Right of Way Scenario

[Murdoughnut]

Just a scenario I'm thinking through in my head as I prep for the CFI exam.

You and a student are on downwind, preparing to turn base in a busy pattern, when an aircraft three miles out on a straight in IAP final calls their position. What do you do?

My traditional response would be to extend downwind, make the radio call, and follow the inbound traffic in on an extended base to final. The CFIs I've been flying with lately, however, have suggested it creates more problems to extend a pattern and screw up the flow, and that the IAP aircraft does not have right away because they're not in the traffic pattern.

Of course, FAA guidance says an aircraft landing or in a position to land has right of way.

Thoughts? Get crappy on the radio and suggest the aircraft on final break off and assert my right away, or worry more about collision avoidance than the traffic pattern flow and extend?

 

[Minuteman]

The two realistic scenarios are:

A) y'all extend because yer butt is pointing at the runway. I call this "What if there were a tower telling people to do things?"
or
B) advise them that you are already inbound and then turn for the ole dive on a 45 degree base and the procedure traffic can decide if they want to go missed.

(don't do B unless you like finding poops)

 

[Beaker]

I'm just a guy like you getting ready for the CFI ride, but I agree with your assessment. I would not turn inside of traffic on a 3 mile final at an uncontrolled field, especially if they have given zero indication of how they plan to work themselves into traffic. It's about staying alive rather than who's right. The Watsonville, CA crash comes to mind.

 

[Murdoughnut]

The two realistic scenarios are:

A) y'all extend because yer butt is pointing at the runway. I call this "What if there were a tower telling people to do things?"
or
B) advise them that you are already inbound and then turn for the ole dive on a 45 degree base and the procedure traffic can decide if they want to go missed.

(don't do B unless you like finding poops)

Yeah, my airfield has gotten busy since Career Debt started operating there, and it seems like there's a lot of bickering on comms about aircraft in the pattern vs. not, whereas I've always been happy to extend for an airplane on final that's flying an IAP.