PLT TRAINING FLC OF SMA SEL FLY THE WRONG PATTERN IN FOLLOWING ANOTHER ACFT SHOOTING TOUCH-AND-GO LNDGS RESULTING IN A PUBLIC COMPLAINT.

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THIS WAS ONE OF SEVERAL TRAINING FLTS IN THE TFC PATTERN AT A NON-TWRED ARPT (AUBURN; WA; S50). IT WAS IMPORTANT TO OUR TRAINING PROGRAM THAT THESE PARTICULAR FLTS BE COMPLETED; SO WE WERE FLYING IN MARGINAL VFR CONDITIONS. THE NORMAL TFC PATTERN AT AUBURN IS TO THE W; L-HAND FOR RWY 34 AND R-HAND FOR RWY 16. MY STUDENT AND I WERE FLYING A R-HAND PATTERN ON RWY 16; AND HAD JUST LANDED AND WERE TAXIING BACK FOR TKOF; WHEN ANOTHER INSTRUCTOR AND HER STUDENT TOOK OFF AND INITIATED A L-HAND PATTERN FOR RWY 16 OVER THE TOWN OF AUBURN; WHERE THE WX WAS A LITTLE BETTER THAN IN THE NORMAL TFC PATTERN AREA. RATHER THAN CONTINUE FLYING A R-HAND PATTERN IN CONFLICT WITH THE OTHER INSTRUCTOR WHO HAD JUST TAKEN OFF AND ANNOUNCED HER L XWIND; I ELECTED TO FOLLOW HER IN HER PATTERN OVER AUBURN; ALTHOUGH I WAS CONCERNED BECAUSE THAT WAS NOT THE OFFICIAL PATTERN FOR THE ARPT. THE WX WAS GOOD ENOUGH TO MAINTAIN A NORMAL PATTERN ALT ON DOWNWIND; SO THAT WASN'T A PROB; BUT I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT FLYING A NONSTANDARD PATTERN FOR OUR FIELD; ESPECIALLY OVER THE TOWN. NONETHELESS; BOTH OF US CONTINUED FLYING THE NONSTANDARD PATTERN UNTIL THE FLTS WERE OVER. WHILE TAXIING BACK TO THE LINE; WE WERE CONTACTED BY UNICOM AND TOLD TO CEASE FLYING OVER AUBURN. IT TURNS OUT THAT SOMEONE HAD CALLED THE LCL FSDO AND COMPLAINED ABOUT THE FLTS; AND SOMEONE AT THE FSDO HAD CALLED OUR FLT SCHOOL OFFICE AND TOLD THEM TO TELL US TO CUT IT OUT. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE: IF ANOTHER AIRPLANE IS FLYING A PATTERN IN CONTRADICTION TO THE AUTH PATTERN; EITHER 1) CONTACT THE OTHER PLANE BY RADIO AND ASK HIM TO ADAPT TO THE STANDARD PATTERN; OR 2) IF HE CAN'T OR WON'T; WAIT UNTIL THE OTHER PLANE LANDS OR DEPARTS THE PATTERN TO CONTINUE MY OWN FLTS.