Tips on circuits

[DieselFan]

Tips on flying circuits with faster and heavier aircraft? Let say like at Petit and I was doing my circuit while the Albe came in? Or like when I left and 3 faster planes - C172...right of way etc.

I know we meant to give way to baloons etc, but what happens when you are in circuit and you have a Cessna coming up from behind? What about height etc?

[Massimo]

move to microland

[RV4ker (RIP)]

As Demon has said communication is the key. Faster aeries fly wider circuits so may take same amount of time to do one. Aircraft which is established in the circuit has right of way. Try not to cut in front of other aeries, even if you have right of way. If tere a prang and you had right of way it no use to those left behind...

I have flown fast and slow in the circuit. In years when Plett still had J41's commin in, there were often a couple King airs, the J41's, a bizjet or 2, some bliks, the gliders (Falke) and a couple trikes all within 10nm of the airstrip. never had a problem. Communication is the key. Remember that if finals looks clear it may not be. The Jets have a couple mile final approach, thus communicate your intentions, but do not lie on the radio. Tell all what you gonna do and do it.

Springs circuit works well and they often have a nice "mix". When the speed difference get's big and the circuit get's busy there is the biggest potential for trouble. Try to get a visual picture of the circuit in your mind rather than following the aerie in front of you or just flying the pattern.

2c

[DieselFan]

move to microland

Ironically I left Petit for Microland when I had an encounter with a Cessna. I was at 5900 for 6000 as that's Microlands joining procedure and I'd just entered the GF and here was this Cessna same height on downwind but MUCH bigger circuit than I'm used to. I did a sharp dive turn to the left to avoid him - felt bad that I'd stuffed up his circuit.

I heard the pilot on Micro's frequency but thought he'd be at 5600 our circuit height and as I was climbing for 6 would fly over him, it was only when I had the plane visual and what plane it was when I turned away - got a bit of a fright. When I had the Cessna visual I thought that can't be the same plane? How's he gonna land? Short runway etc. In doing my steep bank I dropped to 5600.

As you say RV4ker right of way makes no diff at the end of the day but he should then have been at 6300 and me? Joining height is 6 I was still about 2-3 miles away. What SHOULD I have done?

Anyways I apologise for inconveniencing the pilot. Don't wanna make enemies or piss fellow pilots off

[RV4ker (RIP)]

DF
As long as you communicate it really makes no difference what height or proceedures you follow. If all know what you are doing they can plan around it. That why is called uncrontrolled airspace (viva) . I prefer to handle my own separation.

I flew to FATP last week. There were 4 aeries (1 chopper which flies lower smaller circuit on the taxi way) in the circuit, but only 2 on radio. Simply join the circuit and ask the 2 quiet oukes what they are up to. I called inbound, overhead, downwind, base and finals and all was OK. They knew where I was and I could see them. I find often guys get nervious and don't say clearly enough where they are. On 124.8 for eg some radio's will pickup traffic from all the surrounding fields. i have head guys at FATP when decensing into FAVB (it over 150nm away). I have taken to saying x x x traffic at the bgining (slowly) and then repeating the lcoation once I have finished my broadcast. For eg Tempe Traffic bla bla bla. Callsign (RVF) Tempe.

[Nkwazi]

And then you get okes with no manners or consideration. I had called finals at Petit and this guy at the holding point calls lining up and rolling 21. I then had to abort and orbit until he was clear. What should I have told him without using expletives? Other trikes in the circuit couldnt believe what they were seeing.

[RV4ker (RIP)]

Will always get @ssholes. I have had similar and turns out the guy was on the wrong Freq to start with. He apologised and we had a beer. No harm done, but have had other occations where another said he was in a hurry and needed to get going. I was simply in the circuit and if i could not let him go I can P!ss off. Would have "delayed him by less than 1min". I used expletives and gave him a right royal roasting on the air, mentioning name and callsign. Open freq 124.80. He was not happy and does not talk to me anymore, but he has never done it again as far as I know. I must admit to being in the wrong on 1 occation as well. I had low hrs and was stressed low time PPL. Spent too much time inside the cockpit with checks and not enough looking outside and listening to get a mental picture of the circuit... Otherguy was grumpy but not unreasonable. Apologise and move on.

