Traffic Pattern

[cpthayes]

I have a quick question about the traffic pattern. I had a lesson yesterday. He had me call out our possition a few times on take off and landing in the pattern. This question really didnt acure to me till after the lesson but here it is anyway. When do you call out your position in the pattern? Also do you always have to call out the runway number? And what are the legs? Is it crosswind, downwind, base, and final?

[Ace_13]

1.Departure Leg
2.Crosswind Leg
3.Downwind Leg
4.Base Leg
5.Final Approach

[leversol]

The main reason for the calls is so that everyone in the
pattern, or approaching the airport, or waiting to take off
or land knows where you are, and what you are doing. This is
why you also specify the runway, if you call downwind on 12, other pilots in the area know where to look for you. In real life you are also trained to state the airport name, as many small airports in an area share the same freq.! If it is busy
at the airport you flying, it is smart to call many times,
eg.. "Laporte traffic, Cessna 39w turning downwind 12 Laporte", then a few minutes later," Laporte traffic, Cessna 39w downwind 12 Laporte" and so on...it is all for your safety as you are letting everyone else know where you are and what you are doing.

[KathyPilot]

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Feb-18-02 AT 05:03PM (EDT)[/font][p]Captain:
Actually you do not “have” to announce anything, but you should announce.

I normally announce: (insert you aircraft type here) “Turning downwind runway nn” and "Turning base runway nn” , etc. I also add the airport name because some areas use the same frequency and at altitude they really reach out - it avoids confusion.

I did a circle-round one time because some jar-head announced he was on base to my runway. Looked all around but never found him in ground clutter. He finally announced he was on final at an airport 35 miles away!

I’m sure your instructor will drill into you that communications come last in the list of priorities. He will (if he has not already) stated:
One – Aviate
Two – Navigate
Three – Communicate.

Edit:
Something I forgot. The reason you state “Turning” is you announce just before the maneuver. Many things are going to happen after you make that turn – power/prop changes, flap setting, gear down, adjust you sunglasses, fix your hair, etc. You will have a full-plate so getting the comms out of the way is a good thing.



Good luck with your ticket,
Kathy

[KenG01]

Here's something else to consider. (Not all pilots do it, but some do) Call your next leg before you start to turn on to it. In other words, if you are on crosswind and about to turn for downwind, you would say, "Airport traffic, Skyhawk 733UJ turning (or on) left downwind, 5, Airport." Don't wait until you are ON downwind to say you're on it.

However, if the pattern and radios are busy you may have no choice but to wait. Keep doing your recommended pattern and turn to the next leg if someone is already on the radio. Just announce as soon as they are finished.

Also, don't make the same bonehead mistake I did and call your legs on your first trip to a Class D airport. The tower doesn't like that.

-----
Ken G:-wave

[Frederf]

PP SEL:

I will often declare entering the area.

"South County traffic, Cessna 8276Echo five miles northwest at two thousand, five hundred. Maneuvering for entry right 45 for runway 31. Approx. 3 minutes. South County."

Then on the 45 entry:

"South County, Cessna 76Echo. Right 45, runway 31. South County."

Turning downwind:

"South Country traffic. Cessna 76Echo, right downwind, 31. South County."

Turning base:

"South County traffic. Cessna 76Echo, right base, 31. South County."

Final:

"South County traffic. Cessna 76Echo, final 31. South County."

Exiting the runway:

"South County traffic. Cessna 76Echo, cleared (or clearing if I'm about to roll over the hold short bars, little trick, because it's technically true.) runway 31 (or "the active"). South County."

I call it "right crosswind, downwind, base, 45" is because Q99 has a right hand traffic pattern (all turns to the right) for runway 31. I don't bother with "right upwind, final" because it would be the same as a "left upwind, final".

The "45" is the preferred entry at a non-controlled airport (and many controlled). You enter at TPA, at the mid point of the downwind in such a way is that you make a 45* turn to turn to downwind.

[lnuss]

A couple of caveats: If there is almost no traffic at the airport, you may only need to announce once or twice (i.e. downwind, then no more), though some folks think that is still a good time to announce every five seconds.

If there is LOTS of traffic, then the more announcements the better except... everyone else is doing the same thing, so the radio sometimes gets so cluttered that some folks get short-changed -- can't hardly get a word in edgewise.

When you DO announce, keep it short and to the point, don't do as some I've heard, giving their life's history and complete flight plan. Being professional on the radio (whether you're talking to ATC or on Unicom) means being brief and clear, but reasonably complete in your announcements. So something like:

"Longmont traffic, Cessna 34G downwind for 35 Longmont" is OK, but
"Longmont traffic, Cessna 34G is at the north end of the field coming from Greeley on downwind just past the 45º entry point behind the green Piper, 1 mile wide and late for lunch." is a bit less desireable.

Of course, "34G downwind." is a bit too short. Remember, the airwaves are a scarce resource, and must be shared, so know exactly what you're going to say before keying the mike, then spit it out CLEARLY. Oh, yes, don't hold the mic two feet away from your mouth-- a carrier with no audio gives no information, and clutters up the frequency.

Larry N.

http://www.flightsim.com/dcforum/Use...7021de66b9.jpg

[KathyPilot]

Larry:
Of course none of us providing this wealth of information has EVER done any of the not-so-good thing you mentioned in our careers.....right???? :)

I had to laugh at your last example because it brought back a memory. There was this oned day where I was at the hold and a student-solo was in the pattern. His announcement....

"Leesburg UNICOM airport traffic, Cessna, November 23344, white with green stripes, just turning final, 2 miles out to runway 17 at Leesburg for full stop landing, student pilot, no instructor, first solo landing, Leesburg"

For a moment I thought he was going to declare an emergency!

The good thing is the I knew exactly where he was and what to look for (so did everyone for that matter). The bad thing is he took a ribbing from the now gathered galley at the FBO. :)

See Ya,
Kathy

[lnuss]

I hope the ribbing did him good. I've heard even worse than what you describe, Kathy, almost as bad as my example. And those are often the ones that also make a 747-style pattern in a C-150.

I can recall having a bit of mike fright until I was about half way through my instrument rating -- perhaps it was because in my first 40 hours I flew an Aeronca Chief (no radio, no electrical) out of a farmer's private strip, then transitioned into a Musketeer to get the instrument and radio work for my Private. I finally got Ok with an uncontrolled field, but ATC was a problem 'til I had to work with them all the time, then it was business as usual. I think the mike fright was because I wasn't quite sure what to say. So I got an aviation band receiver and listened to ATC and the airliners and eventually did my best to imitate them -- concise and short, yet complete. At least I never gave my life's history, but I sure did a lot of hesitation and stuttering early on.

Isn't it amazing what a simple question turns into sometimes?

Larry N.

http://www.flightsim.com/dcforum/Use...7021de66b9.jpg

[flyinggriffin]

Pilots should be very careful of announcing which runway they are using. Nothing elevates the heartrate more than when you are just rolling on runway 19 and someone announces they are on short final for runway 1.
I wish that FS 2002 had AI traffic that a lot of uncontrolled fields do on a weekend. Towered airports with approach control are valet parking compared to trying to figure out a way to squeeze into the pattern with 5 trainers in a conga line and a King Air that declares out of the blue a 5 mile straight in final. Having planes at these airports would give non pilots a taste of what flying is really about. It's performance under pressure and the ability to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances.