I prefer the US way of dealing with non towered fields. There may be someone on the ground with a radio (at busier fields there usually is) but everyone is quite clear they should self-announce and look out the window and organize themselves, and the guy on unicom is just there to give airfield information.
Perhaps it’s a training issue but at Andreas we have a few people who are always asking us for “clearances” when we’re operating the glider club. If I happen to be the one with the radio I always emphasise “at your discretion”, because they should be organizing themselves (yes – it’s absolutely prudent to ask about the winch cable and that kind of thing). Self announcing is enough, if we hear a power aircraft on downwind we’ll make sure the gliders are pushed off to the side and if you look out the window you can see that (we had one microlight instructor berate us at length for not being constantly on the A/G radio – if maybe he flew a circuit in his slow aircraft within the airfield boundary instead of a circuit fit for a B-52 he might be able to observe the activity on the ground and see we’re making sure vehicles and people are off the runway).
AnthonyQ: a question – why mention left hand?
The reason I ask is twofold: first things first, traffic circuits are generally left hand unless otherwise stated hence left hand circuits don’t usually need to be announced. Secondly, the airfields I generally operate have a given dead side and, depending on the runway in use, either have a left or right hand circuit – for example, 05 RH, 23 LH. Coming in to 23, you could be announcing “G-XX descending dead side 23” or “G-XX descending dead side 05” – dead side in both cases being the same area in relation to the runway just from opposite ends so other pilots would know where and in which direction I will be descending.
My next report would be either downwind if there is no known traffic – “G-XX downwind 23” or “G-XX right downwind 05”; if traffic was in the circuit or on the runway looking to depart, then I’d consider calling crosswind first, after which it would be “G-XX Base 23” or “G-XX Right Base 05” followed by “G-XX Final 23” or “G-XX Final 05”.
The only time announcing left hand makes sense if both left and right hand traffic patterns are in use at the same time but even so, the fact that on one circuit you announce RIGHT and the other one not, lets people know which circuit you’re in….. Just my tuppence worth, having spent enough time listening to “chapter and verse” and trying to announce where I am in a busy circuit…
Precisely because some airfields have RH circuits for some types of traffic or different directions….yes LH is “standard” but there are so many exceptions….and I never assume that everyone knows the local rules….if is say LH there is no ambiguity (even if it is technically redundant)
+1 for AnthonyQ here. ‘Left traffic 03’ gives everyone a clear picture. Redundant? Maybe. But clarifies things.
I always announce direction on any crosswind, base or downwind call.
