Class D airport and right traffic

[Old Geek]

If the A/FD calls out right traffic for a runway, should I expect a right traffic approach from the tower when it is open?

 

[EppyGA]

If the A/FD calls out right traffic for a runway, should I expect a right traffic approach from the tower when it is open?

Probably going to depend on where you are coming mostly unless they have a real strict noise abatement issue.

 

[roncachamp]

If the A/FD calls out right traffic for a runway, should I expect a right traffic approach from the tower when it is open?

If the A/FD calls for right traffic at a towered field it probably also says it applies only when the tower is closed.

 

[midlifeflyer]

If the A/FD calls out right traffic for a runway, should I expect a right traffic approach from the tower when it is open?

No. Traffic patterns in use when there is no air traffic "control" is irrelevant when there is air traffic "control."

ATC sequences traffic in the most efficient way for them. You might be asked to do right traffic, left traffic, straight in, a base leg, be wide or close in or... all depending on where you are, where the airport is or where other traffic is.

 

[frfly172]

Only right traffic for sure if tower is closed. The controllers control traffic when tower is open,they need to be able to keep the flow moving.

 

[Shepherd]

Published traffic is required, during uncontrolled period, and "be aware" during controlled portion of the day.
Unless there is some compelling reason for one direction or the other, the controllers do what's best for them.
The weirdest request I have received in 40 years from the tower came the other day. They asked me to over fly the airport then spiral in to RWY26 "if possible". Avoid the pattern.
Otherwise go someplace and comeback in 15-20 minutes.
Sure, why not? Good emergency landing practice.
I still don't know what it was all about.

 

[ScottK]

We have quite a few D airports in my area. They tend to be fairly relaxed when it comes to approaches. They'll do whatever works. At my field, we see a lot of base to final approaches when coming in from the NW to NE for rw 23. Just east of our filed is a ridge so we do RT for 23 and LT for 5.

 

[poadeleted20]

By regulation (14 CFR 91.126, et seq.), the "direction of turns" rule (left only unless published/marked as right, in which case right only) applies only at airports without an operating control tower. So, in the OP's case, there is no reason to expect any particular direction from Tower if the control tower is operating.

 

[kenjr]

My home base is a Class D (KGTU in Georgetown, TX) and they'll tell you when you report in from 10 miles what they want you to do. My tower shuts down at 10 or 11pm and that's when you'd need to follow what the AF/D states. But when the tower is open, they'll advise you on what they need you to do. Almost always if I'm coming in from the west they'll have me enter the patter on that side of the runway regardless of what the AF/D pattern states.

 

[Ghery]

I fly out of a Class D airport. I've had the tower put some traffic in right pattern with another in left pattern to resolve a conflict where one plane was overtaking the other in the pattern. No problem, just listen, follow instructions and keep your eyes outside the cockpit.

 

[MAKG1]

Odds are, you'll fly the pattern on the closer side of the airport, but Tower will do whatever it needs to to sequence traffic.

 

[MBDiagMan]

I fly into a Class D airport frequently that does not allow a traffic pattern on the West of the airport. I don't have to worry about knowing right or left pattern for the airport. The tower will usually tell me to call them when I enter a right base for 35 or tell me to call them when I enter a left base for 17. Occasionally they will tell me to call entering downwind or something else, but they always indicate in one way or another whether I am to fly a right pattern or left pattern.

The second time I flew there only a few weeks after my checkride, they told me to enter a right downwind for 35. I had a senior moment and caught myself turning into a left downwind for 17, but caught myself and banked around hard into a right downwind for 35. I ended up high and had to slip it down, managing to set it down on the numbers. The line boy had seen me and gave me a complement about my slipping in for the landing.