Welcome Guest. Sign in or Signup

5 Answers

Who has priority ?

Asked by: 4345 views ,
FAA Regulations, Private Pilot

Last week end I flew my first solo Cross Country and met a new situation. I announced myself 15miles away from the airport, 10miles away, when entering the downwind and when entering the base. Just after announcing myself in base, another airplane announced himself in final. That's only when I saw him for the first time. I had the feeling that I was lower and that he was about 500 feet to 1miles further away from the runway than me. So I turned final (after announcing it) and landed. I tried to land short to leave the runway as fast as possible but as I was slowing down, I saw him going around for another landing. During that flight I had some issues with my radio (I was unable to hear myself when talking in the mic). Once on the ground, I asked the other pilot if he could hear me, he just said yes (but with some kind of unhappy look). So my question is "did I do something wrong ?" and if yes, "what was I supposed to do differently?".   

 

 

Ace Any FAA Written Test!
Actual FAA Questions / Free Lifetime Updates
The best explanations in the business
Fast, efficient study.
Pass Your Checkride With Confidence!
FAA Practical Test prep that reflects actual checkrides.
Any checkride: Airplane, Helicopter, Glider, etc.
Written and maintained by actual pilot examiners and master CFIs.
The World's Most Trusted eLogbook
Be Organized, Current, Professional, and Safe.
Highly customizable - for student pilots through pros.
Free Transition Service for users of other eLogs.
Our sincere thanks to pilots such as yourself who support AskACFI while helping themselves by using the awesome PC, Mac, iPhone/iPad, and Android aviation apps of our sponsors.

5 Answers



  1. Ash on Jul 08, 2014

    Bidochon,

    Review 91.113(g) for the right of way rules regarding landing aircraft. From the way you described it, it sounds like the other guy had the right of way.

    In the scenario you describe, perhaps the safest option would have been to execute a go-around once you spotted the other airplane on final. Cutting off another airplane on final is never a good idea.

    Hope that was helpful.

    +3 Votes Thumb up 3 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  2. Bidochon on Jul 09, 2014

    Thanks Ash.

    After reading 91.113, I realized that I should have just go around and not land in front of him. I won’t make that mistake again.

    Thanks for your help

    +2 Votes Thumb up 2 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  3. Bidochon on Jul 09, 2014

    I forgot to mention that, for my defense, the guy went straight to a long final and never announced himself until he saw me in base… but I still agree that I shouldn’t have land in front of him.

    +2 Votes Thumb up 2 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes

  4. Best Answer


    Kris Kortokrax on Jul 09, 2014

    You didn’t really give enough information concerning the situation.
    What kind of airplane were you in?
    What kind of airplane was on the long final?

    The Airplane Flying Handbook states that the downwind should be spaced 1/2 to 1 mile from the landing runway. If we turn base with the threshold 45 degrees aft of the plane, simple geometry would suggest that our base leg would be 1/2 to 1 mile from the threshold.

    At what point do we agree that an airplane is on final for the purposes of 91.113? If an approaching airplane announces he is on a 10 mile final or a 5 mile final, do you need to circle until he is on the ground? I don’t think so, unless the plane on a 5 mile final is a Falcon 50 or Gulfstream or other jet. I would probably yield to the jet in that case. If the airplanes are of similar speed, not necessarily.

    If you can see the other airplane silhouetted against the sky, the airplane is above you (you are lower than he is).

    Advisory Circular 90-66A states:
    “The FAA encourages pilots to use the standard traffic pattern. However, for those pilots who choose to execute a straight-in approach, maneuvering for and execution of the approach should be completed so as not to disrupt the flow of arriving and departing traffic.”

    If we consider courtesy, it would not be proper for an airplane to execute a straight-in approach to avoid having to get in line in the pattern behind two or three (or more) other airplanes established in the pattern.

    With the limited information given, I’m not convinced that you did anything contrary to regulations or procedures.

    +2 Votes Thumb up 2 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  5. Bidochon on Jul 09, 2014

    Kris,

    I was flying a Cessna 150 (Aerobat) and the guy was flying a plane that looks exactly like a Piper Seminole. I can definitively say that I saw his silhouette over the sky.

    Thanks for your detail explanation.

    +1 Votes Thumb up 1 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes


The following terms have been auto-detected the question above and any answers or discussion provided. Click on a term to see its definition from the Dauntless Aviation JargonBuster Glossary.

Answer Question

Our sincere thanks to all who contribute constructively to this forum in answering flight training questions. If you are a flight instructor or represent a flight school / FBO offering flight instruction, you are welcome to include links to your site and related contact information as it pertains to offering local flight instruction in a specific geographic area. Additionally, direct links to FAA and related official government sources of information are welcome. However we thank you for your understanding that links to other sites or text that may be construed as explicit or implicit advertising of other business, sites, or goods/services are not permitted even if such links nominally are relevant to the question asked.