Stuck on diversions - pattern entrance

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TazzyTazzy

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Mitch
I really need some help. CFI says my ground is done and other flying is done - but diversions are the only thing holding me back.

Primary Issue: determining entry into pattern for diversion. For some reason my brain locks up trying to figure out what way I need to enter a pattern for whatever runway. For my cross countries, I study the airport diagrams. Remember (and make a note of airport altitude and TPA). I look at the runways and note left/right patterns. I try to fly them mentally landing on all runways. For calm runway landings, I underline the runway number. For RP, I circle the runway on my VFR plan - works for me.

Yesterday, went to work on my diversions (i'm good at diverting his distractions during critical times).

We leave home airport, KEDU, and 200 feet on departure legs, he diverts to Nut Tree. I've been there before a few times. I said "ok, diverting to Nut Tree". He doesn't say a word until i'm in pattern to ask for short field landing.

After leaving KEDU pattern and climb, do climb check list. I estimate heading for Nut Tree as "along the freeway i'm already flying over". Make a note of time and location. Do visual scan for traffic, put nose down for a few seconds. Put nut tree awos and ctaf into radios. Reach 2000 MSL (1900AGL). Complete climb check list. Get chart out that's already folded to area I'm in, re-estimate heading per chart (accounting for magnetic deviation), estimate distance, estimate time, estimate fuel. Put airport into Garmin 430. I was pretty close. Do visual scan again.

Radio, make 9NM distance call inbound for landing. Get AWOS for Nut Tree. Variable@3. Default runway for calm is 02.

All of a sudden... I lost it. :no: My mind went blank. :yikes: Completely blank. This happens for each diversion no matter the airport. *I* said aloud "right pattern 20, left pattern 02, I want left pattern 02". Ok. I don't understand myself for some reason. I can't figure out what way to approach. Where I should go, where I should land. I did a slow 360 north of airport to try and figure this out myself.

Why couldn't I figure out that 02, I would land flying north? I was coming from the nearly east and I was flying on a heading that would put me north of airport so I would line up for 45 left 02. Some part of me knew that. Then, I finally realized I need to land flying north, and then I need to make a left pattern. So, the airport should be on my left-ish for a 45 entry. I figured this out by the time I completed my 360 - but then I was all frustrated (not good).

During this time, someone landed 02 as heard on the radio (i'm tuned correctly, double checked with map anyway, i know it's in GPS info). I made radio call "Nut tree traffic busmasher 123A 5 miles north maneuvering 45 left 02, nut tree". Get on 45. "Nut tree traffic, bugsmasher 123A 3 miles on 45 left 02, nut tree". Made radio call on downwind. Then, someone made a radio call, that I didn't process. I heard, but I couldn't process, maybe because I was frustrated?? I look down at runway and someone is on departure leg of 20. Crap, I bank right to avoid traffic. Make radio call. He's departing downwind 20. I make a 4-5 mile circle, radio call that I'm maneuvering 45 left 02. He's left the traffic pattern. I land, stop and go, short field. I look at wind sock. Wind now favors 20. DOH. AWOS confirms.

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Why do I freeze up on getting into traffic pattern on diversions?!?! I cheat, I put the wind direction on my VOR and look for nearest runway. I find runway, determine left/right pattern. But, why can't I fly to that pattern? What to do?

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Lesson learned:

1 - Over fly above mid field and look at the wind sock. After landing discussion, CFI asked why I didn't look at wind sock on downwind? And why didn't I process departing aircraft on 20. Answer: I think because I was frustrated and/or my person workload was high because I was second guessing my pattern entrance.

2 - CFI pointed out to always over fly field above TPA by at least 700 feet to verify wind sock. Then, if I'm entering left pattern, make a right tear drop onto the 45 for left..or left tear drop for 45 for right pattern. Makes sense. This might fix my entering pattern issue.

3 - Why wasn't the clue of the other plane departing 20 a red flag? I should have processed the wind changed - against could have been caught with a glance at wind sock. After landing, AWOS said I landed with tail wind of 5 -6 knots. :yikes:
 
When figuring out headings, use the DG.

