How big should a traffic pattern be, anyways?

[erj-145mech]

I got frustrated one day and told the guy in the 152 that if his engine died about now, he'd starve to death by the time he walked back to the airport!

 

[kaj837]

Boy, this has always been my pet peeve. I spent alot of time instructing around busy, uncontrolled fields in the midwest and have actually been scared at times because we were so far from the field trying to follow some fool. I remember flying a Bonanza, following a guy in an Arrow once, he and I the only two in the pattern. He was probably 2 miles from the runway on downwind, and turned a mile and a half final. He was far enough out that I considered cutting in front of him, but didn't. I asked him on the radio why he was so far out, and he replied, "Hey, this is a high performance airplane, you know." Go figure.

 

[Fury220]

Just request initial, break, and perch. Piece of cake.

 

[minitour]

Even with these "tight" patterns, things were nice, safe and stablized. Heck, in a 152, you practically had time for a smoke on the base leg, and this was with a 800 TPA, and you could still make the field if you engine couged. I don't really see where a huge pattern helps any, other than to pad the Hobbes.
Nu

Yep...I don't get so flipped about getting behind someone on a 70-80kt downwind as I do on downwind following the guy on a 3 mile final who's been in the pattern for an hour with me.

Slow it down...it's fine. But keep it tight...makes everyone happy.

-mini

 

[gkrangers]

Yep...I don't get so flipped about getting behind someone on a 70-80kt downwind as I do on downwind following the guy on a 3 mile final who's been in the pattern for an hour with me.

Slow it down...it's fine. But keep it tight...makes everyone happy.

-mini

Slow and tight is ok. Slow and wide is "I wish I had sidewinders".

 

[DX Rick]

1/2 mile is good, or within gliding distance of the runway.
I like to have the runway going halfway through my wing.

 

[minitour]

Slow and tight is ok. Slow and wide is "I wish I had sidewinders".

...too close, switching to guns.

-mini