A silly mistake

[pmccarthy]

I am posting this a bit reluctantly but it may help someone. Yesterday we had a southerly wind. I flew from YKTN which has a right hand circuit on 18 to YMBU which has a right hand circuit on 17, then to YLED, where the active runway was 16.

 

My mental picture was, for some reason, of a right hand circuit so I flew to the left on what I thought was the dead side, checked the windsock, and let down as I turned for a mid-field cross wind. Only then the penny dropped, I was flying head on into the circuit. I already knew there was one aircraft in the circuit so I climbed and turned, but did the whole thing poorly perhaps due to surprise.

 

I am familiar with all these airfields and perhaps didn't rigorously think through what I was about to do like I would when reading ERSA for an unfamiliar field. Also, I had a photographer friend on board and had been thinking more about positions for shots he was taking. Anyway, it ended OK but just gets added to the list of things I intend not to do again.

 

 

[facthunter]

Putting it up for consideration on the forum, is a good thing. Orienting a plane is not the simplest of skills, and doing what you did most recently, (like for the LAST aerodrome, or yesterday) is a common thing. Well hopefully not too common.. Lets leave it at has happened before. Nev

 

 

[SDQDI]

Repeatedly doing something can create habits which can be a good and a bad thing. Add onto that being very relaxed or slightly distracted and it's not hard to stuff up. For what it's worth my most common mistake is forgetting to change to the correct CTAF. 90% of my flying is done within the YQDI CTAF so I normally leave it on 127.8 and have Brisbane centre selected on the second channel and only touch the radio to turn it on and off. A couple of times now I've stuffed up, once going to scone and once going to gunnedah and both times I was having a relaxing flight with no real distractions.

 

 

[Allan CH650CH750]

We have done things, I too have done things but you have to be honest and talk about such thing so we all learn from them well done

 

Cheers

 

 

[jetjr]

Ive flown into just a few reverse circut airfields and it really messes with my head. Takes way more thought than it should to get it right. Alter one thing like active runway last minute, its easy to forget or be late on things

 

Surprising how much is subconcious.

 

 

[Pearo]

New airfield, uncommon airfield, I draw a mud map with circuit directions, direction I am arriving from, Elevation, over-fly height, circuit height, approximate base-to-final alt. Once I write it down, I usually dont need it, but always have it handy in case. I also draw in an arrow with the forecast wind direction.

 

 

[kaz3g]

Bendigo is another one with RH circuits on 35.

 

I really have to brief myself to do this because the "autopilot" always wants to me join crosswind for a LH circuit as I approach from the east.

 

When I'm flying to strange places I draw the mud map on my flight plan, but the temptation when going somewhere closer to home when I've been there before is to do it from memory and that's when the autopilot takes over (all LH circuits at home base).

 

Kaz

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

New airfield, uncommon airfield, I draw a mud map with circuit directions, direction I am arriving from, Elevation, over-fly height, circuit height, approximate base-to-final alt. Once I write it down, I usually dont need it, but always have it handy in case. I also draw in an arrow with the forecast wind direction.

My home-made paper flight plan has spaces for runway diagrams, frequencies, elevations, etc. Very useful for getting your head into gear as you approach an unfamiliar landing ground.

 

 

[facthunter]

Planning (preparation) is the essence of getting it right. Have the information you need, in front of you before you get at the point you need to have it. Eliminates the guesswork. Takes the pressure off. Nev

 

 

[ozbear]

I've done the same thing when I first flew into cessnock the day night reversal on 35 caught me out luckily nobody in the circuit .by the way a great bunch of people there .

 

 

[rgmwa]

I did it recently. Joined mid-field cross wind and flew a right hand circuit, which was the correct procedure for the same runway on a neighbouring airfield that I've often flown out of. Fortunately no other aircraft in the circuit at the time. All too easy to do if you're not careful.

 

rgmwa

 

 

[cooperplace]

New airfield, uncommon airfield, I draw a mud map with circuit directions, direction I am arriving from, Elevation, over-fly height, circuit height, approximate base-to-final alt. Once I write it down, I usually dont need it, but always have it handy in case. I also draw in an arrow with the forecast wind direction.

the act of writing something down helps put it in your head so you then don't need the paper. This is a good reason to write things down.

 

 

[SSCBD]

In Europe at couple of club level strips I found a way they solve the circuit direction that its so simple - for example they have the runway 32 painted on (as here) as we do but under that they have a simple arrow underscore pointing the circuit direction. So when you over fly there is no argument with the left or right brain as the arrow is pointing which way to go! Simple is good!

