[NSRCA-discussion] Landing Direction

[Keith Hoard]

What if I'm flying at a field where obstacles or other factors cause
me to be more comfortable landing in one direction and I may want to
accept a slight tailwind to avoid those obstacles?

Why shouldn't the PIC (Pilot In Command) of the airplane be able to
freely choose takeoff and landing direction without explanation as
long as it doesn't cause a conflict with other airplanes?

On 4/7/07, Paul Horan <paul.horan at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> Lance,
>    This is not a problem since Sportsman fliers some times change landing
> direction and land vertically rather than horicontally.
> Paul
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Lance Van Nostrand" <patterndude at tx.rr.com>
> To: "NSRCA Mailing List" <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
> Sent: Saturday, April 07, 2007 6:15 PM
> Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Landing Direction
>
>
> >I haven't seen the problem in contests I've been to.  Generally the CD will
> > declare takeoff direction is pilots option, if the winds are
> > light/variable
> > and the field and contest can tolerate it.  Otherwise a direction of
> > takeoff
> > is stated and followed.  This can happen on a calm day if the CD prefers
> > the
> > uniformity of it.  The only time the proposed scenario would occur is if
> > the
> > permission is there to fly either direction, which is not that often.  If
> > it
> > is in place, then someone could possibly change landing direction
> > unecessarily, but since most contests have a defined manuver direction and
> > there is no requirement to let someone land downwind, any pilot planning
> > on
> > this game will find themselves burned over time.  On the other hand, if
> > this
> > helps a sportsman enjoy his day (and many sportsman are not traveling
> > competitors) then is this really a problem?
> >
> > --Lance
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Jerry Stebbins" <JAStebbins at worldnet.att.net>
> > To: "NSRCA Mailing List" <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
> > Sent: Friday, April 06, 2007 8:19 PM
> > Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Landing Direction
> >
> >
> >> Mark, interesting, and very astute observation. Now you do not need to
> >> guess
> >> why it was initiated!!! The reasons/rationale stated were only developed
> >> to
> >> sell it. Same thing happened once before--"no scores for Takeoff and
> >> Landings".It now has gone full circle and the purported rationale has
> >> finally been overcome by common sense and "facts".
> >> Jerry
> >> Jerry
> >> ----- Original Message -----
> >> From: "Mark Atwood" <atwoodm at paragon-inc.com>
> >> To: "NSRCA Mailing List" <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
> >> Sent: Friday, April 06, 2007 1:47 PM
> >> Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Landing Direction
> >>
> >>
> >>>I think my only annoyance with all of this is number of times I have
> >>>watched
> >>> pilots purposely take off down wind in a "mild" wind because it allowed
> >>> them
> >>> to fly their preferred direction only to cry "SAFETY" when the wind
> >>> picked
> >>> up and suddenly their choice of direction isn't so desirable.
> >>>
> >>> I don't think anyone questions a major wind shift during a flight should
> >>> be
> >>> allowed some variance in making a landing.  But let's face it...those
> >>> times
> >>> are few and far between. The real issue is the quartering cross wind
> >>> that's
> >>> shifting slightly from upwind to downwind, where the pilot picks his
> >>> preference for take off and his pattern, rather than thinking about the
> >>> landing.
> >>>
> >>> -M
> >>>
> >>> On 4/6/07 2:39 PM, "Del K. Rykert" <drykert2 at rochester.rr.com> wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> As a pilot I always feel the ultimate decision rests with the pilot.  I
> >>>> would ask permission to land the opposite way but if not given and felt
> >>>> it
> >>>> was a safety issue to land downwind I would take the zero and land the
> >>>> reverse direction. Smarter to be safe and go home with an intact
> >>>> airplane
> >>>> then to land and force a mishap. Having said that, it also forces
> >>>> greater
> >>>> responsibility on the pilot to make sure he isn't conflicting with
> >>>> opposing
> >>>> traffic if he so chooses to land into the wind and causes a mishap by
> >>>> reversing direction. So the decision is not to be taken lightly.
> >>>>
> >>>>     Del
> >>>> ----- Original Message -----
> >>>> From: <randy9004 at comcast.net>
> >>>> To: "NSRCA Mailing List" <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
> >>>> Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2007 2:35 PM
> >>>> Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Landing Direction
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>> Does the pilot/caller get to decide if the wind has changed
> >>>>> directions?
> >>>>> Does a judge need to agree?
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Randy
> >>>>> -------------- Original message ----------------------
> >>>>> From: "Don Ramsey" <donramsey at gmail.com>
> >>>>>> To those who read my March Kfactor article, I seem to have mistated
> >>>>>> the
> >>>>>> intent
> >>>>>> of the new landing direction rule.  After re-reading the intent of
> >>>>>> the
> >>>>>> rule, it
> >>>>>> seems the rule was put in to allow a change of landing direction only
> >>>>>> for
> >>>>>> a wind
> >>>>>> change.  This is implied in the new rule.  The landing direction
> >>>>>> should
> >>>>>> always
> >>>>>> be in the direciton of takeoff unless the wind changes to a direction
> >>>>>> that would
> >>>>>> cause a downwind landing.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> Thanks to all who brought this to my attention.
> >>>>>> Don
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> _______________________________________________
> >>>> NSRCA-discussion mailing list
> >>>> NSRCA-discussion at lists.nsrca.org
> >>>> http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion
> >>>
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-- 

Keith Hoard
Collierville, TN
khoard at gmail.com