Teardrop Pattern Entry

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jime

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jim
How many of you know what it is? How many of you use the terminology? We've been hearing a couple pilots using that language to describe what they're doing in the pattern. I'm curious as to how widespread it's use is in the rest of the flying community.
 
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I hear it regularly and it’s used sometimes at my home drome. Personally, I think it would be safer to enter the pattern using a 45 degree entry to the upwind but that’s not nearly as common.

In any case, it’s important to pay attention to what the other traffic is doing and adjust accordingly.
 
I seem to be hearing it more than I used. Not sure if that's true or not.
 
Sierra_Hotel said:
Never heard it called a teardrop entry. I've always referred to it as a 45 entry.
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The "teardrop" is a way to get across the field and turned around in order to join the pattern on a 45. If you were already on that side, it would just be a 45. Recently the FAA started recommending cross midfield at pattern altitude and joining the downwind directly with a 45 on the other side. Plenty of pros and cons to each.
 
jime said:
How many of you know what it is? How many of you use the terminology? We've been hearing a couple pilots using that language to describe what they're doing in the pattern. I'm curious as to how widespread it's use is in the rest of the flying community.
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Not sure about calling it a teardrop, but for decades it was the only FAA approved method of entering the pattern from the upwind side. So, I'd guess its use pretty widespread.

Since the FAA finally "recognized" the midfield crosswind to downwind entry only a few years ago I only use the teardrop when the pattern is too busy to enter from the upwind side.
 
Sierra_Hotel said:
Never heard it called a teardrop entry. I've always referred to it as a 45 entry.
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Hang 4 said:
The "teardrop" is a way to get across the field and turned around in order to join the pattern on a 45.
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I think he may be right. The maneuver is to cross midfield above the pattern, go a safe distance away, turn and enter a normal 45. AFAIK, naming it a "teardrop entry" is a non-FAA thing that started recently. Personally, I think naming it that is a bad idea because it normalizes the bad practice of doing it too close to the airport.
 
I've flown w/ two CFIs who instructed me to perform this pattern entry. I should have thought to task at the time why it's preferred to a traditional mid-field crosswind to enter the downwind. I'm thinking spacing was the motivation.
 
I am not a fan of teardrop entries. Instructors at our uncontrolled field have been teaching their use for a couple years now. Crossing midfield 500' above pattern altitude and doing a teardrop descent to downwind is not a good idea, IMO. Why not enter at pattern altitude, cross midfield and turn downwind , or enter upwind or crosswind. Announce your position on the radio and keep your eyes on traffic.

If the pattern is busy, it makes more sense to me for everybody to be at the same altitude for visual separation. At uncontrolled fields, the pilot always has to judge how to fit in with other traffic. I don't see how a teardrop is an advantage.
 
I prefer the crosswind entry. I don’t see why crosswind isn’t really the best bet, it gives you the best view of everyone in the pattern, and you can simply adjust your entry point to fit in between the others safely.
 
To me a consideration is how busy the pattern is? Then at the lightly used airports I may want to fly over to check for large birds, wildlife & even dog walkers that could be in or next to the runway.

If a busy pattern, can’t see one squeezing in easily from the midfield teardrop. One could move the teardrop upwind some. If not to busy why not just a crosswind a bit above pattern altitude them turn down wind? One moves this crosswind leg as far as needed to get behind any traffic. That seems more of what I would normally want to do, seems like less ‘belly-up’.
 
some of y'all are scary.

scary I say, just scary.
 
I’m more of an overhead break type of pilot.

That or a “what ever the heck is most convenient.”


Lol.
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Just cross the field at about 10 feet above pattern altitude, make a 270 degree turn in the middle of where other aircraft are flying on the downwind and call it a "45" entry.
 
I’m not a fan of the overhead teardrop entry. I don’t want to put all of the traffic I just got in-sight behind me, turn around and then find it all again. If I’m already on that side of the airport and the 45deg entry makes sense, I’ll do it, otherwise, it’s just the standard crosswind entry etc.
 
Or just call right base and beat those other planes to final!
 
The OH break just killed a lady at Patty Wagstaffs airport in an Extra 300 this week. Speculation is she G-locked and augered in while in the pattern.

