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

[Mike Gearon]

21 hours ago, turboplanner said:

Downwind is still reasonably orderly from take off; Base not only has wings turning which are easier to see, but its the start of collecting into an orderly final. You might have an opinion but if 98% of Pilots are following the CASA information your chances of being involved in a collision elevate.

I think you meant disorderly from take off. More orderly on base.  2 things.

 

1. I had an opinion. I have more information now. I’m almost prepared to accept BASE as a preferred single call. That being said your diagram still show DOWNWIND and BASE as quite similarly stagggered. But, I accept they will be becoming more orderly on base and part of that as you’ve pointed out is time to get everyone sorted. Really, although I accept what seems to be common wisdom from more experienced pilots than me that BASE is the call have a look again at the diagram. There are so many turning points for both DOWNWIND and BASE it seems it would be prudent to call both unless there are too many in circuit. I’m still thinking that’s situational awareness and both should be called with a reduction in calls as the frequency becomes busier.

 

2. 98% of pilots following CASA? Haven’t we established that CASA makes no recommended in circuit call? 
 

This lack of a CASA recommendation still leaves schools around Australia with different in circuit calls. Tyabb, Tooradin and Leongatha being examples where a student is going to receive different learning at each of these. It’s a weakness that obviously needs tightening.

 

However, I agree with the obvious. Follow what others are doing at an airfield. I never do circuits and had to do them for my recent BFR. I called base as my single call to conform to expected calls at Tyabb for in circuit aircraft.

 

I’m thinking a letter to CASA could look like this after an introductory preamble….

 

1. Establish a preferred recommended call for in circuit aircraft to overcome current confusion between schools.

2. Mandate ADSB out for school aircraft. Recommend ADSB in via sky echo or other device to assist new pilots establish situational awareness. 

There’s also the complexity of assisting student and new pilots with situational awareness of inbound aircraft and the pilots mandated obligation to make a radio call to reduce risk of collision. A tricky one to frame up so I’m not writing item 3.

 

 

[facthunter]

Instructors Have quirks and idiosyncrasy's as well and sometimes (wrongly) "That's for ME to know and you find out" attitudes (Ace of the Base).. Make a mental note  to NOT be like some of them and change if you're not happy. After all it's YOU that's paying. Accept deserved criticism but if it's ALL put down go elsewhere. YOU have CHOSEN to be  a pilot and IF it was that easy everyone would be doing a good job of it. Unless you're dog tired do a debrief of your last flying effort and be truthful and not  be too hard on yourself.  You will continue to get Demanding situations as long as you fly. You never get to the point where you will just breeze through a flight and not have your full wit's about you. and be doing a good job. Keep ahead of the Plane.   Nev

[Thruster88]

According to the FAA 84% of collisions in the circuit occur on final, short final or the runway. Obviously this is due to the concentration of traffic into a single line. Perhaps this is why the base call is important. 

 

The limitations of see and avoid are shown by the 84% occurrence at a time when it should be very easy to see another aircraft. 

[facthunter]

People don't "Think Aeroplane " enough. Even the big stuff can cross the runway without being cleared or looking and you are at about 200 feet on final at Sydney KS.  Nev

Edited July 13 by facthunter

[turboplanner]

2 hours ago, Mike Gearon said:

I think you meant disorderly from take off. More orderly on base.

If people in Class G make the CASA recommended calls, and broadcast correctly, there's a lot of spare time for someone to add an extra turn call if that's going to make his situation safer.

 

"Disorderly"

If you look at the rectangle the aircraft will usually take off at orderly intervals, but the slow climbers will start to fall behind; as they make their Base turns it becomes obvious that some have fallen behind so the ones who don't follow rules will cut across, and the same thing will happen at the base turn, and progressively they will get out of takeoff order, and mix with new arrivals joinging base. It's quieter at early downwind than late downwind.

 

2 hours ago, Mike Gearon said:

 2 things.

 

1. I had an opinion. I have more information now. I’m almost prepared to accept BASE as a preferred single call. That being said your diagram still show DOWNWIND and BASE as quite similarly stagggered. But, I accept they will be becoming more orderly on base and part of that as you’ve pointed out is time to get everyone sorted. Really, although I accept what seems to be common wisdom from more experienced pilots than me that BASE is the call have a look again at the diagram.  There are so many turning points for both DOWNWIND and BASE it seems it would be prudent to call both unless there are too many in circuit. I’m still thinking that’s situational awareness and both should be called with a reduction in calls as the frequency becomes busier.

