Changing Runways in the pattern
Posted: Sun Oct 25, 2020 8:55 pm
I was finishing the CAT-6 at KMHV tonight and had what was probably a controller error but I'm not sure if I did the right thing or not. I checked in and was given a left downwind to RY30 and told to report mid-field. Later:
N317GC: MHV tower, N7GC, mid-field left downwind RY30.
MHV TWR: N317GC, RY26 cleared to land.
N317GC: Cleared to land RY26, N7GC. Confirm RY26, I am making left traffic for RY30. Do you want me to circle to RY26?
MHV TWR: N317GC make left traffic RY26
I read this back and then confusion set in. I was at pattern altitude abeam the RY26 numbers but about 2/3 of the way along RY30. I turned to an 080 heading to finish the RY26 downwind and almost immediately started my base turn. The controller was busy and after turning final I was just about to go around when he said N317GC RY26 cleared to land. After landing I exited the runway and waited. The controller was very busy so I just sat their on Echo waiting for a chance to report clear of RY26. When I did, he asked me what I did. I said I believe I was cleared for and read back to make left traffic for RY30 and then was cleared to land on RY26. He said "OK, pass for the CAT-6" and gave me taxi instructions.
I don't know if they meant to clear my in on RY26 and just messed up (or if I gave a wrong readback in the first place). Doesn't matter, I confirmed the clearance and they made their RY26 instructions clear. The real question I have is, with nothing more than "make left traffic, RY26", can I simply turn on the RY26 left downwind (turning from my 120 downwind heading for RY30 to a 080 heading for RY26)? Or should I have turned out to the right, exiting the RY30 pattern and circled back to the 45 degree entry for RY26 left downwind?
N317GC: MHV tower, N7GC, mid-field left downwind RY30.
MHV TWR: N317GC, RY26 cleared to land.
N317GC: Cleared to land RY26, N7GC. Confirm RY26, I am making left traffic for RY30. Do you want me to circle to RY26?
MHV TWR: N317GC make left traffic RY26
I read this back and then confusion set in. I was at pattern altitude abeam the RY26 numbers but about 2/3 of the way along RY30. I turned to an 080 heading to finish the RY26 downwind and almost immediately started my base turn. The controller was busy and after turning final I was just about to go around when he said N317GC RY26 cleared to land. After landing I exited the runway and waited. The controller was very busy so I just sat their on Echo waiting for a chance to report clear of RY26. When I did, he asked me what I did. I said I believe I was cleared for and read back to make left traffic for RY30 and then was cleared to land on RY26. He said "OK, pass for the CAT-6" and gave me taxi instructions.
I don't know if they meant to clear my in on RY26 and just messed up (or if I gave a wrong readback in the first place). Doesn't matter, I confirmed the clearance and they made their RY26 instructions clear. The real question I have is, with nothing more than "make left traffic, RY26", can I simply turn on the RY26 left downwind (turning from my 120 downwind heading for RY30 to a 080 heading for RY26)? Or should I have turned out to the right, exiting the RY30 pattern and circled back to the 45 degree entry for RY26 left downwind?