T Bone
Pre-takeoff checklist
I'm sure you've all seen them. Some fields, it's just "the way it's done" I suppose. Stiil, the FAR's are clear. That said, let me describe two for you, and get your opinion...
First, my home field. We have runway 18/36. The field is under a class B shelf, and off to the East, ESE, is the primary (to the surface) Bravo area, about 4 NM away. Most pilots approach the airport either from the North or West generally. When entering the pattern for 18, the most commonly used at the field is a "midfield" crosswind. Not in the FARs. And not known to any non locals who'd visit, unless they listened to traffic for awhile. Last time I was flying there, I entered downwind for 18 from the 45 (which put me right on the edge of the Bravo) and had to sequence with traffic entering midfield crosswind. It worked fine (this time) but made me wonder....
This week, I flew from a new airport. On returnig to the field, directly after criticizing the midfield entry I just described (sidenote: Instructor felt it was asking for trouble, saying a Bonanza might be at pattern altitude- 1000 agl- by the end of the runway- under 2600 feet.... ) he then described "how they do it" at this field. Parameters, also under the same Bravo shelf. Runways 35 and 4 are right traffic, while 17 and 22 are left. Problem? This puts downwinds right on the Canadian border! (Edit note: Airport is on an island, at the mouth of a river... Canadian soil is the far bank) If you were to enter from the 45, you would be in Canadian airspace, if only for a few minutes. That would require a flight plan, ATC com and transponder code. It would also (I think) preclude (solo) student pilot ops from this field. The solution they use? Overfly the field at 600 feet above pattern altitude. Descend into the downwind! Gotta say, I HATE this! It is wrong, and furthermore dangerous (and I was checking out in a low wing.... here, Cessna Cessna.... can you imagine?). So, what to do? I want to finish my checkout in this plane. One more flight. I probably should (probably WILL) file the plan, squawk and talk as required, and do the "correct" pattern entry here (though my FCC radio license, required for international flight, won't be here for another two weeks or so). Now, I've gotten used to the non standard method at the other field. Am I being paranoid here, or are these folks just nuts? BTW, seems an easy solution here, all these patterns should be reversed, which would turn traffic towards the US, and we could easily do "proper" entries. And I'm sure you've figured, both airports are uncontrolled.
Your thoughts?
Edited 12:58 There is an incorrect statement above, where I reference the FAR's. Had I bothered to research this, I'd find that what I thought was there is not! Consider the post amended, my wrist slapped, and my knowledge improved....
First, my home field. We have runway 18/36. The field is under a class B shelf, and off to the East, ESE, is the primary (to the surface) Bravo area, about 4 NM away. Most pilots approach the airport either from the North or West generally. When entering the pattern for 18, the most commonly used at the field is a "midfield" crosswind. Not in the FARs. And not known to any non locals who'd visit, unless they listened to traffic for awhile. Last time I was flying there, I entered downwind for 18 from the 45 (which put me right on the edge of the Bravo) and had to sequence with traffic entering midfield crosswind. It worked fine (this time) but made me wonder....
This week, I flew from a new airport. On returnig to the field, directly after criticizing the midfield entry I just described (sidenote: Instructor felt it was asking for trouble, saying a Bonanza might be at pattern altitude- 1000 agl- by the end of the runway- under 2600 feet.... ) he then described "how they do it" at this field. Parameters, also under the same Bravo shelf. Runways 35 and 4 are right traffic, while 17 and 22 are left. Problem? This puts downwinds right on the Canadian border! (Edit note: Airport is on an island, at the mouth of a river... Canadian soil is the far bank) If you were to enter from the 45, you would be in Canadian airspace, if only for a few minutes. That would require a flight plan, ATC com and transponder code. It would also (I think) preclude (solo) student pilot ops from this field. The solution they use? Overfly the field at 600 feet above pattern altitude. Descend into the downwind! Gotta say, I HATE this! It is wrong, and furthermore dangerous (and I was checking out in a low wing.... here, Cessna Cessna.... can you imagine?). So, what to do? I want to finish my checkout in this plane. One more flight. I probably should (probably WILL) file the plan, squawk and talk as required, and do the "correct" pattern entry here (though my FCC radio license, required for international flight, won't be here for another two weeks or so). Now, I've gotten used to the non standard method at the other field. Am I being paranoid here, or are these folks just nuts? BTW, seems an easy solution here, all these patterns should be reversed, which would turn traffic towards the US, and we could easily do "proper" entries. And I'm sure you've figured, both airports are uncontrolled.
Your thoughts?
Edited 12:58 There is an incorrect statement above, where I reference the FAR's. Had I bothered to research this, I'd find that what I thought was there is not! Consider the post amended, my wrist slapped, and my knowledge improved....
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