Find 020 on the DG. If you have a bug, put it on 020. You want left traffic. The 45 is then 135 deg to the right.

The overfly-the-field thing works most of the time, but not always.

If you divert to SAC after 9PM (when it becomes non towered), 700 above TPA will put you in Class C for SMF in some parts of the airspace. And awfully close to the turbine TPA. All the runways are left traffic, so 20 will put you close to Class C.

Everyone has trouble with this. It will come with practice.
 
Getting weather ahead of time from AWOS, etc is a good practice. However, it sounds to me like you might be overloading yourself with info. So maybe listen what's being reported (and get a mental picture of your plan, if you can) but still overfly the field (above TPA, as your instructor suggests) and take a look. If you're having a hard time visualizing the situation in your head, maybe actually SEEING it will help? Also, it'll give you a chance to see the traffic getting ready to depart 20 and wonder "Why is he doing that?"

It's fine to have a Plan A in mind based on the AWOS but, operationally, things may change (either because weather has changed or there's traffic doing something else) by the time you get to the field. It's less likely that things will change too much during the time you're maneuvering to enter the pattern.

Either way, it sounds like you're dealing with a minor stumbling block here... nothing to be too concerned about. I'll bet a little time thinking/talking about this (and maybe another flight or two) and you'll have this little problem handled.
 
Are you using a kneeboard with a pad of paper on it? Ron Levy got me hooked on how valuable a resource this simple thing can be...

On your pad, make a simple "north up" diagram of the runway (label the ends with the runway numbers), an arrow showing the wind vector reported by the ASOS/AWOS/ATIS, and something on the outside show your position to the field and a vector arrow showing how you're going to arrive on the field.

From this, figuring out which runway to use, right or left traffic pattern, how you are going to enter the pattern, need to cross midfield or not, and more can be quickly answered.

We did the same thing when Ron taught me holding patterns, both on the ground and flying. Drawing the fix, the radial, the left or right turn oval, and how I was going to enter the hold (direct, parallel, teardrop) made executing it much simpler than trying to do it without drawing it out.

IMO; kneeboard use should be something CFI's teach/emphasize during the final hours of primary instruction. Once Ron got me doing it for various IFR scribbles, the habit of copying down any important nibbles of info is making flying life much simpler.
 
Obviously you need more practice, but here are some tips.

Need to quickly figure your position relative to the field on the sectional?
You have the field in sight, off the nose. Look at the BOTTOM of your DG. This is the direction you are approaching the field from. Say you are south of the field. What is displayed at the bottom of the DG? 180 degrees...

If you need to figure out visually where the wind is coming from from an AWOS report, again look at your DG. Then look out the window and imagine the wind blowing relative to you from whatever direction that is. Say you are headed 020 and the wind is reported at 130. Look down at your dg, see where it reads 130. Note its just behind the right wingtip of the little plane icon on the DG. So the wind is coming from behind your right wingtip.

Hope this helps. If you have a flight simulator, it might be helpful to practice this stuff on your own. The first tip is especially helpful when the DPE flies you around under the hood for awhile, then you take the hood off and are asked to divert to that field out the left window.
 
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It's a diversion - it's intended to make you have to think on your feet. Keep it simple. You'll need to estimate the heading, distance, and time. That shouldn't take too much effort. After that, you'll need to figure out rwy orientation. In many cases, the diversion airport won't be too far from your current location, so you can also estimate the winds at the new location since they probably will be close to the same as wherever you are when you divert - not always, but it's a decent start. Set the bug on the DG and draw a quick sketch as has already been suggested.

Mostly, just fly to a couple of different airports once in a while so you aren't getting to used to one or two environments. You'll get there, don't overthink it. If you need to, maybe even make a couple of 360s to give yourself some time to slow things down.
 
