proper way to enter a non towered traffic pattern?

[svcta]

Yes, it is worth mentioning that jets are typically going to fly 1500' patterns....they go fast and a lot of times the crews aren't terribly current with non-towered ops. I'm not only the hair club president, I'm also a client........

 

[Dizel8]

As someone else said, I would enter on the upwind, turn crosswind over the numbers or close thereto, then turn downwind and be in business.

 

[pgcfii2002]

I typicall cross midfield at 1000 above TPA, check the AIM on this.

 

[twighead]

Direct into the upwind.

KISS!

Huh? The original poster said in his senario that you are coming FROM the North and landing on 18. (That is straight in for you guys who couldn't figure it out.) Where are all you guys coming up with this upwind and straight in for 36 stuff?

P.S. He also said the runway is 18/32 which would make one hell of an interesting runway.

 

[VNugget]

Huh? The original poster said in his senario that you are coming FROM the North and landing on 18. (That is straight in for you guys who couldn't figure it out.) Where are all you guys coming up with this upwind and straight in for 36 stuff?

P.S. He also said the runway is 18/32 which would make one hell of an interesting runway.

If you're coming from the North, then you're flying South (heading 180) and are aligned with the upwind for 18.

 

[twighead]

If you're coming from the North, then you're flying South (heading 180) and are aligned with the upwind for 18.

My point was why would you ever enter on the upwind when you could fly straight in?

And the other comment was to head straight in for 36, which is not even possible.

 

[VNugget]

My point was why would you ever enter on the upwind when you could fly straight in?

And the other comment was to head straight in for 36, which is not even possible.

So you can:

- check the windsock
- look over the field layout (taxiways, ramp, fuel pump, obstructions, etc)
- fit in with existing traffic
- get the plane slowed down
- see the runway over a big nose
- fly a more consistent approach from abeam the numbers
- placate the old grinches who make a pastime of raging against straight-ins
- look cool

(any of which may or may not apply depending on the situation)

And I never said anything about a straight-in to 36.

 

[nosehair]

If you're coming from the North, then you're flying South (heading 180) and are aligned with the upwind for 18.

...and it's one, two, three.. what are we fightin' for?

 

[Joshrk22]

So would you just make a straight-in, pass over the traffic on final, over the numbers, and join on the upwind?

"xxxx traffic, xxxxx, 5 miles to the north, 2,000, straight-in to enter upwind 18, xxxxx."

 

[Huggyu2]

So would you just make a straight-in, pass over the traffic on final, over the numbers, and join on the upwind?

"xxxx traffic, xxxxx, 5 miles to the north, 2,000, straight-in to enter upwind 18, xxxxx."

Sounds like y'all are pretty much describing "reporting initial", as per AIM 5-4-26. Basically, just like a military overhead patten.
If so, could the radio call sound more like "xx traffic, Nxxx, 5 mile initial for runway 18 at xxxx"? Or is using the term "initial" frowned upon?