You realise that (a)  given that many pilots don't know what the recommended CASA calls are, they won't bother giving them (It will be a Come to Jesus experience after a crash, but we'll leave that for them to experience.) The next group don't fly on aircraft performance, they fly on the landmarks they might have been given around the time of first solo, so some of them are going to cut across you from the right on the take off leg, more on Crosswind and more again on downwind and at the end of downwind where each pilot is supposed to be looking back over his left shoulder and turning Base when he's 45 degrees from the end of they runway as in the diagramme, this lot will be using a ground marker and crowding you all the way down. As Facthunter said, an aircraft turning base is easier to see.

If you dump the Base call and make a Downwind call, a lot of movements and re-ordinging will have taken place by Final, and the circuit will then have the additional inbound aircraft who joined the circuit AFTER you called.  

 

It's less safe in cross country flying arriving at a field where they've departed from the normal CASA recommendations and made up their own.

 

My advice is to call according to the booklet "Radio Procedures in non-controled airspace, particularly pages 3,4,5." using the word "recommended" in it's legal sense, and CASA's broader advice.

 

2 hours ago, Mike Gearon said:

2. 98% of pilots following CASA? Haven’t we established that CASA makes no recommended in circuit call?

Thousands of RA and GA pilots are not flocking to social media to complain and offer their opinions on CASA's recommendation. Take the numbers complaining off the total current pilot numbers and you can calculate your own percentage.

2 hours ago, Mike Gearon said:

This lack of a CASA recommendation still leaves schools around Australia with different in circuit calls. Tyabb, Tooradin and Leongatha being examples where a student is going to receive different learning at each of these. It’s a weakness that obviously needs tightening.

You don't mention if any of those airfields are complying with the CASA recommendations, or reporting their own requirements in the ERSA. If they are, then there will be general commonality. 

 

"It's a weakness that obviously needs tightening;"   If CASA were to prescribe a set of rules they would resume legal responsibility, and financial liability for ensuring everyone was flying according to those prescribed rules. CASA started moving away from presecriptiv rules in the mid 1980s; you you pay for any non-complyance; CASA provide you with helpful recommendations, but you, the person now legally responsible for reasonably perceived risks decide how you're going to eliminate those risks. So if you see a weakness, it's up to you to tighten it.

 

2 hours ago, Mike Gearon said:

However, I agree with the obvious. Follow what others are doing at an airfield. I never do circuits and had to do them for my recent BFR. I called base as my single call to conform to expected calls at Tyabb for in circuit aircraft.

Based on what I just explained, if you just follow what others are doing at an airfield, then that's your risk safety net, so legal safety net in the case of an accident. It's possible the airfield isn't complying with CASA's recomendations and/or hasn't put the thought into a safe circuit like you have. Since you have the liability in the end, I wouldn't be choosing that path.

 

2 hours ago, Mike Gearon said:

I’m thinking a letter to CASA could look like this after an introductory preamble….

 

1. Establish a preferred recommended call for in circuit aircraft to overcome current confusion between schools.

2. Mandate ADSB out for school aircraft. Recommend ADSB in via sky echo or other device to assist new pilots establish situational awareness. 

There’s also the complexity of assisting student and new pilots with situational awareness of inbound aircraft and the pilots mandated obligation to make a radio call to reduce risk of collision. A tricky one to frame up so I’m not writing item 3.

By all means write to CASA; I wouldn't think CASA would do that because it would mean reassuming liability when so many thousands of pilots have accepted it, but they may be able to give you a clearer understanding of why they dumped the responsibility of the precise radio rules we used to have.

 

"I never do circuits and had to do them for my recent BFR."

I forgot about this, which would be why you were asking individual airfields etc.

