Towered versus nontowered
Mistakes to avoid so you can look like a pro
For example, my home airport is Olive Branch Airport (OLV) in Mississippi, a busy Class D airport that sits underneath the Bravo shelf of Memphis International Airport. I love it. The friendly tower folks go out of their way to efficiently sequence pattern traffic, and Memphis Approach Control has given me traffic advisories in the practice area more times than I can count. But when I give checkrides out of nontowered fields, I constantly wonder if I’m about to get hit by someone who’s not talking on the radio. Conversely, when applicants fly to Olive Branch to meet me for their checkrides, they are terrified that the big, bad tower controllers will come through the radio and strangle the newbie pilot who doesn’t have perfect radio communications every time.
If you are uncomfortable in that foreign environment, have no fear. You can learn to operate like a professional and sound like a seasoned veteran at any airport. For today’s tips, I’ve polled the experts, flight instructors and air traffic controllers, on common mistakes they see in their respective traffic patterns.
Nontowered airports, aka the wild, Wild West
Lack of communication: Although not technically required, why would you not state your position at regular intervals if you have a radio? My closest call was doing pattern work at an nontowered field in West Memphis, Arkansas. We had just turned left downwind for Runway 17, the wind-favored runway, announcing every leg, when I saw another aircraft coming straight at us, same altitude, no radio calls. We both made immediate turns to the right. I have no idea why the other pilot was on a right downwind for Runway 35, but my student and I were grateful neither of us had a heart condition. It was that close. On another lesson at Olive Branch Airport, before the airport was towered, I was departing Runway 36 with my instructor, making radio calls, when a Beechcraft King Air pulled onto Runway 18 and advanced toward us. We had to pull into the grass to get out of the way. That day, I heard my sweet instructor say things that shall not be repeated here. Bottom line: Use the wind-favored runway and announce your intentions. Don’t be reckless.
Turning base at the wrong time: The Airplane Flying Handbook advises turning base when the runway is 45 degrees behind the wing. This is good practice because it keeps us in gliding distance to the runway in case of engine loss. However, there are times when extending downwind is both prudent and courteous. If someone is at the departure hold short line of a busy traffic pattern, consider extending your downwind slightly to let them out. Also, think about high-speed traffic. If a Cessna Citation is on a three-mile straight-in versus a Cessna Skycatcher, you should not turn base, possibly creating a collision hazard or forcing the jet to go around.
Unclear communication: If flying an instrument approach into a nontowered field, don’t state your position using the name of the approach fix (“Crossing WUSAP on the RNAV 18”). Pilots without an instrument rating will not understand this. Instead say, “On a five-mile final on the RNAV 18.” Also, it seems like every nontowered airport in the world uses 122.8 MHz, so remember to say the name of the airport at both the beginning and end of your transmission.
Towered airports, aka civilized society
Operating at a snail’s pace: When you call ground with, “Ready to taxi,” please be ready to taxi. If it takes you two minutes to start rolling, someone else has landed and might be incoming on your taxiway. Likewise, if you are given a takeoff clearance, be expeditious. I’m not talking about tires squealing sort of hustle, just be mindful of time on the runway so no one will be forced to go around.
Misunderstanding instructions: If tower tells you to enter on a base leg, do not enter on a midfield downwind. Doing so could create a collision hazard if someone is already there.
No interrupting: Especially during high traffic times, listen before you transmit. This goes for any air traffic frequency. If ATC has just made a call to someone or given a clearance, allow time for the other pilot to make their readback before you chime in.
Not respecting the hold short line: On departure, do not even touch the hold short line unless cleared for takeoff. When landing, exit the runway completely—as in get your tail all the way across the hold short line.
Joking aside, no type of airport is better; they simply serve different functions. As a certificated pilot, you can and should be able to operate confidently in both environments.
