Sywell Aero Expo holding patterns

[IO540]

What do people think of the off-airfield holds depicted here (http://www.sywellaerodrome.co.uk/documents/aeroexpo2011procedures.pdf)?

Pages 14 and 15 of the PDF.

If traffic is light then presumably one would just join as normal.

If traffic is heavy there is likely to be mayhem because how will one know one's position relative to other traffic unless one is visual with all the other traffic?

I can't imagine there being hordes of people flying in at 9am, however.

[LysanderV8]

I agree it could be difficult, especially as one is supposed only to listen out on frequency in the hold and then make first call on final, so no chance of getting any picture from radio transmissions. That's partly why I chose an early slot at 0930.

I still don't know whether to go to Pitsford and then turn towards the airfield straight away, or do one holding pattern and rely on Mk1 eyeball to see if anyone else is about before heading in behind anyone I judge to be in front of me.

Wycombe seemd a whole lot simpler.

[IO540]

I've booked (http://www.expo.aero/uk/register/flying-in.asp) for 0855, which curiously is before the airfield opens according to its website :)

[London Flyer]

Short of driving there, an earlyish arrival (I'll be there for 1000-1015), TCAS and another pilot in the RHS familiar with the patterns and able to determine conflicting / non-conflicting traffic seems to be the best mitigating formula for a safe landing.

Whether anyone on the ground will stop me buying a Bose A20 headeset is another question...

Looking forward to it - it's been a few years since my last Aero Expo.

[IO540]

TCAS may not do much since the bulk of UK GA doesn't have a transponder or if it has one it purposely doesn't switch it on :)

[Fuji Abound]

Do you remember the good ole days of the pfa rally at cranfield, hold over the large building to the se and call when in bound; it worked pretty well in times when you were no 20 to land.

Are more people transponding? I wonder. I didnt spot anyone that didnt show on tcas today, but maybe 1 in 10 where mode a.

[A and C]

Yes I remember the PAF rallys as well, it was quite abusing listening to some pilots trying to talk to the ATIS !

[Fuji Abound]

A and c - i had forgotten, it was very amusing, all good fun.

[david viewing]

The .pdf at http://www.expo.aero/uk/pdfs/Sywell-Flight-Procedures.pdf seems to be broken, for me at least. Is there a copy elsewhere?