gasax / foxmoth. I aggree with what you are saying, but the way I see it is, most a/c today have a radio of some sort, airfield info is obtained from outside the circuit, so what is the point of flying overhead for a look?
I have a radio, sure. Quite often I turn it on. But there isn't anyone on the ground to talk to me at most small airfields, so we all say what we are doing, remembering to give the name of the airfield we are flying to or from, as we are all on 123.5 here in sunny france except for the airfields who do have a tower. The frequency can get a bit busy on a nice day
The overhead join suits me fine, I do like to take a look at the windsock, and any other traffic. Controlled airfield, then the controller can give me the wind and I can have a nice argument about not having a ten knot tailwind please.....
