One of the biggest challenges, even for experienced pilots, is to safely join the traffic pattern when approaching an airfield.
Share your thoughts on joining the airfield traffic pattern in our GA Community or General Aviation Facebook Page. The more we talk, the more we learn from each other.
https://www.easa.europa.eu/newsroom-and-events/news/sunny-swift-picture-airfield-traffic
Happy Landings!
Dominique
Hi Rudy,
Thanks for mentioning our trial. I appreciate your support. If AOPA-NL want to know more I am happy to talk with them.
It is best for pilots to join the circuit in the expected manner for the airport concerned but unfortunately even when that is done it is no guarantee of 100% safety because ‘See and Avoid’ is fallible. ADS-B Out helps but again is no absolute guarantee, as without ADS-B In there is no added situational awareness in the cockpit (there was a GA airprox in the UK on 02Sep19 where both aircraft had ADS-B Out!).
The Airspace4All GA Airfield ATS ADS-B Traffic Display Trial is evaluating the benefit to GA airfield ATC, AFIS & Air Ground units of having access to an ADS-B surveillance system to enhance their situational awareness and enable them to provide improved traffic information. This provides one more barrier to help prevent conflict at/near GA airfields. It has proved especially useful when someone joins the circuit in an unconventional manner. When I am approaching or in an airfield circuit I would feel much safer knowing that the person I am talking to in the tower has the best possible situational awareness (ATS eyes are fallible too - they are human, just like pilots).
The video here shows a 60 minutes period of circuit traffic at Barton compressed into one minute:
https://airspace4all.org/barton-ads-b-td-2019-06-01/
I am busy writing up the final report on the Airspace4All GA Airfield ATS ADS-B Traffic Display Trial, which will be published very soon. It presents a very positive set of results. As you know, the reason for the trial was that AFIS and Air Ground units are not permitted to use a surveillance system under current UK regulations. Hopefully, our report will provide the real world evidence to help justify policy change.
The UK CAA, based on what they have already seen, have granted permission for Phase 2 of the trial at Barton to continue until 30Apr2020. Barton are very happy to show people how the system works for them. If anyone is interested in seeing the system in use and will be visiting Manchester UK just get in touch.
Steve