"Call the Tower"

[Unregistered]

Went for a $100 hamburger yesterday to a sleepy towered airport. Called the tower 15 miles out, was told to report midfield left downwind for the runway. ATIS was inop, no NOTAMs for that.

I was better set up for a right downwind. Rather than cross over what would be the area of departing traffic pretty much at their altitude a few miles out, I instead crossed over midfield and then reported my midfield left downwind, cleared to land.

As I was rolling out, tower said they needed me to call when I parked. So I asked him to standby until I could copy down the phone number, wondering what he wanted.

The tower guy explained he didn't like my pattern entry, saying that crossing over midfield at pattern altitude like that was technically a pilot deviation and present a safety hazard for departing traffic. Somewhat ironic since my specific reason for doing it was to avoid traffic, and it's a pretty standard pattern entry. He suggested that if I was better set up for a right downwind I should just say as such. That part made sense. I've not had this issue at other towered airports, but then again the main ones that come to mind where it's come up had different features around them that changed the standard entry.

He was polite enough, I accepted his critique receptively. I can see his point. I think more than anything it was a difference of convention from what I was used to compared to what he was used to.

 

[Jim Logajan]

Tell him you're Canadian?

 

[Jim Logajan]

To the OP:

Do I understand correctly that you flew the crosswind midfield leg as in this diagram?

(This is the standard in Canada at uncontrolled fields. Note that crossing at midfield is done at pattern altitude. Hence my joke about telling the controller you're Canadian.)

 

[Jim Logajan]

The tower guy explained he didn't like my pattern entry, saying that crossing over midfield at pattern altitude like that was technically a pilot deviation and present a safety hazard for departing traffic.

You could have collided with departing ballons, helicopters, and rockets launched from midfield, so technically he is correct. On the other hand, except for some STOL airplanes and fancy expensive VTOL jets, it is probably the one place over an airport where you wont run into any airplanes taking off. All the high-power airplanes that seem to have outrageous climb rates also have outrageous forward speed, so by the time they get to pattern altitude they are farther down the runway than most people instinctively would guess.

So there is a reason the Canadian circuit rules are what they are. They aren't all a bunch of hosers up there, eh?

 

[Jim Logajan]

How hard could it have been for the controller to ascertain where the pilot was and issue instructions that made sense?

Since there are no restrictions on either left or right turns for airplanes mentioned in 91.126 or 91.127 for airports in Class G or E airspace having operational control towers, it would appear doubly important for ATC to insure that the pilot is given clear instructions what approach path is to be taken.

 

[Jim Logajan]

What is your point?

Wayne knows all the unwritten rules?

 

[Jim Logajan]

Agree it didn't make a lot of sense, disagree that there was any requirement to enter downwind. According to the OP, it was just to report downwind at midfield. From the time the pilot got that instruction, to the time he reported the pilot was free to manage his own navigation to the reporting point.

The lack of the requirement to 'enter on a 45' or 'make standard entry' or 'overfly at xxxx feet' or anything else is the key.

On looking further I see:

If it was a Class D airport, then 91.129(f) says each pilot must "Circle the airport to the left, if operating an airplane;" A midfield crossing from a right downwind side would seem to require a moderate amount of flying that would not be in the direction required by the regulation. Looks to be a violation of the regulations if it was a Class D since, except for a right turn to get the airport off his left wing, he should have circled the airport in a counterclockwise direction to get to left downwind.