My recommendation at this stage, before you ask more questions without a few hundred circuits under your belt, is that you see if you can get an hour up in the Moorabbin Tower asap before you talk to CASA. Normally you only need to phone the Tower number and ask if you could observe for an hour. You have to keep the talking down to when they want to talk, but just listening to the pilots you'll quickly pick up the pattern of the big whirlpool with some joining, some leaving, some stuffing up radio, but generally you'll see the pressure points and after an hour be picking up the ones who are going to have to go round because they didn't slow down enough to allow the guy in front to depart the runway, and most particularly you can test your theories, which are already pretty good and know where it's difficult to see. The tower operators will often walk you through with a pilot wh's screwed up and how they gently nudge him back into order.  That's not Class G, so you don't get that in the country, but6 is sure shows you how to do a safe circuit and make safe calls.

[facthunter]

The only place for a major adjustment is by extending downwind.  If that continues  by following  aircraft, bigger circuits will  result till someone gets cranky and cuts the corner. Slowing up is a possible trap for the less experienced and it doesn't make a lot of difference in your spacing. Fly SAFE speeds always especially at the turn onto final where you are looking at the runway threshold and trying not to go through the centreline. This also historically the place where most of the loss of control mishaps happen...  Nev

[facthunter]

Once you get keen on going to other places, a full Circuit is rarely done. You end up doing part circuits when leaving A and arriving at   B.  You still relate to the standard circuit but assess whether you are faster higher wider etc than "Normal" If you get way out of your familiar process. you might forget things like part of the checklist OR other prior to land stuff and it all starts to come apart.  You are now behind the aeroplane. What will you do then?  Nev

[Mike Gearon]

20 hours ago, turboplanner said:

 

Thousands of RA and GA pilots are not flocking to social media to complain and offer their opinions on CASA's recommendation. Take the numbers complaining off the total current pilot numbers and you can calculate your own percentage.

 

 

Okay, above quote was your response to my question regarding 98% of pilots. This is where in person communication beats forum quotes by quite a wide margin. We were on different wavelengths. However, to respond to the "complaining"....... Yes, I've been complaining and I have gone to social media to further understand what I'm complaining about. You've provided a huge amount of information that has allowed me to adjust my opinion. I'm seeing why the BASE emphasis over DOWNWIND as a single call. I did suggest we meet up. I could have gone on the learning curve in a more private setting. The last experience that set this off was also in a fairly public setting but in person. Further communication in a more relaxed setting might have sorted this to some extent.

 

It still comes down to my 5 years 6-700 hours experience versus vastly more experienced professionals. Collin Powell in his biography wrote that one should not trust professionals. He wrote this around the experience of jumping out of an aircraft and checking the instructor ahead and the guy was indignant and also then thankful because he had stuffed up. 

 

That has to be balanced. Of course one needs to trust professionals. In this case it turns out be be professionals and institutions. I've made a healthy living out of looking at how something works and seeing if there are ways to improve it. The one that still stands out as glaring is that the BASE call is after the DOWNWIND potential conflicts of inbound aircraft. I also get why BASE is used when you look at where accidents primarily occur. 

 

There still appears to me to be problems as I summarized in the 3 questions I proposed to discuss with CASA. 

 

1. Calls made by individual schools and standardization. 

As you point out these could be put in the ERSA. Maybe each school has a particular situation that requires different procedures. I'm not sure how the airfield and the schools interact. Particularly an airfield like Caboolture I recently visited with multiple schools. 

 

2. Mandated ADSB out for schools. This is a glaring problem.  The government is subsidizing ADBS out because of its importance and doesn't mandate that the  busiest aircraft of all at uncontrolled traffic areas have this. Lets refer back to the professionals and not trusting them. 

 

3. That lack of a downwind call responding to inbound aircraft. I've been thinking further on this. It's a very big ask of students and instructors to be instructing and dealing with the last poor landing brief after climb out. Then be listening to inbound calls and responding with downwind based on their position. And that 10 mile call and ETA compared to their position in circuit for say a 6 minute circuit.  I'm thinking back to my BFR last week and being rusty on circuits. I don't know if I'd managed to bring in the responding to inbound aircraft at correct time downwind call as well as everything else going on. I'm actually wearing their shoes now and much more forgiving. 

 

It doesn't however excuse the lack of downwind call when other aircraft have called their crosswind or downwind join. Maybe it's just a matter of tightening up instruction. I think it was my combination of a recent in person interaction combined with hearing about a crosswind join that was near collision with a downwind that hadn't called their downwind after hearing the crosswind join that prompted my "complaining" or what I'd prefer to call "investigation and discussion". 

