Uncontrolled airports. Which call to make in circuits if you’re only going to make one call?

[F10]

Then there's the crafty "established on a 3 mile final" call, despite other circuit traffic......I got this one when on late downwind for Latrobe...Final traffic is supposed to have right of way, 3 miles out is that in the circuit? Do I continue and turn base at my normal position? (I fly fairly tight circuits in the Gazelle, don't get me started on the 747 size circuit artists...), By rights I could.....But it's n ot that simple. Because the following questions popped into my head. How fast will he be on final? Will he catch me up? Will he see me below his nose in final?.....*So I chose the safer for me, option, and extended downwind till I had him sighted and turned final number 2 to him. As well as letting him know by callsign, that I had him sighted and was planning to go number 2 to him which he at least acknowledged. But to me he had pretty much barged into the circuit by joining on final. If there's other circuit traffic and actually, even when there's not, I almost always join overhead. It gives me time to have a good look at the wind/runway direction, and time to develop my SA of the circuit traffic.  

[skippydiesel]

Hi F10,

 

I'm with you on overflying, before descending to join the circuit - lots of pluses cant think of a serious negative.

 

Again like you, I get concerned with straight in approaches, for all the reasons you mentioned. In my limited experince this is typical of commuter (RPT) aircraft - fast & big! Best to keep out of their way. 

 

Its some time since I had a RPT call to say they were on (very) long final, when I was established in the circuit,- I decided I would like to "orbite" at some distance, convenient to rejoining the circuit, with a good view of the approaching RPT (I communicated this to the CP & was thanked for my consideration). I rejoined the circuit, when I assessed I could make my landing, after he had left the active runway - all good!.

Edited 2 hours ago by skippydiesel

[kgwilson]

I have only approached other pilots on the ground when I heard nothing from them to find out why they didn't make a radio call. In 2 incidents their radios were not transmitting but they thought they were and in one it was not transmitting or receiving. The discussion was useful for all 3 as they agreed to get their radios checked, well that's what they said anyway.