(i) Landing and takeoff should be accomplished on or
parallel to the runway most nearly aligned into the
wind. However, the pilot has the final authority and
responsibility for the safe operation of the aircraft
and another runway may be used if it is determined
to be necessary in the interest of safety.
(ii) Unless otherwise specified or required by the
applicable distance from cloud criteria, aircraft
should approach the traffic circuit from the upwind
side. Alternatively, once the pilot has ascertained
without any doubt that there will be no conflict
with other traffic entering the circuit or traffic
established within the circuit, the pilot may also join
the circuit on the downwind leg (Figure 4.6). When
joining from the upwind side, plan the descent to
cross the runway in level flight at 1 000 ft AAE or
the published circuit altitude. Maintain that altitude
until further descent is required for landing.
(iii) If it is necessary for an aircraft to cross the airport
before joining the circuit, it is recommended that the
crossover be accomplished at least 500 ft above the
circuit altitude.
(iv) All descents should be made on the upwind side or
well clear of the circuit pattern.
(v) Aerodromes not within an MF area: Where no MF
procedures are in effect, aircraft should approach the
traffic circuit from the upwind side. Alternatively,
once the pilot has ascertained without any doubt that
there will be no conflict with other traffic entering
the circuit or traffic established within the circuit,
the pilot may join the circuit on the downwind
leg (Figure 4.6).
Too funny. Here's another case of text not working to get the message across. I had to trace that out with my finger, eyes close. Since the runway is the same one, going the opposite direction, my broken brain was trying to disagree.
Sure I did just wake up but...
Other than leaving the circuit, what other option would we have?
I'm not a satanic air pirate, provided I was not having another moment of "high density" and there was no one else in the circuit, I would do that.
The only time I recall doing a runway change was at a controlled airport with intersecting runways. It was dual and ATC told us to join downwind for the other runway. We did not have to worry about inbound traffic because they were getting directed to join the circuit in a way that provided separation so everyone could just concentrate on doing what they were supposed to.
Not everyone in the circuit is going to be the colonel. Some of us might be confused momentarily and there might be one of those pilots that probably shouldn't be changing runways.
I'm convinced there are some active pilots that should not be in an uncontrolled circuit. If they are in a controlled airspace environment you at least get to hear ATC asking them why they are doing something they shouldn't be, hopefully well before it becomes a conflict.
I suspect that's part of why people panic when the L-39 shows up. Fear of having to adjust to it not knowing the pilot is able to fit it in.
The only time I had to do a runway change was when I was on final and realized that a tail wind would have shot me too far up the field to land safely. So after overshooting I continued in the circuit and when I turned base instead of making a turn for final I continued across so that I'd be downwind for the other runway. This was at an uncontrolled aerodrome and at the time I wasn't 100% sure this was the appropriate action to take but I was solo and the instructor on the ground didn't have an issue with making that move when we debriefed.
Seems pretty reasonable boogs. I like the colonel's plan better for two reasons.
1. If someone wanted to take off NORDO they would not conflict with me.
2. It's shorter. You get to land or touch and go sooner and in my case the Hobbs is like a taxi meter. It's running up the cost.
Heh. Maybe if I ever have to go back to a busy airport for dual I'll buy a hand held and turn it off while waiting twenty minutes "Ready for take off." for traffic.
Probably save enough to pay for it second time I did that at $200+/hour.
Colonel Sanders wrote:
No one would ever think of turning the master off in
flight, to save a few tenths!
Have done it in retractable aircraft such as the Cutlass and Skymaster when the gear warning horn will not stop blaring due to a faulty nosegear microswitch. There is no CB to pull because Cessna likes those push to reset types. And the only other alternative is continuously pushing in the green gear light which quickly becomes annoying. Of course at night time you have no external lights so it would be illegal along with the difficulty of mounting a flashlight somewhere to light the instrument panel such as between the visors.
Sounds a lot more interesting than learning ARM
assembly language, which I spent the last 24 hours
doing for BSP GPIO interrupt callouts. You can do
neat things with the second operand using the barrel
shifter.
Changing runways at a controlled airport is simple, just do what you're told, with the usual caveats.
At an uncontrolled airport by yourself, like Mungo Jerry says: "Just do as you please". Don't be afraid to apply the KISS rule.
The real problem is at a busy uncontrolled airfield, in which case one has to make sure everyone plays ball, which can be a little bit like herding cats. Occasionally you'll have someone who insists on trying to do touch and goes with a tailwind. I know someone who in their frustration made a montage of a nameless school's one particular instructor who insisted his interpretation on the windsock was correct. While landing with a tailwind is done at your discretion, don't let someone make you do it if you don't want. In that case that's where the advice to leave and rejoin comes in. That is, go do something else (you're in an airplane, I'm sure you'll think of some way to amuse yourself) and come back when whomever is done screwing around. If for some reason you're running low on gas, you could also come back and pull a mashowski.
My advice is if you must do that, then just be preapred to follow Aviation Guideline #1TM and appologise profusely when you're done.
The colonel's suggestion is nice and simple and even at an uncontrolled airport, you will likely have time to turn at mid-downwind for a 180 degree runway change. But aren't you far more likely to have to change to an intersecting runway ? At our small uncontrolled, shifting winds and the odd runway incursion sometimes result in runway changes to the intersecting runway, which if you haven't worked it out in your head
( especially if you are low-time like me ) can raise your blood pressure a bit.
I would think it would be a good idea to run though the various runway change scenarios in your head for your home aerodrome anyway. And really, you should be able to apply a similar principle to any two-runway, left circuit field.
Colonel Sanders wrote:
Most people will cut your some slack if they realize
you are just learning,
Actually there's a fair percentage of pilots who seem to be enraged by this fact. "Don't you teach your students about how fast Mooneys must approach?!" Apparently guys with like 10 hours are supposed to know everything about every possible type of conflict that they might be presented with. My usual response to that particular "I need to talk to the CFI immediately" problem is the "Did you phone for PPR before you came here?" which usually shuts them up.
Speaking of runway change problems, I can't help but notice that the CFS specifically warns about the Colonel's activities. Does anyone else get a specific mention in there?
