Got a quick lesson is being careful at incontrolled airports.

[drotto]

I was dong solo practice early Saturday morning. I looked at the weather and when I started it was only 1 or 2 knots of wind from about 90 to 100. The reports for the area were calling for a mild increase in wind velocity to the 4 or 5 knots range by the time I planned on being done. My home base has one runway 29/11, and 29 is generally the prefered runway. I decidet though that since the wind was already arguably coming from the east and was expected to get stronger from the east I would use 11. So basically nothing happens for 6 trips around the pattern. I am the only one using the airport. Another local airport on the same unicom I could hear was using runway 14, so I remained comfortable with my pick of 11.

Just before I started my last pattern I heard a pilot anounced he was landing and would be using 29. I had been self announcing what runway I was using for basically an hour straight at this point. I called him about his location, he replied and confirmed he intended to use 29. So I decided to give way, cleared the pattern, and reapproach the runway to use 29. As I was setting up for 29, a second plane calls up and announces for 11. At this point I decided to let them sort things out and just spend a minute or two circling let the pattern clear and then do my final landing for the day. Eventually when the unicom is clear and the wind is definately now from the east I do my final landing on 11.


Once I land one of the instructors was in the FBO as I am checking out. He tells me that the first plane did indeed do a touch and go on 29, and the second plane did come in for a full stop on 11. Apparently, according to the CFI, that they were uncofortably close to one another and only missed each other by a few thousand feet. The wind sock when I finished clearly showed a light wind from the east.

Long story short, not sure what either of the other pilots was thnking, but was everything I did here reasonable?

 

[Matthew]

Sounds to me like you did just fine. You kept your situational awareness of what the other pilots were doing, you kept to the rwy you felt was best and for the right reasons. About the only comment I would make is that you were using the rwy you were most comfortable with, then let the other guy influence you into changing.

Always expect other pilots to use the other rwys. For some of them, the disadvantage of a higher crosswind than what you are comfortable with is outweighed by the time saved with a shorter taxi, for example. Sometimes another pilot will take a downwind landing just so he can taxi to a stop much closer to his hangar or the fuel pumps.

Wait until you spend time at an airport with 3 different rwys (6 directions total), and there are planes taking off and landing on all of them.

 

[MAKG1]

As long as you weren't circling in the pattern, everything you did was spot on.

I'd suggest that the other pilots weren't paying adequate attention. It's all too common.

There are some legitimate reasons for taking a light tailwind, but it's rather rude to do a touch'n'go against other traffic just 'cause you can. Runways are not always the same length in both directions, due to displaced thresholds. For instance, KBFL (Bakersfield, CA) has 12L more than 3000 feet longer than 30R. It may matter if the opposing traffic is a jet. Some runways have instrument approaches only in one direction, and much lower minimums for a straight-in as opposed to circling around for the other direction. But most examples would require nasty weather you shouldn't be flying in (not all, though).

 

[AggieMike88]

but was everything I did here reasonable?

Yes. I have no issues whatsoever with your decisions. Especially deciding to stay out of the way while the other two sorted things out.

 

[Sac Arrow]

Only missed each other by a few thousand feet?

A few hundred feet, okay, that's pushing it. A few feet, way close.

 

[drotto]

I did not see the miss, just that the CFI commented that it looked close to him. He implied that doing the touch and go was "rude" in that situation, and added that that is a hazard of uncontroller fields. Both runways have a fair sized threshold displacement of about 300 feet, but even without that are 3500 feet plus in length.

I did not stay in the pattern, I cleared to the north of the airport (which is the pattern side for both runawys at this airport), but stayed 3 or 4 miles north of the airport. I did see the guy approaching for 29 as I left the pattern about 300 feet below me and about 1 mile off.

 

[poadeleted20]

You did fine. Now, imagine all that happening without radios and think how you'd handle it if you didn't realize someone was landing the other way until you were both on short final -- and then think about whether you look down past the far end of the runway (or on final for crossing runways) for other traffic when landing at non-towered airports.

 

[CTLSi]

Worse, imagine all of that going on with trikes, experimental, twin engines, and even an IFR approach or two.

 

[eman1200]

even worse, imagine sorting this all out without a metal landing calculator!

​

 

[Palmpilot]

Re: Got a quick lesson in being careful at uncontrolled airports.

...

Of the three pilots involved, I would say that you were the one who displayed the best judgment!

 

[oilburner]

We also have pipeline patrol planes at 500' AGL in random directions plus cropdusters using the taxiways for takeoff and landing.
Now, assume you are using the proper runway with the light jets favoring the longest runway, regardless of wind.
We have to keep our head on a swivel here at KODO. Glad I learned to pay attention while at KSWW.

 

[brcase]

Only missed each other by a few thousand feet?

A few hundred feet, okay, that's pushing it. A few feet, way close.

Funny how it is all relative, a while back another glider pilot and I were flying a 206 ATC advised us to stay below 4000 feet and announced another aircraft at 12:00 and 4500 feet. We spotted him about a mile and away and he passed directly overhead. As we passed he comes on the radio with "Holy Crap, that was close" my friend and I looked at each other, we fly gliders together if we have 50 feet vertical and more than a couple wingspans from each other we are good as long as we can see each other. And we aren't just passing each other we are usually circling, climbing and descending in the air currents.

Brian