Thus I would have used expletives and given him a right royal roasting on air. Possibly confirm that you are on short finals and give him the chance to rectify his mistake. If he does not I would have a full go on the radio and afterwards. (Even if it achieves nothing it alerts others to his behaviour and it makes you feel (slightly) better.) Approach him afterwards (if possible/practicle) or report to the airfield school/owner/manager (in writing) explaining the situation if there is no joy from the pilot himself. I went as far as placing notice on all the hangar doors "warning" other pilots of the rougue. If it was a misktake treat it as such. If he is a repeat offender then take it as far as you are comfortable. Self regulation is the key. If we all play the game it will not necessitate CAA/Aeroclub et al getting involved. Your safety is not worth getting into a fight with. There are a couple guys (not many) who I steer clear of when in the air. I know their voices (when they talk at all on the radio) and I tend to delay my arrival/depart until they are gone. Sometimes it just not worth the sh!t. I am not willing to get into a fight over bad airmanship. Life is too short and I fly for fun.

my 2c


PS
From a practicle point of view depending on your distance from the thresh you could still land. This depends on personal limits. I would not continue the approach if I had Pax, but on my own I would slow to allow him to get off and then assess the feasibility of a touchdown. There is no point in forcing the getdownalitis. After having a disrupted approach it is very difficult to rescue the landing. Often it is better to simply go around or if spacing allows orbit and get your mind back on flying the beast...

[Dreamer]

My tip is to always land before or after another aircraft, never at the same time still a begginer so concentrating on that

[RV4ker (RIP)]

[Redeye]

Will always get @ssholes

So true- At Brits a couple of weekends ago I was on base with the glider and some joker in a Senca decided to join on final for a touch and go(no ovehead joining for this guy)- I had to remind him twice that a glider has right of way bfore he aborted- A go around isnt an option in a glider- I still cant believe this guys atitude

[DieselFan]

Will always get @ssholes

So true- At Brits a couple of weekends ago I was on base with the glider and some joker in a Senca decided to join on final for a touch and go(no ovehead joining for this guy)- I had to remind him twice that a glider has right of way bfore he aborted- A go around isnt an option in a glider- I still cant believe this guys atitude

In Leonardo De Caprio's words - Doos.

[Biggles]

Fisantekraal can get quite busy being a training field and often you get guys from Cape Town doing circuits a helicopter and a couple of gyros.

With all this traffic things work quite well, just keep an eyeball on other aircraft in the circut... if I have a pax they are tasked with keeping the blik behind in sight. I find that with the tighter circut of the trike I keep the same position in the circut.

Being courtious to guys that are paying by the hour for training and extending downwind so they can get in the air. There was also a request not to do long radio calls while instructor and trainee were on finals so instructor can talk the student down without interuption.

[Biggles]

And ofcourse good radio work. It helps we have our own frequency.

[Low Level]

Gyros and microlights are so forgiving, cheap and fun to fly - did I say fun. If a blik is on your tail, call him in number one and do a wider circuit - did I mention the fun part of staying 3 minutes longer in the air.

Had the situation yesterday of a blik joining us on downwind, and following on my tail. He actually had to go wider because of the higher speed. Called him in number one, and in the course of the circuit, he already landed and cleared active when I was on final. .

I really mess up my landing without the pressure of a blik on my tail. No need for extra pressure.

[DieselFan]

But what scares me about a blik being ahead is propwash I know they MEANT to be higher but so far 2/2 times that hasn't been the case so I orbit 2 to 3 times looking like a moron screwing around in the circuit.