My answer to the original question is yes, obviously.
If I feel leaving the circuit is necessary for your safety, I do so and tell ATC when I can (because the frequency will be even busier than the circuit).
It happened to me once, at a controlled field near Paris (my then base). It was one of my first flights with first-time flyers.
When I got back to the circuit, I was number 5 I think, but it is a short circuit. The aircraft before in the circuit was a Diamond DA20, I was in a DR400-160 (you bet I still remember the details ) .
Frequency was crazy and I slowed down to below my taught minimums (like 125 kph IIRC). Then I thougt ‘You have been trained to avoid this, let’s get out of there’.
The downwind is next to a restricted area which prevent you to join/exit mid downwind. Without even thinking, I applied power and broke off the circuit towards the overhead and as I was beginning to orbit, I told ATC what I had done and they replied ‘No problem, you may re-enter downwind now’ and I landed safely.
I never had the feeling of doing anything wrong. I would do it again with no doubt
The most surprising was my passenger’s reaction : they loved it ! They felt something was going on and that I kept things in control, which reassured them for next flights.
Orbiting at the end of Downwind Right 23 at Inverness EGPE, which it is common to have to do while an airliner backtracks, I just look out of window and check altitude occasionally. The wind is blowing me towards the Fort George Danger Area, so looking out to hold position is important.
I’ve never thought of getting out my calculator and practicing mathematics in that situation.
PS the wind is unlikely to be at a steady value during the orbits.
Here is the link to the FAA ground reference manoeuvres – at typical circuit altitudes the bank angles for turning on a point (but not a pivot turn) are quite subtle.
One could solve for angle of bank using the rate of turn formulae.
R=V 2/ 11.26tanθ
ω=1,091tanθ/V
The variables used are:
•V = true airspeed in knots
•R = turning radius in feet
•θ = bank angle in degrees
•ω = rate of turn in degrees per second
None of the above. If there is any wind, the bank angle has to vary so you arrive back roughly where you started the orbit, if you fly a constant angle you will be blown furher downwind (not much of a problem unless orbiting at the end of the downwind leg) and displaced towards or away from the runway (which can become a problem, especially if blown towards it)
It is a great opportunity to practice an exercise not in the EASA, but inthe FAA syllabus – “turns around a point”, where you steepen the angle when flying oit of the wind and flatten it when flying into wind.
TLDR version: look out of the window and use a safe and comfortable bank angle (max 30) don’t stare at the instruments.
Rate 1 if you want it to be ATC-predictible, tight if you don’t want to hit someone and make yourself visible and a big wide circle if you want to just kill time :)
A 30 degree bank for level turns in the circuit – half rate one turns (I realise 30 degrees is more than rate one), signal indecision in the circuit (leaving, staying, what is that plane up to), in addition 30 degrees makes the aircraft more visible.
If asked to orbit (left or right) what bank angle please – 15 degrees or 30 degrees?
A few times I’ve found myself in circuits (both at controlled and uncontrolled fields) where clustermatings have started to develop. All it takes is a number of aircraft and someone doing something non-standard such as flying incredibly slowly or flying a Bomber Command circuit. Pilots with poor R/T can quickly cause problems as they hog the airwaves and prevent other aircraft or the tower making the calls they need to make in time.
I’ve dealt with it in a number of ways including fleeing to the live side against circuit direction as Peter suggests. In such a situation my only concern is avoiding a mid-air collision and as such I tend to fly in a direction I can see to be clear and where no-one else is likely to go. Noise abatement, ATC instructions or the preferences of the airfield operator do not enter the equation.
Finally, I know it was said in jest but if the aircraft in front of me looks like he’ll be able to land then I tend to hang well back so he has time to vacate before I cross the threshold. If it looks almost certain that the guy in front will have to go around then I keep it tight and land in the gap he creates. :-)
That accident is weird. They were “configured for an asymmetric landing”.
In a real one-engine situation, I think they would have had priority, and not been asked to orbit. I’m just an SEP, but I wonder if the examiner should have cancelled the asymmetric when the “orbit” order came.
They had not, I assume, declared an emergency, so ATC were treating them as normal traffic.
Providing the instructions come one at a time, I don’t see any limit to the number you should need to make you stall.