Overflying the field at TPA and joining midfield downwind is not standard in the US though I have seen some people do it at uncontrolled airports. if it is necessary to overfly, I've been taught to do so at 500 feet over traffic and descend wide on the traffic side to TPA before joining the 45.

 

Well I'd better adjust my joining for Flight then. I'd been blindly following what I've been taught in this part of the world. :Doh: Either way - don't descend directly on top of the pattern. Thanks.

 

Mike

Whenever you do so, I'll delete the one I just "Promoted to Tutorial" and edited from the Tutorial section.

 

OK, I just submitted an updated version of the Traffic Pattern Tutorial, with lots of screenshots.

I'm considering rearranging the Tutorial section just a little bit to have these sort of tutorials more "generic" rather than sim-specific. The "Flight - Early Tutorials" section is starting to become a bit crowded and cluttered... :Nerd:

 

Silly question... where do I find this?

 

Cheers

 

Mike

Silly question... where do I find this?

 

Cheers

 

Mike

 

Hi Mike

Click on TUTORIALS at the top of this webpage.

or this link: http://forum.avsim.n...ts-flight-game/

:Doh:

 

Thanks

 

Mike

If approaching an uncontrolled airport and there's no other traffic around, you can announce you are entering the right-hand pattern if that's more convenient for you.

 

In our play sim like FLIGHT or FSX... sure this is fine. IRL... in a sense, you can do what you want... but should and reportable accident or incident occur... well it is your ticket (and quite possibly your life) on the line.

 

Just because you can't see traffic or hear anyone does not mean there is no other traffic. Just off the top of my head, I remember a Cub once cut me off at the mid-field left download point, by flying a couple hundred feet beneath me.

 

Potentially saving a few minutes is not worth the possibility of a lifetime of regret.

 

Not only should you abide by the FAA Recommended procedures in the AIM, you have:

 

FAR 91.113 Right of Way Rules

 

FAR 91.126 Operating on or in the vicinity of an airport in Class G airspace: "When approaching to land at an airport without an operating control tower in Class G airspace--Each pilot of an airplane must make all turns of that airplane to the left unless..."

 

FAR 91.127 Operating on or in the vicinity of an airport in Class E airspace: "Unless otherwise required by part 93 of this chapter or unless otherwise authorized or required by the ATC facility having jurisdiction over the Class E airspace area, each person operating an aircraft on or in the vicinity of an airport in a Class E airspace area must comply with the requirements of Sec. 91.126."

 

There's good reason for all this... "Midair collisions are the primary hazard associated with flying at nontowered airports. Most midair collisions occur in clear weather within five miles of an airport and below 3,000 feet" (AOPA Safety Advisor: Operations at Nontowered Airports http://www.aopa.org/...ations/sa08.pdf).

 

This is something you will have hammered into you as a student pilot... again... most mid-airs happen on a VFR day within 5 miles of the airport.

 

 

Overflying the field at TPA and joining midfield downwind is not standard in the US though I have seen some people do it at uncontrolled airports. if it is necessary to overfly, I've been taught to do so at 500 feet over traffic and descend wide on the traffic side to TPA before joining the 45.

 

If you are going to overfly a field where turbine aircraft fly in and out of, you're going to want to use 2000' AGL as the turbine TPA is 1500' AGL.

 

It is acceptable (if no traffic) to enter a mid-field downwind from the opposite side at TPA. In fact, this was the preferred method when using Runway 21 at KEYE (Eagle Creek, Indianapolis, IN). You have overlying Class C Airspace at 2100'MSL (Field Elevation is roughly 800'MSL) so you cannot overfly the field higher than roughly TPA. Also to extend far enough to descend to TPA (if you were 2000'AGL) for a left downwind 45 entry puts one over the city (a "congested area").

 

So one does have to use a bit of judgment along with an understanding of local procedures (Check the AF/D).

That's all awfully complicated... how about this... I'm lining up with the runway, and all of y'all need to clear out of the way...

FAR 91.126 Operating on or in the vicinity of an airport in Class G airspace: "When approaching to land at an airport without an operating control tower in Class G airspace--Each pilot of an airplane must make all turns of that airplane to the left unless..."

 

Interesting topic! I think I am going for the left pattern from now on: I like to do things a bit realistic, so it's nice following real world procedures.

OK, I just submitted an updated version of the Traffic Pattern Tutorial, with lots of screenshots.

 

And already see a couple of things I need to fix. Bah!

 

I'll try again...

Ozzie,

 

Yes, I should have qualified that statement about checking local procedures and remembering turbine traffic. we don't have that sorry of traffic with a short runway. I try to avoid overflying and then I make sure I announce and keep an sharp lookout.

 

when we takeoff to the south we are immediately in Caldwell's class D. It is impossible not to fly into it, but it is unofficially allowed by their controllers. Everyone had to use their judgment to remain as briefly as possible in that airspace.

 

So back to the topic, how's those Maule landings going?

OK, I just submitted an updated version of the Traffic Pattern Tutorial, with lots of screenshots.

 

Thanks! I "Rejected" the first draft per your request and "Approved" the Revision B...

I can see virtue in single, cross-sim tutorials that everyone can use. But, I can also see virtue in specific versions for each sim, using examples from that sim. I think people, especially new simmers, will be more inclined to look at things specific to their sim, as opposed to generic stuff.

 

Excellent! Another great post "Promoted to Tutorial".

 

Yes, on reflection I think since many of these are using Flight's aircraft for illustration, it would be best to keep 'em in the "Flight Tutorials" heading.