 

20 hours ago, turboplanner said:

"It's a weakness that obviously needs tightening;"   If CASA were to prescribe a set of rules they would resume legal responsibility, and financial liability for ensuring everyone was flying according to those prescribed rules. CASA started moving away from presecriptiv rules in the mid 1980s; you you pay for any non-complyance; CASA provide you with helpful recommendations, but you, the person now legally responsible for reasonably perceived risks decide how you're going to eliminate those risks. 

That's okay and understood. It's something of the USA libertarian doctrine. It has its limits though. Without guide rails its a free for all. Too tight and its not workable. 

 

21 hours ago, turboplanner said:

"I never do circuits and had to do them for my recent BFR."

I forgot about this, which would be why you were asking individual airfields etc.

My recommendation at this stage, before you ask more questions without a few hundred circuits under your belt, is that you see if you can get an hour up in the Moorabbin Tower asap before you talk to CASA. Normally you only need to phone the Tower number and ask if you could observe for an hour. You have to keep the talking down to when they want to talk, but just listening to the pilots you'll quickly pick up the pattern of the big whirlpool with some joining, some leaving, some stuffing up radio, but generally you'll see the pressure points and after an hour be picking up the ones who are going to have to go round because they didn't slow down enough to allow the guy in front to depart the runway, and most particularly you can test your theories, which are already pretty good and know where it's difficult to see. The tower operators will often walk you through with a pilot wh's screwed up and how they gently nudge him back into order.  That's not Class G, so you don't get that in the country, but6 is sure shows you how to do a safe circuit and make safe calls.

Well, I've done heaps of circuits overall in USA and here for FAA PPL and IFR  and RAA here. Just not recent.

 

I did the tower in Lincoln, Nebraska. It was excellent. I'm planning on flying into Moorabbin next week for Aero in a decathalon. Maybe I can add this to the adventure and dare I suggest again we meet up. I'll pay for instruction. Let's book an hour!

 

As far as CASA goes I'm suitably schooled to get over writing them. Hopefully the upside here is that a few people have read the thread and had a think on their in circuit calls and maybe we've helped reduce the risk of an accident somewhere. 

[turboplanner]

You said  "I never do circuits and had to do them for my recent BFR."

My comments were based on your experience flying out of your strip on French Island.

 

Now you've said:

58 minutes ago, Mike Gearon said:

It still comes down to my 5 years 6-700 hours experience versus vastly more experienced professionals.

 

and now you've said.

58 minutes ago, Mike Gearon said:

Well, I've done heaps of circuits overall in USA and here for FAA PPL and IFR  and RAA here. Just not recent.

I would disregard the FAA experience; I've flown there and the procedures are not the same as the CASA procedures that currently apply in Australia.

 

So you've done heaps of circuits in RAA here.

So I'll retract all my comments, and I certainly will not be interested in becoming an unqualified Instructor; I'm just a contributor on this site.

My recommendation is to go to the CASA website and download the current Visual Flight Rules Guide which give you CASA's expectations in plain English, and also download the CASA legislation to get the full picture.

How you bring yourself into compliance from that is up to you.

As far as your experiences and wanting to change recommendations, rather than seeking supporters on social media, you can write to CASA giving the reasons; If they agree, that change will come out in updates. I've done this with the federal Government which promptly changed the braking  regulations on trucks.

 

[Mike Gearon]

3 hours ago, turboplanner said:

So I'll retract all my comments, and I certainly will not be interested in becoming an unqualified Instructor; I'm just a contributor on this site.

 

I’d figured you ran a flight school based on the aircraft listed and Moorabin as location. Never mind. I’ve appreciated your input. 

[facthunter]

I'm listed as a non Pilot also. That's not quite true but I don't know how to alter it. (or care much). I'm happy to be judged by what I post, provided you read it with an open mind. .  Nev

[Mike Gearon]

20 hours ago, facthunter said:

I'm listed as a non Pilot also. That's not quite true but I don't know how to alter it. (or care much). I'm happy to be judged by what I post, provided you read it with an open mind. .  Nev

I sometimes wonder how you keep posting when you add really insightful things and they seem to be ignored at times. I’m hungry for information and value your input.

[Mike Gearon]

On 14/7/2024 at 12:17 PM, turboplanner said:

I would disregard the FAA experience; I've flown there and the procedures are not the same as the CASA procedures that currently apply in Australia.
 

