Xtophe wrote:
We need to be careful with what we wish before we end up with 5 min long ATIS between the circuit direction and height, alternative height in UL, the bird activity, the close taxyway, remember to avoid the house with the large swimming pool and to wish happy birthday to the ATCO on first contac
Exactly. Here (in the US), some ATISs start to sound like someone is reading out ‘War and Peace’. Highly annoying if you are in a high-workload environment with almost constant interaction with ATC, as is the norm in the L.A. basin.
Fuji_Abound wrote:
on the ATIS then why not mention […]
We need to be careful with what we wish before we end up with 5 min long ATIS between the circuit direction and height, alternative height in UL, the bird activity, the close taxyway, remember to avoid the house with the large swimming pool and to wish happy birthday to the ATCO on first contact
Ibra wrote:
Unless you read/hear something else, left hand at 1000 AGL and lookout should do it ?
You see that is my point – the airport and at least four to the very nearest are not 1,000 feet AGL and of those one is specifically no overhead joins – hence my original point if you are going to mention the pressure, runway, wind, and visibility on the ATIS then why not mention the circuit height and direction? Is it any more or less important, although I accept less variable that the afore.
Could it be because there is no provision to do so under EASA regs.?
“All circuits to South. Avoid overflying houses.”
Avoid noise sensitive places at all costs. Also try, if possible, to avoid other aircraft. 
In my experience there are four types of aerodromes/airports.
1) Those that have circuits with a mandatory track
2) Those where the traffic circuit is restricted to one side of the runway, but without a mandatory track
3) Those with no indications where you are supposed to do a standard LH pattern
4) Airports where there are no “circuits” as such – you’ll receive instructions
The French government charts contain indications of the direction of turns on all VACs, which is really convenient. In other countries you may need to read the text pages in order to figure out what circuit to fly. I just dusted my trusty, old, pre-2000 Jeppesen Bottlang VFR manual to see how the traffic circuits were depicted only to discover that in some cases they were indicated on the chart, in other cases only as text. And I who thought Jeppesen was so superior…
Unless you read/hear something else, left hand at 1000 AGL and lookout should do it ?
James_Chan wrote:
All circuits are left unless otherwise stated in the AIP/VAC. I have heard instructions like “join base” (implies join base leg – LH circuit) or “join right base” (implies join base leg – RH circuit).Circuit heights are always 1000ft AGL unless otherwise stated in the AIP/VAC. One can’t easily instruct aircraft to join base at say 700ft as every aircraft has a different performance.
True, but places were it isnt there is no mention on either the ATIS or by ATC (usually).
My point is that on the ATIS why not say " circuit height, 1,000 feet, 20 left hand circuit" – it is a small addition, it is essential information, and of course it is in the AIP but why not include it in the ATIS. I agree I would far rather hear it on the ATIS to reduce the work load and radio time on frequency.
How often have we seen traffic going the wrong way, or on the wrong side and at the wrong height? I think this would help.
I think of it the other way around.
Why do we need so much information to join an airfield ?
In the US, 99% of the time you do a 1000’ AGL left hand circuit. You just need the frequency and the airfield elevation. Great, that’s what is written on the chart !
You do your circuit the way you like, super-tight or B52-style.
Radio chatter is so needlessly busy at unmanned fields. I don’t want any more info passed.
I had yet another example yesterday, transiting over Etrepagny LFFY. 4 aircraft and the freq was almost 100% busy
Just like guys mentioning their number of POB at each radio station. We don’t care
Light aircraft circuit heights may differ from helicopters (lower) and larger aircraft (higher).
One problem which shows up awfully clearly when ATC is not present and it is A/G or AFIS, is that so many pilots don’t know how to use the radio, or avoid using it until almost short final in the hope that they can jump in before someone else… Throw in the huge pressure which renters are under to get back on the ground and you get all kinds of stuff going on.