Make left 360s until you "see" everything: wind, runway , traffic , visualize the pattern entry , etc.
That's what you're supposed to do: circle the airport above pattern altitude until a decision is made on which runway to land on.
Later, with practice and experience, you may be able to visualize and process this info prior to actual arrival, but confirm on downwind that all is as was anticipated .
Things change in a quick turn.
 
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Using the heading bug was my savior when learning to fly. Once I figured out what runway I was gonna use I set my heading bug to the runway heading. Not only did that help get a mental picture of the runway and ensure that I was actually landing the right direction, it helped me also fly a parallel down wind leg as I tended to drift into the runway making for a real short base.
 
AggieMike88 said:
Are you using a kneeboard with a pad of paper on it? Ron Levy got me hooked on how valuable a resource this simple thing can be...

On your pad, make a simple "north up" diagram of the runway (label the ends with the runway numbers), an arrow showing the wind vector reported by the ASOS/AWOS/ATIS, and something on the outside show your position to the field and a vector arrow showing how you're going to arrive on the field.
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+1 on this method. It helped me a lot back in the early days.... and I still get runways 2 and 20 confused. I know now to take extra care with that one...

-Skip
 
Good tips you have so far. The good news is this will get better with practice. At least you can find the airport! For some reason I could never spot the airport until I was on top of it when training.

Good luck and safe flying.
 
To this day I still use this technique. Imagine the runway superimposed on your DG. Remember the far end of the runway goes by the number that matches it. That will show you the orientation of the runway relative to your current heading. Now envision your traffic pattern superimposed on it (left or right turns as appropriate).
 
Figuring out which runway to land on as how to get into the pattern is a skill that isn't exclusive to diversions. The techniques that seem to work best and quickly with a paper cockpit (and have already been mentioned) are:
• Draw a north-up airport diagram and your position to it. If the airport has a diagram, you should be using it anyway, but since it's a diversion, it might not be quickly available.
• Visualize the runway on the DG - easy enough since it already has the numbers on it). If your DG is equipped with a heading buy, put it on the runway you are going to use.

For diversions, generally, although people who know me know I hate mnemonics, I came up with one. Made it up on the old usenet groups as a joke:
The 4 F's

Find it - select the place to divert to
Figure it - estimate the direction that you'll need to fly to get there.
Fly it - Get going
Fine tune it - now that you're heading there generally, take the time to make sure that your estimated heading is correct. This may be tuning in an on or close to field navaid, the "roll the pencil to VOR" method of determining magnetic course, or just locating landmarks that tell you you're on your way.

(There's actually a 5th "F" - its what you say when a real diversion is caused by an emergency condition)
 
AggieMike88 said:
Are you using a kneeboard with a pad of paper on it? Ron Levy got me hooked on how valuable a resource this simple thing can be...

On your pad, make a simple "north up" diagram of the runway (label the ends with the runway numbers), an arrow showing the wind vector reported by the ASOS/AWOS/ATIS, and something on the outside show your position to the field and a vector arrow showing how you're going to arrive on the field.

From this, figuring out which runway to use, right or left traffic pattern, how you are going to enter the pattern, need to cross midfield or not, and more can be quickly answered.

We did the same thing when Ron taught me holding patterns, both on the ground and flying. Drawing the fix, the radial, the left or right turn oval, and how I was going to enter the hold (direct, parallel, teardrop) made executing it much simpler than trying to do it without drawing it out.

IMO; kneeboard use should be something CFI's teach/emphasize during the final hours of primary instruction. Once Ron got me doing it for various IFR scribbles, the habit of copying down any important nibbles of info is making flying life much simpler.
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Great tip! Also, the GPS will show your approach to the airport and your relationship to the runways. I find this a very useful tool when going CC and landing at an unfamiliar airport.
 
Geico266 said:
Great tip! Also, the GPS will show your approach to the airport and your relationship to the runways. I find this a very useful tool when going CC and landing at an unfamiliar airport.
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+1. This is also a great tool.
 
Extended rwys on a GPS display are really nice - but for a primary student, it's kind of cheating.
 
