Flight pattern altitudes

[Bidimus]

Another newbie question I've been meaning to ask. I've observed pattern work where pilots will occasionally be flying at the wrong altitude. KSNA is a great example, 20L has a 800AGL TPA.

So my question is, if I'm flying my pattern at KSNA 20L and holding a TPA of 800 AGL but the other traffic is flying 1000 AGL, should I follow them at the wrong alt or keep at the published TPA? It seems spacing might be difficult to stay at the published TPA in that case.

[HRutila]

Always comply with the published TPA.

[Bidimus]

Thanks. Ya that is the consensus I'm finding. And of course it make sense.

[Ryan B]

Well heck, I've never even noticed the published altitude at all! Where does it say that?

[zengei]

Well heck, I've never even noticed the published altitude at all! Where does it say that?

In the AFD under remarks: http://skyvector.com/files/tpp/1503/afd ... AR2015.pdf

"Rwy 02L–20R TPA—1056 (1000)
small acft, 1556 (1500) turbine acft over 12500 lbs. Rwy 02R–20L
TPA—856 (800) small single engine acft, 1056 (1000) twin engine
acft."

Note the altitude is 1000 AGL for twin engines on 02R-20L.

[Ryan B]

I've never thought to look at that for towered airports. I wasn't sure how much of that stuff PE simulates. Often I don't even look the AFD for uncontrolled fields either. My sim usually won't be the same. Example tall obstacle short final might be in the AFD , but not in my sim.

I guess I'm just not hard core enough !

[Bidimus]

Lol ya, lots of good info in the AFD. I'm surprised at the number of experienced sim pilots who never noticed this. Any more I always check the remarks for relevant details. Sometimes they include special procedures too.

[Ryan B]

Lol ya, lots of good info in the AFD. I'm surprised at the number of experienced sim pilots who never noticed this. Any more I always check the remarks for relevant details. Sometimes they include special procedures too.

Well there's a point where that stuff is useless in the sim though. At least in FSX/P3D, most of the obstacles aren't a factor.... there's no wildlife etc (XP10 has this once in a while).... the only stuff I pay attention is direct of TP (and apparently I'll have to look at the TPA's now)

[Bidimus]

Lol ya, lots of good info in the AFD. I'm surprised at the number of experienced sim pilots who never noticed this. Any more I always check the remarks for relevant details. Sometimes they include special procedures too.

Well there's a point where that stuff is useless in the sim though. At least in FSX/P3D, most of the obstacles aren't a factor.... there's no wildlife etc (XP10 has this once in a while).... the only stuff I pay attention is direct of TP (and apparently I'll have to look at the TPA's now)

I look at it like this, if I'm not doing everything I can to simulate real world conditions, then I'm missing out on another learning opportunity. I avoid driving through hangers, trees, and static aircraft in X-Plane even though there is no object collision too.