|
Changing flight pattern?
I started thinking about what should happen when the wind changes and you have to take-off in the opposite direction of the normal traffic pattern. Our normal pattern is a left hand pattern and sometimes at our field the wind blows the opposite way and you have to fly a right hand pattern during landing. During that time i take off in the right hand pattern and i would assume the right hand pattern would also be flown until the wind changes. However it seemed some other people would then turn around and fly a left hand pattern until ready to land then fly the opposite again. This seemed dangerous and chaotic.
What would be the proper pattern to fly and should i discuss this with the safety officer? skeeter |
RE: Changing flight pattern?
If there is more than one person at the field, usually an announcement is made
"Ok guys, we're flying left to right now" |
RE: Changing flight pattern?
You take off and land into the wind. Sometimes this requires taking off and landing in two different directions. If there are a few planes in the air, you can yell out or discuss which way the pattern should be for everyone to fly.
when you're alone, do what you want. When it gets crowded, it is best to have an established pattern among all the present pilots. If the wind changes, just yell out "Switch Pattern Direction" or "Left to Right over the Runway" or something. Discussing this with the safety officer is a very good idea. Everyone should be on the same page. |
RE: Changing flight pattern?
Everyone has our field just yells out when he is landing and they can land in which ever direction they choose. While the other planes just circle and stay high.
|
RE: Changing flight pattern?
The fields I now fly at are very long and the pilots can't always hear a yell. At my old fields in Ca. the pattern flown was dictated by the wind direction, if you took off into the wind from right to left then the flying pattern was always going to be clock wise!! Because the places I fly at now are not ruled by a club it can be a mess when you have more then one pilot in the air, it can be a real problem, no safty officer or club rules so you are on your own.
|
RE: Changing flight pattern?
Normally our pattern is dictated by the wind direction which is easy to tell with a wind sock right next to the pilots. There are, on occasion, some pilots who can't either tell what direction the wind is blowing even though it's blowing right in their face, and have to takeoff-land downwind since they can't fly a right hand pattern. I'm waiting to see a ground collision from planes landing or taking off in opposite directions one of these days.
Hogflyer |
RE: Changing flight pattern?
Our club, like most will move the pattern depending on wind, but most people will just yell out their intentions to other pilots, we alos have criss-cross runways so sometimes the wind is going down between the runways.
Jon |
RE: Changing flight pattern?
My old club was set up very well with a lot of though and wind testing before the first bucket of asphalt was ever put down. As the seasons change though the wind will reverse. One day we were having a fun fly event and I was surprised to find out how many pilots were so into the habit of taking off and landing in only one direction they couldn't take off when the wind was blowing in the WRONG DIRECTION!!! I walked several of these [pilots??] across the runway to the other side and into the other pilot stands and they were now able to fly, well, take off and land. It surprised me a lot to see how many people got into the one direction habit!! I caught myself doing it too and forced myself out of the habit, I was flying too many different fields in club fly in's and they were all different lay outs.
|
RE: Changing flight pattern?
Calm days can be confusing at our field. As an instructor I make my students fly and land both ways and have them fly in a little wind as well. These days if you can't fly insome wind you just can't fly. If it is to windy I grab a sloper!
|
RE: Changing flight pattern?
ORIGINAL: Gray Beard My old club was set up very well with a lot of though and wind testing before the first bucket of asphalt was ever put down. As the seasons change though the wind will reverse. One day we were having a fun fly event and I was surprised to find out how many pilots were so into the habit of taking off and landing in only one direction they couldn't take off when the wind was blowing in the WRONG DIRECTION!!! I walked several of these [pilots??] across the runway to the other side and into the other pilot stands and they were now able to fly, well, take off and land. It surprised me a lot to see how many people got into the one direction habit!! I caught myself doing it too and forced myself out of the habit, I was flying too many different fields in club fly in's and they were all different lay outs. when im at the field, feeling to lazy to taxi (isnt it sad), with no one else flying and their is little wind i takeoff useing runway eight (perpendicular not parallel with the runway) the runway is a good 60 feet wide so a 40 sized plane will have enough room to take off. but their is rarly no wind and im always switching take off/landing directions |
RE: Changing flight pattern?
Where I fly now is my second field as I moved a couple of years ago...both fields use the wind as the pattern direction dictator....with no wind both fields flew the pattern north or a CCW direction where I am at now and a CW direction in Virginia...(Fla we face west, Va we faced east)
I was taught that if you're flying alone you can do as you wish...as soon as you hear "coming out" get in the pattern, this includes take offs and landings.....If you cause a mid air or an accident on the runway because you are out of the pattern...it's the same as shooting someone down...You owe him an airplane..... |
RE: Changing flight pattern?
Things like that work great at a club field but the two big fields we have in my area are owned by parks and rec with there rules posted [county] and my other fields are dry lake beds with no real rules. Problem is not very many pilots in my area have ever flown at a club field with real rules and officers.
|
RE: Changing flight pattern?
Well Gray, look at the upside...it is very hard to have a mid air...if you tried I bet you'd wouldn't have an accident 95% of the time. Trouble is I'm always that 5 %...Oh well what ever works
Good flyin to all |
| All times are GMT -8. The time now is 06:00 PM. |
Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.