As far as your experiences and wanting to change recommendations, rather than seeking supporters on social media, you can write to CASA giving the reasons; If they agree, that change will come out in updates. I've done this with the federal Government which promptly changed the braking  regulations on trucks.

 

1. FAA experience. I’ve gone the other way and talking right now with a senior flight instructor in USA for advice.

 

2. “Rather than seeking supporters on social media”

 

I must admit that one threw me for a bit! Was I seeking supporters? Well, I’m happy to be agreed with as we all are. That’s why social media is so successful in politics. You find news feeds that agree with you so there’s no challenge and end up in the echo chamber. 
 

That’s sincerely not the case here. I’m seeking and found useful information. I also weighted your information as a flight school owner. That’s not the case as I now know. It doesn’t diminish the quality of your input. It’s been appreciated even if at times uncomfortable as above quote demonstrates. 
 

I sort of wish I could put this away but it doesn’t seem to be in my nature. As with patent writing I seem to gnaw away at the bone until something falls into place no matter how frustrating the process. Right now I’m on wind turbine patents and going back to the 1860’s. A huge long body of work and what chance I have something original and more importantly something that’s going to be useful to people? I think I have it and hope the Chinese company I’m going to see next month end up being suppliers and not competitors. 
 

Also, I don’t think at this point it’s helpful (Turbo) to further point out existing VFR guide reading and legislation. It’s a bit like a religious fundamentalist pointing out bits of the Bible to end the discussion. My position is that the Bible looks like it needs a bit of adjusting.
 

So… to continue. I’ve chatted with a senior instructor in USA just now. Responses below.

 

You aren’t required to even have a radio in usa so we can’t require any radio calls. Head on a swivel here. I like down wind calls and final personally. It can be scary when someone You aren’t required to even have a radio in usa so we can’t require any radio calls.  It can be scary when someone isn’t talking but it is legal so we just deal with it.

 

Personally i don’t think one call always in same place will increase safety. 1. You still have planes with no radio and 2.  What if you just finished your one call and then another airplane switches to your frequency one second later. They don’t know that you exist until your next call

 

 

 

Edited July 15 by Mike Gearon
Repeated info

[cscotthendry]

1 hour ago, Mike Gearon said:

and 2.  What if you just finished your one call and then another airplane switches to your frequency one second later. They don’t know that you exist until your next call

 

 

 

Or a similar situation that happened to me:

You key up the transmitter to make your Joining call at the same instant another plane does. Neither of you hear the other's call and you end up at the same point in the circuit.

 

I had joined the circuit at Gympie, made a joining call  and heard no other radio calls and neither did my pax who is a commercial pilot. Just as I was about to key the TX for my Base call, I heard "Gympie traffic, Jabiru xxxx turning base for 14." and a second later a Jabiru popped out about 20 feet below me and turned base!

[turboplanner]

1 hour ago, Mike Gearon said:

1. FAA experience. I’ve gone the other way and talking right now with a senior flight instructor in USA for advice.

 

2. “Rather than seeking supporters on social media”

 

I must admit that one threw me for a bit! Was I seeking supporters? Well, I’m happy to be agreed with as we all are. That’s why social media is so successful in politics. You find news feeds that agree with you so there’s no challenge and end up in the echo chamber. 
 

That’s sincerely not the case here. I’m seeking and found useful information. I also weighted your information as a flight school owner. That’s not the case as I now know. It doesn’t diminish the quality of your input. It’s been appreciated even if at times uncomfortable as above quote demonstrates. 
 

I sort of wish I could put this away but it doesn’t seem to be in my nature. As with patent writing I seem to gnaw away at the bone until something falls into place no matter how frustrating the process. Right now I’m on wind turbine patents and going back to the 1860’s. A huge long body of work and what chance I have something original and more importantly something that’s going to be useful to people? I think I have it and hope the Chinese company I’m going to see next month end up being suppliers and not competitors. 
 

Also, I don’t think at this point it’s helpful (Turbo) to further point out existing VFR guide reading and legislation. It’s a bit like a religious fundamentalist pointing out bits of the Bible to end the discussion. My position is that the Bible looks like it needs a bit of adjusting.
 