Matthew said:
Extended rwys on a GPS display are really nice - but for a primary student, it's kind of cheating.
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If the plane has a GPS, the OP is required to know how to use it on the checkride. The examiner may want him to use it or may not to. Either way the OP has to know how to find the airport and enter the correct pattern both ways.
 
jordane93 said:
If the plane has a GPS, the OP is required to know how to use it on the checkride. The examiner may want him to use it or may not to. Either way the OP has to know how to find the airport and enter the correct pattern both ways.
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Yeah, the OP will need to know how to use the equipment in the airplane. But I think it's more important to first learn how to enter a pattern using your Mk I Eyeball and noodle.
 
Matthew has it right. As a DE, my diversion tactic was a sick passenger who needed immediate medical aid...no time for circling around deciding how to get into the pattern. Use the methods suggested...draw it out on a pad enroute or superimpose the pattern on your DG.

Bob Gardner
 
If you have an emergency fly to the numbers and skip the pattern. Why waste time in an emergency?
 
My DPE used this scenario on the checkride: "Hey, look up ahead. That line of t-storms wasn't in the forecast, better get us to xxx so we can wait them out."

I still get turned around - the majority of the airports I use have a N/S rwy 17/35 or 18/36. But when I end up at an airport I haven't been to, with multiple rwys in a different orientation, I really need to make sure I have a diagram of the layout so I can draw a dot or other mark of where I am in relation to it. This is not the same as a diversion exercise where you might not have been able to print or study that stuff ahead of time. You'll have to get the info from the A/FD that we all carry.
 
Heading bug or bearing pointer on the runway heading you wish to use. That will help give you a mental image.

Over fly the field if you need to see what's going on.

Pattern entries are suggested practice not required. No problem entering on an extended base or even straight in.

Relax and take your time. Being correct and safe is better than being quick. After some time you won't need any of these tools, you will be able to visualize it it your head.

Now pull out a sectional and point to a spot. That's where you are. Now pick a nearby field and mentally divert. Winds are 350 at 12kts. How are you going to enter the pattern and to which runway? Just a suggestion to help you practice on the fly, without burning gas.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk
 
Hey guys, student pilot here. What's the "DG" that people are referring to here?
 
Correct current terminology for the "DG" is "Heading Indicator".

Similarly, the "Artifical Horizon" became the "Attitude Indicator".

And "Uncontrolled" airports became "Non-towered".

Since they often get used interchangeably, a student pilot should be familiar with all these terms.
 
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FastEddieB said:
Correct current terminology for the "DG" is "Heading Indicator".

Similarly, the "Artifical Horizon" became the "Attitude Indicator".

And "Uncontrolled" airports became "Non-towered".

Since they often get used interchangeably, a student pilot should be familiar with all these terms.
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Thanks guys. I don't even know if the warrior I'm training in has 'bug', but you can bet I'll look on my next flight.
 
NHPilot said:
Thanks guys. I don't even know if the warrior I'm training in has 'bug', but you can bet I'll look on my next flight.
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Not all do. If it does have it, it's normally just an indicator/reminder that you can set for various situations.
 
OP here. Thanks everyone for the tips. I'll make up some wind numbers, pull out my sectional, and find a field to land tonight on the kitchen table.

Don't have a heading bug on the DG, but I use the second VOR as a heading bug for cross countries if I'm not flying doing hoodwork with my CFI. I can use that for the runway headings.

I'll also practice drawing the airport on my kneeboard and marking where I am. Maybe that'll help.

I'll also circle above the airport, my CFI said to do the same. For some reason i decided to circle north...unsure why. Probably apart my my brain lockup. Talking to my buddy (who used to be a CFI), said, that by me making a circle and giving myself time to relax, think, and sort things out showed good decision making. Instead of just barreling ahead and making mistakes. However, I should have circled above the runway to scope out the pattern, wind sock, traffic, etc.

