Originally Posted by Robbo0885
For example, should you always fly a crosswind, downwind, base final, even if you are into wind and there is a great field ahead but youre too high to get in stragiht and too low to fly the pattern around?
immeadiate action obviously is trim for best glide - then pick a field - if a suitable one is straight ahead - use that.
Flying a circuit round a field isn't necessarily going to help you if you have a real engine failure - pick a field and make sure you can get into it - fly curved approach or extend if you're too high, if you're not going to make that realise it early on - accept it, and choose another (closer) field!
You adjust the approach depending on your height with ref to the chosen field - the important thing is to get into it, not to do xw/downwind legs.
On my recent reval skills test, I changed the field I was heading for once the first started looking less suitable for one off to the side - the examiner was perfectly happy with that.
The test is to see if you're competent, safe, and can cope with a changing situation - they're not going to fail you for picking a different field if you're not going to make your chosen one.
Always during a skills test (if you can manage it without overloading yourself) spend a few seconds scoping out the terrain as you fly along - on the assumption that the examiner is going to pull the throttle at any given time.
And also - be aware of where you are on the chart - I've had two different examiners/instructors who have done a PFL on me, let me do it (prefectly well), and then gleefully point out the gliding site/disused but clear runway that we flew over 2 mins ago! It's a bit like exits on a 737 - the nearest one might behind you!