceed inbound for such approach, or should I stick to the normal entry procedure regardless if traffic is present or not?
Thanks for the help.
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Yes. You can do a straight in approach. Keep your eyes open, listen to CTAF, make your announcements and land. Oh, and you want to keep in mind that the guy in his Cub without electrical system has as much of a right to do his non-standard operation at the airport as you do.
 
Yeah, I just do what the King Air guy does - 20 miles out say “ya’ll get out of the way I’m coming in”.
 
Palmpilot said:
What I was referring to was the prevalence of different types of pattern entry. For example, it seems to me that overhead breaks, and midfield crossings at pattern altitude, have become much more common at civilian uncontrolled fields than they were in the 1990s. Both of those have the potential to put aircraft approximately head-to-head with the FAA's preferred 45-degree entry. Advisory circular 90-66A did not mention either of those as an option; they were not incorporated until the B version was published last year.
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That is the core of my many rants about people entering the pattern from inside the downwind at pattern altitude. It's damn dangerous and I won't ever do it. People have gotten too lazy to fly out and enter the pattern on a 45 to down wind...

How about this... Age has priority in the pattern. Get off my lawn AND get out of my way!
 
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