Non Controlled airport Traffic pattern procedures

[Mazdarx7]

Here is a question, if in the AF/D at a non-controlled airport the pattern is right traffic, and you forget to make right traffic and enter left traffic for a particular runway, providing no collision hazard existed, can you be violated for not entering right traffic?

 

[CA1900]

Here is a question, if in the AF/D at a non-controlled airport the pattern is right traffic, and you forget to make right traffic and enter left traffic for a particular runway, providing no collision hazard existed, can you be violated for not entering right traffic?

If there are approved light signals or visual markings indicating right traffic, then yes, you can be violated.

91.126(b) discusses this. It makes no specific mention of the A/FD, though; only ground markings or lights.

 

[nosehair]

can you be violated for not entering right traffic?

You sound like a new car driver who asks: When I come to an intersection with a stop sign and I can see there is no traffic coming and it is 100% certain that I do not need to stop, can I get a ticket for not stopping?

Of course you can! There is a specific regulation, like a stop sign; if you break the regulation, you have violated that regulation, no matter what is your personal opinion of the act.

 

[A Squared]

Here is a question, if in the AF/D at a non-controlled airport the pattern is right traffic, and you forget to make right traffic and enter left traffic for a particular runway, providing no collision hazard existed, can you be violated for not entering right traffic?

Yes you can. I can know of at least two airline crews viloated for not flying hte correct pattern at an uncontrolled airport.

It's a reg. You violated it.

Now, the question may be "how likely is it?" Well, probably not too likely. You're much more likely to get an enforcement if you violation created problems, or perceived proplems for someone, or yourself. That's a given. However it is entirely poosible to get an enforcement purely on the basis of breaking the regulation, without any other resultant problems.

It might just be that sunny day when a fed wanted to get out of the office so he's hanging out at hte airport, watching the traffic and writing tickets. And just like the ticket for not stoppiing at the stop sign; "I didn't cause a collisions hazard" isn't going to be a very effective defense.

 

[ksu_aviator]

Of course....you could always fly a published instrument approach and then no one can violate you. Sunny or cloudy.

 

[MauleSkinner]

Of course....you could always fly a published instrument approach and then no one can violate you. Sunny or cloudy.

You might ask A Squared to elaborate on at least one of these...you might find out differently, IIRC.

Yes you can. I can know of at least two airline crews viloated for not flying hte correct pattern at an uncontrolled airport.

Fly safe!

David

 

[A Squared]

You might ask A Squared to elaborate on at least one of these...you might find out differently, IIRC.

Fly safe!

David

Well, the 2 incidents I had in mind don't shed a great deal of light on the concept, as IIRC, they were both on visual approaches when they flew a right pattern at a left-pattern airfield.

That said, there's nothing about being on a published approach, whether operating under Instrument flight rules or Visual flight rules which exempts you from the direction of the traffic pattern. Generally, an instrument approach puts you on final 5-10 miles from the runway, which makes most IAPs irrelevant to the question of traffic pattern turns. So being on an instrument approach would only have relevance to the question of traffic pattern turn directions if it involved turns in the vicinity of the airport, ie: a circle-to-land manuever. Being on a circling approach doesn't exempt you from the requriemens to follow the traffic pattern directionn.