So… to continue. I’ve chatted with a senior instructor in USA just now. Responses below.

 

You aren’t required to even have a radio in usa so we can’t require any radio calls. Head on a swivel here. I like down wind calls and final personally. It can be scary when someone You aren’t required to even have a radio in usa so we can’t require any radio calls.  It can be scary when someone isn’t talking but it is legal so we just deal with it.

 

Personally i don’t think one call always in same place will increase safety. 1. You still have planes with no radio and 2.  What if you just finished your one call and then another airplane switches to your frequency one second later. They don’t know that you exist until your next call

 

 

 

I disconnected from any discussion on this and referred you to the Australian legislation.

[turboplanner]

22 minutes ago, cscotthendry said:

Or a similar situation that happened to me:

You key up the transmitter to make your Joining call at the same instant another plane does. Neither of you hear the other's call and you end up at the same point in the circuit.

 

I had joined the circuit at Gympie, made a joining call  and heard no other radio calls and neither did my pax who is a commercial pilot. Just as I was about to key the TX for my Base call, I heard "Gympie traffic, Jabiru xxxx turning base for 14." and a second later a Jabiru popped out about 20 feet below me and turned base!

Clashing calls and over-transmitting are common in busy city circuits. That's why ASA push the importance of visual. 

 

It's unusual for inbound calls to be missed, letting down at the same time in the same area and adopting the same track at the same time and not be adhering to the 1000' altitude on downwind, but it happens.

[skippydiesel]

37 minutes ago, cscotthendry said:

Or a similar situation that happened to me:

You key up the transmitter to make your Joining call at the same instant another plane does. Neither of you hear the other's call and you end up at the same point in the circuit.

 

I had joined the circuit at Gympie, made a joining call  and heard no other radio calls and neither did my pax who is a commercial pilot. Just as I was about to key the TX for my Base call, I heard "Gympie traffic, Jabiru xxxx turning base for 14." and a second later a Jabiru popped out about 20 feet below me and turned base!

You have gone a long way in proving the need for more calls.

 

You didnt say if you made an ",,,,,,,Inbound......."  or an "......Overhead......" for Gympie  or if the Jab did similar. Either way neither of you appears to have been aware of the other, from well before you joined the circuit.

 

Silence may be Golden but it may also end in tragedy.

[Bosi72]

The radio calls should be taught and practiced in schools as an airmanship that radio calls can be made at any leg/position when required.

 

Clearly an aircraft doing ccts and making base calls only every 6-7mins, then hearing another aircraft at 10 miles, and not announcing his/her presence, is an example of poor airmanship.

 

When I'm inbound and feel that something's not right, in addition to 10miles call, I announce 5 miles, 3 miles calls. 

 

-------------------------------

– You must make a broadcast when any of the following situations exist

the pilot in command considers it necessary to broadcast to avoid the risk of a collision with another aircraft (91 MOS 21.04(1))

-------------------------------

 

 

[pmccarthy]

I just checked timing for my calls. Average length is 8 seconds. Example: Traffic Kyneton. Foxbat 0000 joining downwind runway 36 Kyneton. Other calls are no longer. So, with (say) 5 aircraft, each calling inbound, downwind, base and final, you have 32 seconds per aircraft, 160 seconds for five aircraft, call it three minutes, of radio calls in the time it takes to get from 10 miles inbound to on the ground, typically ten minutes. About 30% of the time. Seems OK to me.

 

 

 

[jackc]

And this is why I would feel far safer flying one of these, it’s slow and you can see everywhere out of it 🤩

[onetrack]

But how do you get anywhere, in the face of a 15kt headwind? 😄

[jackc]

I was more worried about landing….in reverse 🤩

[BrendAn]

3 hours ago, jackc said:

And this is why I would feel far safer flying one of these, it’s slow and you can see everywhere out of it 🤩

its like my xair, you can't see anything above you. i worry that a fast low wing might not see me below them if they aren't vigilant.  

[BrendAn]

1 hour ago, onetrack said:

But how do you get anywhere, in the face of a 15kt headwind? 😄

he has the added fear of birdstrikes from behind. 

[jackc]

1 hour ago, BrendAn said:

its like my xair, you can't see anything above you. i worry that a fast low wing might not see me below them if they aren't vigilant.  

But I will see them, when I am flying inverted 🤩