 

Also I would like to see if I was dictator for a day, which a few places I know here is the CTAF frequency painted on the hangar roof and or it marked out by white rocks.

 

No arguments could then be made by any pilot of brain failure and it is so simple to do!

 

 

[facthunter]

Good points, but not everyone overflys and you need the frequency from about 10 miles out. Nev

 

 

[alf jessup]

A lot of common silly mistakes I keep hearing when I am flying are pilots giving their 10 mile calls not in the direction they are actually coming from, for example

 

Traffic West Sale, Cessna ........ one zero miles NE of West Sale, inbound at .....ft, expecting circuit time time .....

 

When in fact he is 10 miles SW inbound

 

Silly mistake is looking at your compass, that is the way your heading not the way your coming from.

 

Gets me all ancy and my head is on a swivel trying to locate this other aircraft especially when I am 10 miles out and in fact inbound from the NE and at presumably at the same height he is calling as a lot of people don't fly hemispherical s below 3000 ft, I do but that is just the way I fly

 

I usually look like a rubber necked tourist up, down, left, right a myriad of times then actually call up the said aircraft if I cannot locate them asking if they are in fact inbound from the SW

 

The usual answer is oh yeah , ahh sorry inbound from the SW.

 

My heart rate then starts to stabilize

 

Its not all that hard and this is not only at my home airport its at a lot of others

 

Alf

 

 

[facthunter]

I've mentioned that one quite a few times in previous posts. IF you give a wrong direction it's worse than not answering, as someone is looking where you are not. Get these things right folks. Lift your game. You don't have to say bearing 236 from the airport. SW, NW, East etc is OK. If the aerodrome is southwest of you, you are north east of it. Nev

 

 

[motzartmerv]

Easy mistake to make. All is well that ends well :)

 

 

[SSCBD]

Good points, but not everyone overflys and you need the frequency from about 10 miles out. Nev

Facthunter that's a negative comment! - some or many may not overfly but many do over a "new strip". This is a "Failsafe" for those who may not be as good as you.

 

And are we not for safety and the best outcome for all. New or low time pilots can be stressed, overwhelmed or trying too hard on the first few outings and slip up like us all, so its a backup in this case - do you not agree?

 

Also if they are not on frequency at 10 miles out then at least they can be coming into the circuit and going into the right direction. WIN WIN

 

 

[planedriver]

You are a naughty boy:bash:, but at least have the guts to realize the mistake you made, and tell all your mates in the hopes that they are more aware.

 

We are all human after all, and make misjudgments from time to time.

 

Good on you.

 

I admire your honesty

 

 

[DrZoos]

Agree so so so many pilots give wrong dorection ... Its a simple but dangerous mistake

 

 

[facthunter]

Someone said "Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance." Well it's not totally correct, but it is close. You CAN still get it wrong but the likelihood is very much reduced. Flying over the top to observe the wind sock still isn't proof of circuit direction in use, but if there is an argument and you have complied with it it is helpful. I have had students miss read the sock. If you have never been to a place before, you can use Google earth to make it like you have been there before. Nev

 

 

[DonRamsay]

. . If you have never been to a place before, you can use Google earth to make it like you have been there before. Nev

I study Google Earth for any airfield I plan to fly into. Helps to spot the runway from a long way out - something that often causes me grief. It also helps in getting a feel for the topography and any distinguishing landmarks like biggish dams or major roads. While I rely on an EFB for ERSA, I take along a hard copy of the pages from ERSA for each airport along my intended route plus a few alternates.

I enjoy the planning almost as much as the flight but even still, a few years back I managed to fly into an airport doing a LH circuit when ERSA dictated RH circuit. Fortunately, there were no other aircraft in the vicinity but when I realised what I'd done I could hardly believe it. Certainly something I take extra care with never to repeat.

 

On the CTAF issue, my radio (GTR200) displays the airport name (code) for the freq selected. Even still, I managed to give a brief overflying call on the Area Freq. no real harm done and corrected. Point is technology helps but doesn't make it foolproof.

 

 

[dutchroll]

25 years of aviation and I never try to give bearings/radials. I'll happily do it if asked, but when I'm inbound, listening for traffic, trying to figure out where everyone else is, working out rejoin positioning, etc etc, I don't need to waste time working out a bearing.

 

"10 miles south east........." is enough info. Unless you're IFR and IMC, generally no one cares if you're on the 143 radial or the 136 radial.