Judging the turn onto downwind from midfield crosswind
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Australia
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Thread drift I know, but.
Around 25 years ago when taught how to calculate the distance of a potential landing sight for a precautionary search & landing.
One would do a lowish pass down the strip and count the seconds elapsed at a speed of 60kts or 30 metres per second.
At no time did I find counting or a quick glance at the second hand of my watch dangerous.
Therefore I wouldnt find it unreasonable to estimate a turn at whatever elapsed seconds after passing over the top of a runway on crosswind to distract from flying the aircraft or looking outside.
In the context of my first post, I opened with in the absence of visible cues or features. This might be related to night, reduced visibility, inability to see the runway behind you, a coastal strip where after passing over the runway the only cue is water or an isolated strip and limited ground features available. Maybe even a diversion or landing an an unfamiliar airport. Or,as experience daily the inability to see the runway in an aircraft with a wide flight deck or the inability to see any part of the fuselage or wings from the flight deck.
But as track5nmfinal said - Speak to your instructor.
Around 25 years ago when taught how to calculate the distance of a potential landing sight for a precautionary search & landing.
One would do a lowish pass down the strip and count the seconds elapsed at a speed of 60kts or 30 metres per second.
At no time did I find counting or a quick glance at the second hand of my watch dangerous.
Therefore I wouldnt find it unreasonable to estimate a turn at whatever elapsed seconds after passing over the top of a runway on crosswind to distract from flying the aircraft or looking outside.
In the context of my first post, I opened with in the absence of visible cues or features. This might be related to night, reduced visibility, inability to see the runway behind you, a coastal strip where after passing over the runway the only cue is water or an isolated strip and limited ground features available. Maybe even a diversion or landing an an unfamiliar airport. Or,as experience daily the inability to see the runway in an aircraft with a wide flight deck or the inability to see any part of the fuselage or wings from the flight deck.
But as track5nmfinal said - Speak to your instructor.
Someone posts that they are having trouble judging when to turn from crosswind onto downwind. Someone else posts that they might want to try timing to fix the problem - it is only a suggestion. I'm sure they have been told to look out the window. The suggestion of timing as one possible solution is surely better than putting it down to judgement and experience. Saying that is not very helpful IMHO. Maybe if he/she times a couple they might start to get an idea of what the correct picture looks like.
Does anyone have some suggestions for me to fix this?
Yes, look out the window and when a modest distance past the runway start your turn. If you want a rule of thumb (unnecessary IMHO), try counting slowly to ten starting as you cross the runway, then turn.
In reality, I just glanced back and when a modest distance past the runway I turned. You can fix any overshoot or undershoot in the turn on downwind, when you can see the runway.
(I'm not an instructor, VFR for some years, recently IFR)
If you want a mile spacing, simply look at the runway before you fly overhead. You should know it's length. 6000ft is close to a mile. Then just interpolate the distance to some features on the ground. Fly overhead them (and keep looking out for circuit traffic too).
