Ok, I will try to give a an account of what occurred.
I made two entries into Tindall when the tower was operating, on both occasions got straight in approaches to 14 and 32 respectively without a problem.
However, on my third attempt, I was coming in from Mataranka to the south east.
The ATIS suggested runway 32 was active, and as expecting a straight in approach again. However, someone form the North was keen to do an RNAV approach to position for a straight in approach for 14. The controller asked if he would accept the downwind component and he was happy.
At about 5 miles out, I was then asked to track to Tindal for a Right Downwind for runway 32. This is where the confusion started. My thinking that was that a Right downwind would require me to be approaching at 180 degrees to the direction I was travelling. That is, heading 140, with the runway to my right, and conducting right hand turns to base and final for 32.
I asked the ATC to confirm that she wanted me on a Right downwind for 32, which she did. Given that the circuit procedures state that circuits are preferred to the west of the runways, I presumed she wanted me to fly over the top to the west, descend to runway height, and do a 180 to rejoin mid field cross wind for a RH downwind to 32.
While contemplating this , she asked me to confirm that I was tracking for a right downwind. I replied that my intentions were to fly over the field, descend, do a 180 and join mid field for the right hand circuit. She then informed me that I was already on Right downwind for 32. In a rather exasperated tone, she told me to cross mid field and turn left for downwind join for 32.
As far as I was concerned, at this stage about three miles from the runway centre, I was on a long downwind for a left base for runway 14.
However, I did as I was told , but I was buggered as to how I got it wrong. I rang the tower that afternoon to ask what I did wrong, and although the guy was very good and thanked me for clarifying it, I never really got a straight answer.
When I got back to home base, I asked a few people where I went wrong, and eventually, an ex QANTAS guy told me that both Alice and Tindall were different. I asked him why these procedures were not in the Ersa, or AIP, or whatever , but could not answer me. He just said it was “local knowledge”.
I am still none the wiser, but would like to know why I got it wrong.
Mick