Uncontrolled Airports

[Phil Croucher]

The rules apply to all aircraft, but helicopters are urged to avoid air taxying or low flying across runways and taxiway areas where risk of collision with unseen aircraft or vehicles exists. The only exception is aircraft on a standard instrument approach procedure.

 

 

From CARs in Plain English (by me!)

 

 

602.96 There must be no likelihood of collision with another aircraft or vehicle, and the aerodrome must be suitable for the intended operation. This means observing other traffic and conforming to or avoiding the traffic pattern, making all turns to the left inside the circuit, except otherwise specified in CFS or by ATC. You must also land and take off into the wind, where practicable, unless otherwise authorized by ATC. You must maintain a continuous listening watch on the appropriate radio frequency, or keep a watch for any visual instructions from ATC.

 

 

602.97 VFR and IFR at Uncontrolled Aerodromes within an MF Area

Normally, you must have suitable radio equipment, and maintain a listening watch on the specified frequency, but if a ground station is in operation, you can give prior notice, if you ensure there is no likelihood of collision, and you enter the circuit from where you can complete two sides of a rectangular circuit before turning onto finals.

 

On Arrival - 602.101

If you are VFR, you must report at least 5 minutes before entering the MF area, giving your position, altitude, estimated time of landing and arrival intentions. You must also report downwind, on finals and clear of the landing surface.

 

No reference to a 500 foot circuit for helicopters, unless at a specific airfield.

 

Having to report downwind, etc implies that you should actually be there. Of course, people short-circuit the procedures, but if you cause an accident, the above rules will be quoted in court.

 

Skidz has it about right.

 

Phil

[VERTICAL REF]

albert is 100% right. downwind , base and final. i do believe that the runway at any airport is the only approved t/o and landing surface - not a taxi way and not an apron or ramp or the grass beside (unless specified). nordo aircraft can be in the circuit with you and the downwind, base and final are for seperation and the see and be seen element.

i have asked dozens of times in the FAA world to shoot and apron approach to facilitate ease of traffic flow and have been shot down evert time because it is not approved with an approach and departure path clearance. if tower clears you straight in to the ramp and you run into the windsock, they are at fault as well.

happens regularly in canada - i have never seen it in the US. must be because of the better lawyers.,

if you shoot an approach to a ramp and cause personal or property damage you are at fault. proper regulations are approach to runway then hover or air taxi to the ramp. opposite on departure.

am i guilty of these infractions some times, of course!!! we all are.

[Over-Talk]

My two cents worth.......(2.213 in $USD)

 

Canadian regulations seem to require helicopters to follow the fixed-wing circuit.

However this is not always practical (rarely ever), and is rarely used or enforced.

 

In the US, the published regulations require pilots to AVOID the fixed-wing flow.

This leads to all sorts of interesting procedures, dependent on the airport and conntroller on duty.

 

(however, remember here that helicopter IFR ops often require fixed-wing patterns)

 

Here are some quotes from the FAA AIM.......

 

FAA AIM Chapter 4 Section 3

 

........Insofar as possible, helicopter operations will be instructed to avoid the flow of fixed-wing aircraft to minimize overall delays;

 

........Helicopter operations may be conducted from a runway, taxiway, portion of a landing strip, or any clear area………..

 

.........Every effort will be made to permit helicopters to proceed direct and land as near as possible to their final destination on the airport.

 

.........a high degree of pilot/controller cooperation and communication is necessary to achieve safe and efficient operations.

 

So....in the US or Canada, even though the rules are different, you will still be dependent on controller co-operation to achieve what you desire.

This varies greatly at each airport !!!

 

 

I try to avoid three procedures that can cause great problems at uncontrolled airports on either side of the border ...

 

1. Flying a 'straight-in approach to final' of the active runway,

2. Hover taxiing along an active runway,

3. Hover taxiing close to planes, buildings, or dusty areas.

[Helilog56]

Um....."common sense" applied to "your" interpertation of the rules applies, because all that has been posted here is correct," but ", does not cover all circumstances that arise.....

[VERTICAL REF]

OT u r correct. the faa controler will keep u out of ther fixed wing traffic but will still make u shoot an approach to an inactive runway or taxiway. just like u said .

i am a lazy typer this time of day, ment 2 say what u said only tried to use less words and it did not reproduce the way it was ment. thanks for the clarification.

 

T rex - i am suprised. u new all this from your canadian training way back when. must be getting old eh? LOL. later man.

[Skidz]

This is all good guys, but if you read the title, we're discussong UNCONTROLLED airports in this thread... :off:

[VERTICAL REF]

same rules for uncontrolled airports. join the circuit from the crosswind or downwind leg and follow the rest of the rules...