Regarding the GPS: I've mentioned earlier. When I was first diverted, I flew along the freeway since the airport right along it (guestimate since I knew where it was). Then did my charting for direction (with pencil to VOR compass rose), distance, time, and fuel burn. I then put it in the garmin 430 GPS, and I was pretty much right on.

On my check ride, I plan to use the GPS first and if that 'fails', i'll still use my chart. I keep my chart out on the other knee after cruise checklist so i always know where I am.

The GPS is easy, so I do chart first to make sure I keep current with it, and then GPS as a double check.
 
TazzyTazzy said:
On my check ride, I plan to use the GPS first and if that 'fails', i'll still use my chart. I keep my chart out on the other knee after cruise checklist so i always know where I am.

The GPS is easy, so I do chart first to make sure I keep current with it, and then GPS as a double check.
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Plan on doing EVERYthing with the chart. Many DPE's want to know you understand the old school papyrus methods before you reach for the electronic whizmos.
 
Yean, and illegal immigrants became undocumented like they were some piece of hack computer source code. Still doesn't make the old terms any less correct.
 
And, **** happens on cross-countries. Make sure you know how to use BOTH the VORs to find your position. You shouldn't have an extra one lying around. It should be confirming what your GPS (if used) and eyeballs say.

I like to use crossed VORs at the destination airport, as a confirmation my heading is correct. The intercept heading for each of the VORs is in the quadrant containing the needle and the to/from arrow, and your current heading should be in that quadrant (or the needle centered) on both VORs at all times to intercept the airport.
 
My diversion training happened in a plane that did not have a GPS. Then I did my checkride in a plane that DID have a GPS.

I was taught: lay a pencil on the sectional as a course line, slide it to the nearest VOR rose, estimate the new heading, take a guess on a wind correction angle, make the turn, mark the time, estimate the distance (the end of my thumb is about 10 NM on a sectional) then do the math on the E6-B. The last part shouldn't take more than a couple seconds if you already have your ground speed dialed in. On the checkride, THEN I plugged in the direct-to.

Using VORs like MAKG mentioned, is good backup, too.

My CFI also took me out one night, put me under the hood, had me do unusual attitude recoveries for about a half hour, then told me to figure out where we were, find the nearest airport, take us there, and let her know when we arrived. Then I'd be allowed to take off the hood and see how close I got. I used the 2-VOR triangulation method to figure my location and set a course to the closest airport. I got there, turned on the airport lights, took off the foggles, and didn't see the airport. Then I realized it was directly underneath me.

But, it sounds like the hardest part of the diversion for you is just getting oriented to the pattern and airport. Once you visit more unfamiliar airports, that will get easier.
 
All of a sudden... I lost it. My mind went blank. Completely blank. This happens for each diversion no matter the airport. *I* said aloud "right pattern 20, left pattern 02, I want left pattern 02". Ok. I don't understand myself for some reason. I can't figure out what way to approach. Where I should go, where I should land. I did a slow 360 north of airport to try and figure this out myself.

Why couldn't I figure out that 02, I would land flying north? I was coming from the nearly east and I was flying on a heading that would put me north of airport so I would line up for 45 left 02. Some part of me knew that. Then, I finally realized I need to land flying north, and then I need to make a left pattern. So, the airport should be on my left-ish for a 45 entry. I figured this out by the time I completed my 360 - but then I was all frustrated (not good).
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I wonder if you might be over-thinking this a bit? The advice in the posts above is just fine, but for a VFR approach to a podunk uncontrolled airport, I do this in three steps: 1) identify on paper what needs to be done, 2) visualize it in my head, 3) look out the window and do it.

