Odd Pattern Entry - HELP

[Unregistered]

This happened. Airport info and Pilot info has been changed to protect the damned.

Lets say you are inbound, from the east, for touch and goes at an airport with two parallel runways. These runways are 36L and 36R. 36R is the primary runway and 36L is a shorter runway that sits about a mile further to the west than 36R and the beginning of the runway 36L is about 1/2 mile further south (this is typically the runway that flight training uses).

So, you’re inbound from the east and tower tells you to enter a right downwind for 36L (on the west side of the primary 36R, you are on the east side).

How do you enter the pattern? Both runways are in use. Do you enter a right downwind for 36R, but “fly it to” 36L?

As the controller very clearly let this particular person know, you most definitely should NOT overfly 36R and enter a right downwind for 36L between 36L and 36R !!!

This particular student pilot is lucky they did not get the “do you have a pencil and paper to copy down a number” from tower.

I can't seem to attach an image for visualization while I am posting anonymously...sorry I am still to embarrassed and ashamed to post publicly.

 

[Jim Logajan]

Not sure if this captures the situation, but I presume this is the runway layout and the line indicated is my best guess as to the pattern expected.

 

[Jim Logajan]

The picture you posted later has it just fine.

Just to clarify, I was the one who posted the picture based on the description in the first post, but I am not the original poster.

Another side note while I'm discussing that post - I used the iPad app called TouchDraw to quickly draw the diagram and export it to the iPad Pictures app, whose contents can be uploaded (via the Manage Attachments button) to posts on PoA.