Departing the pattern on Base Leg?

JasonM said:
I guess I should have done that , rather than ask on the forum. :yikes:

Its not my airport. I have to travel to it. Only been there 1 time.


Well, straight out one way puts you into a mountain. Straight out the other way puts you into a mountain. Straight out another way drives you up a valley with rising terrain that is hard to out climb, or at least was for me the other day, and I'd rather not do that again. straight out the last option heads you down a valley. its narrow for a long ways and would require a bit of travel time added to my flight plan.
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He's going to ask you how you'd handle it (for terrain avoidance). Unless it is very close to your home airport, you won't be going there anyway ... you'll get your "diversion" shortly after take off or your first waypoint on your FP.

For those that haven't tried climbing in mountain areas, Ruidoso NM gets a lot of pilots by throwing downdrafts (sinkers) at them on their departure. I climb in the pattern there until I'm assured ridge clearance (45 rule, <25 knots etc.
 
Was told the best method at this airport was to climb in the pattern before heading off. So I did a climb in the pattern and stated I was departing the pattern when turning base at 500' above TPA.
 
JasonM said:
Was told the best method at this airport was to climb in the pattern before heading off. So I did a climb in the pattern and stated I was departing the pattern when turning base at 500' above TPA.
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Sounds like a logical and safe way to exit the area to me..:dunno::confused:
 
JasonM said:
Was told the best method at this airport was to climb in the pattern before heading off. So I did a climb in the pattern and stated I was departing the pattern when turning base at 500' above TPA.
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I think it would benefit the rest of us to know the specific airport, so we can all challenge our own decision process. Certainly a climbing overhead departure is a trick to keep in the back pocket for difficult airports, but it isn't just another way to depart an airport any old time one feels like it, say to save $$$. Another reason to show us the airport is because you have had the benefit of being there in person, but some of us might be planning a fuel stop there and have only got maps to review beforehand. We'd like to see if our pre-planning procedures would come to the same conclusion you did after being there in person. How about it?

dtuuri
 
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dtuuri said:
I think it would benefit the rest of us to know the specific airport, so we can all challenge are own decision process. Certainly a climbing overhead departure is a trick to keep in the back pocket for difficult airports, but it isn't just another way to depart an airport any old time one feels like it, say to save $$$. Another reason to show us the airport is because you have had the benefit of being there in person, but some of us might be planning a fuel stop there and have only got maps to review beforehand. We'd like to see if our pre-planning procedures would come to the same conclusion you did after being there in person. How about it?

dtuuri
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To the OP-

Don't take the bait. You have your information. Ask the locals, read the AIM, pick the safest choice and best of all luck on the check ride!

:cheers:
 
Dav8or said:
To the OP-

Don't take the bait. You have your information. Ask the locals, read the AIM, pick the safest choice and best of all luck on the check ride!

:cheers:
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What "bait"? It's not like we want to know his social security number. Sheesh. :rolleyes:

dtuuri
 
Dav8or said:
To the OP-

Don't take the bait. You have your information. Ask the locals, read the AIM, pick the safest choice and best of all luck on the check ride!

:cheers:
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I'm not biting on that fishing hook. :wink2: I passed my checkride and did as I said was the best option. :)



dtuuri, I'd preferr to keep my location and schedule private. hope you can understand.
 
JasonM said:
I'm not biting on that fishing hook. :wink2: I passed my checkride and did as I said was the best option. :)



dtuuri, I'd preferr to keep my location and schedule private. hope you can understand.
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I hope you can understand that a forum is a give and take, not just a take. I'd like to show other students how an airport like this looks on a flat aeronautical map compared to a Google image of the horizon at ground level. I don't think the opportunity for learning within this thread ends just because you got a license (congratulations, btw). It could benefit others to place themselves in your situation. Maybe they wind up a valley some day, like you did, but aren't as lucky as you. Seeing a real-life scenario like yours could help them recognize similar pitfalls and better decide when special departure procedures are called for. It's not even your home airport, so I don't know why you're reluctant to identify it. C'mon, tell us please.

dtuuri
 
dtuuri said:
I hope you can understand that a forum is a give and take, not just a take. I'd like to show other students how an airport like this looks on a flat aeronautical map compared to a Google image of the horizon at ground level. I don't think the opportunity for learning within this thread ends just because you got a license (congratulations, btw). It could benefit others to place themselves in your situation.

dtuuri
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I agree, but I doubt he's going to tell you. Try Ruidoso (KSRR) as an example. There is an out to the northwest, but most aren't heading that direction. Mariposa (KMPI) is a little similar on a high DA day.

