Neil wrote:
Not sure I can think of any actual regulations that prevent sensible people from hurting themselves. Bear in mind that the real cowboys ignore the rules anyway!
Perhaps the idea that standard circuits should be left-hand. There’s no fundamental reason why they should be left or right handed, so unless someone decides on a regulation you end up with a free-for-all.
Silvaire:
The association between cowboys and recklessness seems to be from the US originally:
Perhaps the idea that standard circuits should be left-hand. There’s no fundamental reason why they should be left or right handed, so unless someone decides on a regulation you end up with a free-for-all.
I thought the reason for LH circuits is that the PIC normally sits on the left (fixed wing) so he can see properly. RH circuits are a lot harder to fly unless you fly B52-sized ones. In most 4-seaters you cannot see the runway properly (or at all) on a reasonably tight RH circuit.
Peter wrote:
RH circuits are a lot harder to fly unless you fly B52-sized ones. In most 4-seaters you cannot see the runway properly (or at all) on a reasonably tight RH circuit.
I find this to be a problem only in the final part of the downwind (after passing the runway threshold) and in the turn to base. Otherwise the runway is properly visible. (At my home airfield one runway has a RH circuit and the standard circuit has a 1500 m final with the downwind offset from the runway by about as much – this, I feel, is “reasonably tight”.)
But I agree that the reason for having left turns as standard is that visibility is better in that direction.
(So why does a standard hold have right turns? Just to get some variation?)
I think the point I was making was that conventions and recommended practices are good, but does it need the force of law and all the threats of prosecution? I don’t know about other technical hobbies like scuba diving, but that requires adherence to best practice to avoid personal injury or death to participants and their colleagues, yet seem relatively unburdened by the detailed legal regulation we have in flying.
Obviously we may have passengers, so that is an argument.
Rwy20 wrote:
Let’s assume there was only one rule: “Accidents are forbidden”
This will soon be implemented in Germany:
http://www.der-postillon.com/2010/07/neuartiges-unfallverbotsschild-soll.html
Attention: In German only
Attention: Satirical
Yeah, as a regular (more or less) reader I had already read that article; it may have influenced me on that proposal.
[sidestepping]
Funny! This must be the DE counterpart to www.theonion.com
Are there any similar sites in other languages? I think these are a great way to get acquainted with a culture and its style of humour.
I am sure you are aware of speld.nl
The circuit debate is a great example of what I mean.
Circuits are normally to the left. Sensible rule. Simple and sensible. Fly circuit wrong way round? Tsk, tsk. Bad boy. Story over.
Law is written “When approaching an airport to land……each pilot of an airplane must make all turns of that airplane to the left unless the airport displays approved light signals or visual markings indicating that turns should be made to the right, in which case the pilot must make all turns to the right”.
Pages of discussion ensues if that makes downwind joins illegal/unsafe/deadly, the merits of overhead joins versus other joins, suggestions that one should fly a 270 to join downwind….
I am slightly off thread but bear with me…….
I asked a friend of mine who is a music teacher,that if all the members of the orchestra play the notes as written on the score does that in theory mean that you get the same performance result everytime? Answer…No. It is all in the interpretation. You can apply the same to flying. Rules are written but they are open to interpretation. The rules for a successful instrument approach are laid down so that there is no excuse to deviate but is still open to individual interpretation. So long as you don’t kill yourself it’s ok. We are all human. (Most of us anyway)
