Odd Traffic Pattern Altitude

AdamZ

AdamZ

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Adam Zucker
Look at the link for Sky Manor Airport on AirNav. Check out the TPA. I have never seen different TPAs for High and Low Wing Aircraft. Turbine and Piston yes but not high and low wing.

http://www.airnav.com/airport/N40

Low Wings are at 1300 and High Wings at 1400.

The only thing I can think of for this is to avoid the classic Highwing vs. Lowwing accident ya know where the highwing ascends into the low wing or visa versa. Keeping the Highwing above the Lowwing keeps both out of the blind spots of the other in the pattern.

1) Could or is there another reason?

2) Has anyone seen this else where?

3) This sounds interesting but I wonder if it could create more confusion than its worth and thus actually more danger.
 
So where would a mid-wing aircraft fly?
 
And then to mix it up more, Adam, helicopters come in there at 500 agl (1060 msl)!

I don't recall another airport distinguishing between high and low wing, but N40 has been that way for a good while.
 
knife edge kent, thats the only way...
 
The classic Highwing vs. Lowwing accident...

bin00000.bin


more pix at http://w1.rob.com/pix/CessnaDouble/cessna_double
 
Last edited:
AdamZ said:
Look at the link for Sky Manor Airport on AirNav. Check out the TPA. I have never seen different TPAs for High and Low Wing Aircraft. Turbine and Piston yes but not high and low wing.

http://www.airnav.com/airport/N40

Low Wings are at 1300 and High Wings at 1400.

The only thing I can think of for this is to avoid the classic Highwing vs. Lowwing accident ya know where the highwing ascends into the low wing or visa versa. Keeping the Highwing above the Lowwing keeps both out of the blind spots of the other in the pattern.

1) Could or is there another reason?
...
Click to expand...
I'l bet you can trace this back to an airport owner who had his own ideas about how things should be. What fun stuff.

There was chain of gas stations on the south side where each had a sign selling cigaretes because the owner insisted that's how it should be spelled.
 
I'm wondering what the A/FD says?

I've been to airports that have a TPA that the locals know about, but isn't published in the A/FD.

I've also seen the AOPA directory show TPAs that differ from the A/FD.
 
Matthew said:
I'm wondering what the A/FD says?

I've been to airports that have a TPA that the locals know about, but isn't published in the A/FD.

I've also seen the AOPA directory show TPAs that differ from the A/FD.
Click to expand...
The A/FD and Jepp Airport Guide both say what Adam said -- oddly AOPA gives only one TPA. Go figure :dunno:
 
RotaryWingBob said:
The A/FD and Jepp Airport Guide both say what Adam said -- oddly AOPA gives only one TPA. Go figure :dunno:
Click to expand...
The AOPA guide can for a number of reasons be unreliable. In a recent case, I discovered that an airport in Eastern Canada advertised in the AOPA book as having avgas didn't, and hadn't for two years. Had I arrived, I would not have had enough fuel to get to the nearest avgas some 200 miles away. Only the A/FD can be relied on as being official for things like TPA. Don't ever bet anything of value on the AOPA guide being correct without confirmation!
 
Ken Ibold said:
So if I want to fly the pattern in my biplane ...
Click to expand...

Look! Isn't that Baron Manfred von Richthofen entering the pattern in his triplane? ;)

-Skip
 
Dont know the reason but they got good cheesesteaks and cheese burgers ..i fly in there regularly just to eat :D

also check out those rare russian amphibi's ..never seen them fly but im about to ask for a ride..and a water landing if possible..

Ant
 
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