Originally Posted by
the_daddy
Should I have come in at 1000ft above the circuit height overhead, done a 180 to come back over the active runway threshold and then decended to circuit height whilst turning to crosswind on the dead side?
YES
Many airfields have noise sensitive 'dead sides' hence the need to arrive at altitude. Circuits can be aligned for the consideration of neighbours and screaming into the dead side at circuit height may just take you over nuisance neighbour property.
OK, I am not talking about large airports here - but certainly very many 'strips' have noise considerations on the 'dead side.'
When I was taught I had the OHJ rammed down my throat and maybe that is why I am still a very strong believer that it, like all flying, should be carried out correctly and with precision. My only argument with the CAA leaflet is that it was designed many years ago before the advent of high performance PFA and BMAA types that can get to and beyond circuit height before reaching the numbers and I personally believe as another poster said that crossing the runway on the numbers maybe needs reviewing.
I was taught to arrive at the overhead with the active runway at my ten o'clock (for left hand circuit) or two o clock (for right hand circuit) and make the 180 in a gentle rate one turn in the same direction as the circuit so that arriving back over the downwind numbers set me up perfectly to reduce power for a neighbour friendly descent over the 'dead side.' I confess to never seeing this in a formal publication - but I will refer to Thoms tonight.