Overhead question
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BMS Training.pdf
The direction of the break may be published on the airport visual charts or stated in the airport SOPs. Let’s say that at Gunsan all the breaks are over the water to avoid overflying populated areas. Landing on RWY 36 the water is on the left side so the break will be to the left.On return to AVIANO, BALKANS, from a campaign mission, I was authorised for the overhead in the midst of traffic also in overhead. Approach is 230, and wind was 210 gusting 10knots. In the absence of other information I choose a starboard break, (easier to manage break downwind) but in the break noticed AI traffic breaking to port (upwind). So have a couple of questions.
- Does wind impact on break direction, (other safety factors being equal).
- Is there a way on approach to determine the break direction the tower is using
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@Fish44
HelloThe break is normally done opposite/away from the tower.
If the tower is to your left in the line-up on the runway, break to the right.
If the tower is to your right , break to the left. -
@Rouge1512 Thanks, that’s what i did (happens to be downwind also), but this was apposite to all the AI traffic.
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@Fish44 there may be something in the ATC file for the airfield in question, can’t remember off the top of my head, I believe you can decide the direction of the break (L or R) for each runway.
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Tower location has nothing to do with the overhead break.
What side the downwind will be flown IRL is determined by many factors like terrain, noise critical areas like urban locations.
But the location of the tower is really not a factor.For BMS the downwind for the overhead is set in the ATC files. If this is missing you can find it in the database
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Thanks for the answers guys. No mention of cross winds, so need a new post to find the procedure for a on overhead with a cross wind.
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@Fish44 I noticed that Gunsan has a new Visual chart for 4.36.1 with an Outside Pattern. That looks like the recommended pattern for overhead approach (over the water).
Not all airbases have that chart, but I noticed that the departure charts for Gunsan all direct flights inland, so away from the pattern over the water. Maybe - and this is just a theory - the departure charts will show the opposite direction of where approaches such as overhead should take place, for reasons of deconfliction. If so, we could look at the departure charts and the overhead pattern should be to the opposite side.
Now, as far as I can tell from the Aviano charts there are mountains on one side, so every departure and approach has to steer clear of those, so in such a case the theory may not hold.
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The AI tend to fly a tight echelon formation after a call is made for an overhead approach. For the AI to break in the opposite direction that you do, you would have had to have made your break into the formation which is not a good idea.
I tested this and the AI will break into lead after lead breaks whether they are on the left or the right. You can change the direction that the AI breaks by telling the flight to switch sides.
So if the AI line up echelon left, they will break right. If you tell them to switch sides so that they are echelon right then they will break left.