Let's just get some basics:

  1. Choose the runway - You've got two runways here, 2 and 20. You've chosen 2 as your intended runway. Can you look down at your sectional and immediately understand which end of the runway you'll be approaching? Don't get hung up on whether you're "landing north" or not. Just pick out the end of the runway you want to go to. If you have to give this much thought, you're not there yet. Luckily, this is easy to practice at home. Pick out airports and identify the runways. Use whatever strategy necessary to be able to learn this.
  2. Now you know what end of the runway you'll be shooting for (in your case the SSW end) and you need to get your rectangular pattern visualized. You know runway 2 is left pattern. Now keep looking at the sectional and visualize your rectangular pattern to that end of the runway. Specifically, visualize your downwind and base turn. Hell, draw it on the sectional if you need to. You know that a left pattern makes left turns only. There is only one pattern for which this fits. If you draw or visualize it and you're making a right turn, you're on the wrong side of the runway. Practice this at home until you see it easily without having to draw it or think about it much. In your case, you need to be on the west side of the runway to make left traffic to runway 2, and so you can now visualize the downwind leg.
  3. You're most of the way there. You know what end of the runway you're heading toward, and you now understand where the downwind leg is. Now you just have to get there. You should know generally where you are relative to the airport, so decide how you'll get to the downwind. At this point you need to be looking out the window. In your case, if you're coming from the East, you might opt to overfly the runway above pattern altitude and then do a teardrop entry to left downwind 02. But you could just as well make a wide northward swing around the airport and come in for a 45* left downwind for 02. The point is that you know which side of the runway your entry will be on and you're using your Mk 1 Eyeballs to execute your approach and entry.

I think a good chunk of your hangup can be overcome by spending some time at home looking at sectionals, diagrams, skyvector.com, and visualizing your approaches and patterns. The final step is being in the plane, looking out the window, and executing your visualization.
 
asechrest said:
I wonder if you might be over-thinking this a bit? The advice in the posts above is just fine, but for a VFR approach to a podunk uncontrolled airport, I do this in three steps: 1) identify on paper what needs to be done, 2) visualize it in my head, 3) look out the window and do it.

Let's just get some basics:
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Thanks! This about summarizes my issue correctly. I'm pretty much there, know what runway I want, know the pattern, just the visualization issue.

I did a couple on my chart. Then i did a couple in parts of the country I didn't know and just fly all over mentally. I think this has help. The first couple times, I did it with a notepad, now I just do it mentally. Just need to keep up the practice. I fly again tomorrow and we're doing two short diversions.

Regarding using two VORs to find position: I do know how to do both VORs to triangulate my position. I do that as a double check on my cross countries and when finding my position with the hood on after unusual attitude practice. Lots of fun. My CFI used to divert me to airports 15-20 NM out. Now, he has been increasing my stress/workload by picking them 10NM out. It's in these conditions that my mind races.

Overall, I think I'm ready for my checkride. Just need to remember all the stupid cloud names. Who knew I'd be an amateur weather report reader. I was never in weather, I have an app for that. :-)
 
TazzyTazzy said:
Just need to remember all the stupid cloud names.
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Print out various photos of clouds, write the name of what's pictured on the picture, then stick copies on the bathroom mirror, the wall across from the throne, the kitchen cabinet above the coffee maker, and maybe make up some flash cards.

Also add a few details about what sorts of weather is associated with that formation.

This FAA publication should help. Clouds are discussed in chapters 6 and 7. http://www.faa.gov/regulations_poli....cfm/go/document.information/documentid/22268

This is also a good publication to get you on track for describing weather fronts (Chapter 8)
 
TazzyTazzy said:
Overall, I think I'm ready for my checkride. Just need to remember all the stupid cloud names. Who knew I'd be an amateur weather report reader. I was never in weather, I have an app for that. :-)
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1. Stratus (stable)

2. Cumulus (unstable)

Everything you care about fits into one of those. All the prefixes are about altitude, and the suffix(es) about precipitation.

I doubt you need to know about cirrus, as it's always above your altitude.

If you want a primer on the cumulus family, hang out on the East or Gulf Coast with a good view to the west, and you'll see the whole thing progress. I just practiced this at Cedar Point, OH last week. You won't see much more than fair weather cumulus in central California. Marine layer is always stratus.

For a checkride, I would expect questions to be about IMC and severe weather. Like, you see CB in a METAR or TAF.
 
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