Vance Breese
Cleared for Takeoff
My experience flying into uncontrolled fields seems divergent from many of the posts on the traffic pattern threads.
For example an uncontrolled airport near me is Santa Inez (IZA).
Runway 8 is a right pattern and runway 26 is a left pattern.
It is not uncommon for people to make a ten mile straight in for runway 26 from over Lake Cachuma.
More than once I have been in a left pattern for runway 26 and had someone make a straight in for runway 8.
Gliders make a right pattern for runway 26.
Helicopters approach from both the north and south on the east end of the airport.
There is a recommended 210 degree departure from runway 26 for noise abatement that passes very close to the inbound traffic on the forty five.
Most uncontrolled fields I have flown into that have parachute jumping the jump plane uses a very nonstandard pattern often descending across the pattern.
Some airports have unique local customs where geographic factors limit a standard pattern. These are often not published in the facilities guide.
At some airports that are popular for practicing ILS approaches the IFR pilots do not use the typical reporting points and do not fly the pattern. Some are not on frequency.
I have been to Paso Robles (PRB ) when both runway 19 and runway 31 are in us with an occasional runway 01.
At my home airport, Santa Maria (SMX) when the tower closes many pilots continue to make straight in approaches sometimes while talking to Santa Barbara Approach and not on the CTAF.
I have been in a left pattern for runway 30 after the tower has closed and found myself nose to nose with someone making a straight in unannounced of runway 12. Runway 12 has a right pattern.
I thought all this was typical and am surprised at the apparent outrage over pattern confusion.
Most of my flying has been in California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona so maybe this is a western thing.
Is my experience unique?
For example an uncontrolled airport near me is Santa Inez (IZA).
Runway 8 is a right pattern and runway 26 is a left pattern.
It is not uncommon for people to make a ten mile straight in for runway 26 from over Lake Cachuma.
More than once I have been in a left pattern for runway 26 and had someone make a straight in for runway 8.
Gliders make a right pattern for runway 26.
Helicopters approach from both the north and south on the east end of the airport.
There is a recommended 210 degree departure from runway 26 for noise abatement that passes very close to the inbound traffic on the forty five.
Most uncontrolled fields I have flown into that have parachute jumping the jump plane uses a very nonstandard pattern often descending across the pattern.
Some airports have unique local customs where geographic factors limit a standard pattern. These are often not published in the facilities guide.
At some airports that are popular for practicing ILS approaches the IFR pilots do not use the typical reporting points and do not fly the pattern. Some are not on frequency.
I have been to Paso Robles (PRB ) when both runway 19 and runway 31 are in us with an occasional runway 01.
At my home airport, Santa Maria (SMX) when the tower closes many pilots continue to make straight in approaches sometimes while talking to Santa Barbara Approach and not on the CTAF.
I have been in a left pattern for runway 30 after the tower has closed and found myself nose to nose with someone making a straight in unannounced of runway 12. Runway 12 has a right pattern.
I thought all this was typical and am surprised at the apparent outrage over pattern confusion.
Most of my flying has been in California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona so maybe this is a western thing.
Is my experience unique?
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