Re: Tight Patter Video
In a world where most aviation-related video articles and tutorials are awkward, rambling, and scrupulously inoffensive, these Paul B. things are a breath of fresh air.
And it's all so true- the "45-degree thing", for example, works so reliably in most cases that it's almost scary. When I was told about that, i felt like I'd been endowed with super-powers.
I'm lucky that all my primary instructors were big on that: "look over you shoulder... look...wait for it... OK, what's the angle now... look again... etc".
The only thing missing in this little tute is a word on what is, IMHO,probably the leading cause of wide downwinds (at least when doing pattern work, not when arriving from somewhere else): the overly-long crosswind after takeoff. Two common causes seem to be: worrying too much about nailing TPA as one turns downwind, rather than nailing the spacing, and not taking the appropriate crosswind heading while climbing to the downwind turn point, then wasting time and distance trying to fix that, instead of just making sure you nail the parallel spacing as you get onto the downwind leg.
These used to be habits of mine, until I started focusing on turning crosswind no higher than 300 feet below TPA and looking downwind, as I climb on crosswind, to make sure I turn at the correct distance from the runway whether I have reached TPA or not (eventually I was able to be high enough fairly consistently). If you're a hair low at that point, a little more climbing as you turn downwind will fix that. It's real easy to avoid rising up into the pattern at midfield or some other undesired point.
As far as the xwind turn goes, as you take off, if you don't already know what you'll aim for visually when you turn xwind, you need to look for something. (which is also the key to turning downwind at the best spot). You have to think about the next leg, always: "when should I turn to maintain the best spacing on the next leg?"
If the initial xwind heading is no good, forget the damn DG or compass (and for God's sake, put the "pattern whiz wheel" away!) and just look at what you're doing... forget making a perfect, 90 angle, straight-leg crosswind, and make sure you just roll out downwind at the appropriate distance from the runway. Repeat for base and final.
I haven't made a power landing in a long time, but flying a glider has
really driven home the importance thinking ahead and using visual cues to maintain the most efficient spacing, regardless of wind... these little "tricks" come even more vividly to life when you have one shot to make a good landing from any given approach.