Am sure his reluctance is going to be the 15 pilots that say, "I could have flown a 45* or straight out departure on that easily." I've flown to KSRR multiple times without problems ... I did have one departure that I caught a huge down draft while heading towards rising terrain, turned back and climbed over the airport ... winds were basically calmish when I hit it.
 
dtuuri said:
I hope you can understand that a forum is a give and take, not just a take. I'd like to show other students how an airport like this looks on a flat aeronautical map compared to a Google image of the horizon at ground level. I don't think the opportunity for learning within this thread ends just because you got a license (congratulations, btw). It could benefit others to place themselves in your situation. Maybe they wind up a valley some day, like you did, but aren't as lucky as you. Seeing a real-life scenario like yours could help them recognize similar pitfalls and better decide when special departure procedures are called for. It's not even your home airport, so I don't know why you're reluctant to identify it. C'mon, tell us please.

dtuuri
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Give and Take. ok, fair enough. Rather than spending 2 seconds sharing the information I would rather keep to myself. I spent 10 minutes and made a drawing of the situation. I needed to head to the west. Note: Elevations are not exact, but do represent closely to the situation.

terrain.jpg
 
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dtuuri, for a student exercise, maybe try out KTVL, climbing to Echo Pass (US 50, south, near the edge of the Class E surface). The airport has ample runway and a nice clear departure to the north -- over the lake and into the opposing localizer. Ditching into that lake is not survivable unless very close to shore, even in summer, due to hypothermia. There is rising terrain in every other cardinal direction, and the southwestern lakeshore is full of sightseers, most of which climb like a teenager in history class. That leaves you with circling at potentially high DA. And arriving traffic from over the pass has to drop pretty fast into the pattern.

This airport is something every pilot in the region should experience -- there is nothing quite like a flight around Lake Tahoe. But it is definitely different from a $100 hamburger run into some sea level airport -- and almost all of California's airports are under 1000 MSL.
 
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I like to add my congratulations on passing your checkride as well. Well done!
 
JasonM said:
Give and Take. ok, fair enough. Rather than spending 2 seconds sharing the information I would rather keep to myself. I spent 10 minutes and made a drawing of the situation. I needed to head to the west. Note: Elevations are not exact, but do represent closely to the situation.

terrain.jpg
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That's a nice picture, but I bet it looks less dramatic on a sectional--maybe a real sucker trap like the old Hazard, Kentucky Airport downtown by the river. Once you landed, you realized you were lucky not to have to make a go-around at the last minute. They built a new one since I was there. Can't get Google Earth to plug-in to my computer or I'd show it.

dtuuri
 
JasonM said:
... I'd preferr to keep my location and schedule private. hope you can understand.
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What are we gonna do with an airport identifier, access your bank account? :rolleyes:

BTW: congrats
 
Silvaire said:
What are we gonna do with an airport identifier, access your bank account? :rolleyes:

BTW: congrats
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Never know. there is some slick identity theifs out there. Only takes a little. :eek: :rofl:

Heck, I just dont care to have my instructor or my examiner know who I am if they peek in on these forum threads. Its really as simple as that. Can we move on now. :wink2:
 
JasonM said:
Heck, I just dont care to have my instructor or my examiner know who I am if they peek in on these forum threads.
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Why not?

I've only heard of one bit of blowback from that, and that was because the poster in question was calling his instructor and examiner dishonest by name after some unpleasant interactions with them. Had he not used a name, I doubt there would have been any issues.

I'm not aware that my own instructor or examiner has been on here, but I've always assumed they were.
 
How much privacy a person feels they need is a personal decision.
 
And which of the people demanding to know what airport he was flying at are doing so on behalf of those agencies? :rolleyes:
 
Palmpilot said:
And which of the people demanding to know what airport he was flying at are doing so on behalf of those agencies? :rolleyes:
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Sir..... I NEVER demanded....:no::nonod:..

You guys in the bay area are such drama queens...:D
 
If someone steals my identity I hope he has better luck with it than I have :D
 
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