We get ALOT of pilot mill traffic at my airport from ERAU and ATP. The tear drop is definitely being used by these large organizations.
 
I just started hearing this a few weeks ago. Seems like a really bad idea for reasons Ryan described. Too much maneuvering and occupying of space and time, too close to the airport.
 
Midfield 500 ft above pattern altitude and yes use it all the time sometimes to avoid built up areas on the ground. Never do it with other known traffic in the pattern.
 
I do a crossfield entry, if I can't do it without interfering with traffic, I'll overfly or maneuver to a standard 45 degree entry. Communication is key, other pilots are usually very helpful, as I try to be if the situation is reversed.
 
It’s the way we were taught last century, before AWOS was invented, and the procedure was to overfly the field 500’ above pattern altitude to check the wind sock so you knew which way to land. If you ended up on the wrong side of the field, then yes, you did a 180 to go to the other side and then did your teardrop entry.
 
Traffic permitting I’m over-the-field direct entry to downwind every time. I like getting a good view of everyone in the pattern… get in, and stay out of the way.
 
Somehow the FAA advisory (general guidance!) for the apriority entry from the upwind side got turned into a pattern maneuver - it's not. It shouldn't be done close to the airport, and descending into a leg of the pattern (in a turn) while making pattern calls not in the pattern, well, poor form.

I strongly prefer the midfield cross (at pattern altitude) unless it's busy, then it's the above but wider out and LEVEL turn onto the 45. And standard language. The midfield cross isn't good when it's busy - you may be dealing with upwind and (don't forget!) opposing runway traffic.

The upwind entry risks you getting center-punched by departing traffic - some planes climb better than others!
 
midlifeflyer said:
I think he may be right. The maneuver is to cross midfield above the pattern, go a safe distance away, turn and enter a normal 45. AFAIK, naming it a "teardrop entry" is a non-FAA thing that started recently. Personally, I think naming it that is a bad idea because it normalizes the bad practice of doing it too close to the airport.
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Yeah. AC 90-66B describes it with a picture that tells you go a couple miles beyond the downwind, then start the turn that puts you on the 45. Has kinda a nice teardroppy shape to it. Foreflight and I suppose other Apps give it a Name. Foreflight depicts it going 1.4 miles to the other side, then starting the turn.

I don’t like the term or the depiction either. What you are doing is a good ol’ 45 into the traffic pattern. You almost always have to do some maneuvering to get set up for that. Depicting it with a precise path to follow when coming in from the ‘other side’ I don’t think is a good idea.

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It’s something I’m not interested in doing. I loop around and join the 45 to downwind in busy airspace.
 
Unit74 said:
The OH break just killed a lady at Patty Wagstaffs airport in an Extra 300 this week. Speculation is she G-locked and augered in while in the pattern.

We get ALOT of pilot mill traffic at my airport from ERAU and ATP. The tear drop is definitely being used by these large organizations.
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The overhead break did not kill her. She killed herself. Seems like that how most pilots go. Self inflicted wound…
 
Tarheelpilot said:
The overhead break did not kill her. She killed herself. Seems like that how most pilots go. Self inflicted wound…
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Well, if we are going to argue semantics, it is the sudden impact with the ground that kills. What leads up to that point is the subject of argument though.
 
Unit74 said:
Well, if we are going to argue semantics, it is the sudden impact with the ground that kills. What leads up to that point is the subject of argument though.
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G locking in the pattern because you have your balls out?? You think that’s not pilot error? Please tell me who’s fault it is if not the pilot. Perhaps I misunderstood but it seemed you were blaming the accident on the pattern entry.
 
Tarheelpilot said:
G locking in the pattern because you have your balls out?? You think that’s not pilot error? Please tell me who’s fault it is if not the pilot. Perhaps I misunderstood but it seemed you were blaming the accident on the pattern entry.
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:blowingkisses:
 
luvflyin said:
AC 90-66B describes it with a picture that tells you go a couple miles beyond the downwind, then start the turn that puts you on the 45
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You need a medical to do that at my home drome - Canada does not recognize the sport pilot rules.
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:)
 
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