 

On the other hand, I think some new sub-categories aside from the single, non-specific "Early Tutorials" is definitely in order...

Yes, I should have qualified that statement about checking local procedures and remembering turbine traffic.

 

Your info was certainly correct Oracle... the problem is me. I am very "technical" about these things... probably providing more info than really needed and filling up folk's noggins with more "stuff" than they'll ever use. Just see Little Richard's response.

 

I guess another part of the reason I throw all this stuff out there is because one never knows if an aspiring sim pilot will become an aspiring RW pilot... so hopefully it adds to their body of knowledge.

 

That's all awfully complicated... how about this... I'm lining up with the runway, and all of y'all need to clear out of the way...

 

You know Little Rich... a lot of my sim flying with friends is like this and certainly that is the case for an approach during the Round the World Race. Most of the time in FSX / FLIGHT I prefer to fly straight in... but there are times where flying a traffic pattern is useful or fun to do.

 

Succesfully negotiating the myriad of FAA products - FARs, TFRs, AIM, ACs, AIP, JOs, NOTAMs... numerous types of charts... yes, it is quite a labyrinth of information to sort thru, understand and apply. But it is like anything that tends to be complicated... you add little by little and before long, many things stick like glue in your brain. Someone asks, "Hey, what's that FAR about where the FAA can cite you for doing something nutty, but there is no reg that forbides what you did." And you'll blurt out, "91.13... Careless & Reckless" without even thinking about it.

 

My brother and I were doing some multiplayer and I was helping with Instrument Approaches (he has been using FlightGear) when he says to me... "Last week I did not even have FSX... today I can fly an ILS."

 

So... little by little... and, of course, how much you wish to learn.

 

(FARs - U.S. Federal Aviation Regulations)

(TFRs - Temporary Flight Restrictions)

(AIM - Aeronautical Information Manual)

(ACs - Advisory Circulars)

(AIP - Aeronautical Information Publication)

(JOs - Job Orders)

(NOTAMs - Notices to Airmen)

 

I think I am going for the left pattern from now on:

 

Well Jeroen... notice the quote said "unless" (hoping that would be googled)

 

"unless the airport displays approved light signals or visual markings indicating that turns should be made to the right, in which case the pilot must make all turns to the right;"

 

Again this applies to RW U.S. ops... one should ALWAYS consult the AF/D (Airport/Facility Directory http://aeronav.faa.g...lications/d_afd) before flying into another airport.

 

Let's say you were flying into Green Bay (KGRB). Checking the AF/D (http://aeronav.faa.g...2_05APR2012.pdf) One notation one would see for Rwy 18 is "Rgt tfc".

 

Further down in "Airport Remarks" - "Request voluntary compliance in avoiding noise sensitive areas N and E of arpt between midnight and 6 a.m. Rwy 18 touch and go tfc to use rgt tfc during hrs when twr clsd." A bit further down from there, you'll see "GREEN BAY TOWER 118.7 (1130–0530Z‡). So Green Bay has part time Right Traffic for one of their runways... during the time the tower is not operating.

 

If you were to look at Fond du Lac (http://aeronav.faa.g...9_05APR2012.pdf - a reliever airport for Oshkosh) you will see both Rwy 9 and Rwy 18 are designated to use a Right-hand Traffic Pattern.

 

For landing the Maule, all the basic rules apply (stabilized approach, appropriate airspeed nailed, etc.) and instead of landing in a nose high attitude as in a tricycle gear, the roundout stops when in landing attitude. For the landing attitude... I memorize the sight picture made by the horizon cutting where-ever it cuts across the cowling when sitting on the ground. Just sit in the cockpit and memorize what that looks like. Roundout / Flare so you are just a foot or so above the runway in that attitude, and let the airspeed bleed off (which is going to require you to be continually pulling the yoke back). I never have my eyes inside the cockpit during the flare, so I have absolutely no clue what rate I am touching down. Eyes belong outside. Once you cannot see over the cowl, you need to switch mainly to the left side of the cowl and never fixate in one spot. You start fixating you start to act like a jacklighted deer (frozen up)... keep those eyes outside, roving fore and aft off the left side to maintain your depth perception.

 

Flared just above the runway to landing attitude... Stick is coming back... stick coming back... hold it off - hold it off - hold it off and "bang" (a very soft / gentle bang btw so that the passenger says, "did we land yet?") and there you are - firmly on the ground.

Thanks! I "Rejected" the first draft per your request and "Approved" the Revision B...

 

Thank you!

 

Direct link, if anyone wants to jump to the improved one, with screenshots...

 

http://forum.avsim.net/tutorials/article/57-flying-the-traffic-pattern/

Just did a landing following the pattern as RoboRay described. Fun! I have to admit that even though I fly according to approach plates whenever there are any for my destination, I usually rushed into the other airports as a madman... I approached too fast, slammed down the flaps to slow down and flew direct to the runway... Just now I did it according to the book, and it's fun! (And slowwwwwww... )

 

Flying the pattern is a good exercise for controlling your aircraft in various situations! I think I never really had to keep my plane level at slower speeds because I would start descending after cruise and descent right unto the runway. But now I descended to 1000 ft AGL, slowed down to the white arc speed (that's slow!), lowered flaps at the right speed, trimmed (a lot), etc. Nice, because I always thought it was a pity not every airport had approach procedures.... while in fact they all have, but not always on a chart. (Come to think of it: I think I always flew those published approaches at too high speeds too.)

 

I knew about the patterns (although I thought they were called circuits) but I don't know why I never flew them up to now in Flight. Stupid me.