A PA28 INSTRUCTOR PLT AND HIS STUDENT FLEW THE WRONG TFC PATTERN WHILE PRACTICING LNDGS. THE INSTRUCTOR NOTICED THAT HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN FLYING A R-HAND PATTERN AS THEY WERE DEPARTING THE PATTERN.
Synopsis
A PA28 INSTRUCTOR PLT AND HIS STUDENT FLEW THE WRONG TFC PATTERN WHILE PRACTICING LNDGS. THE INSTRUCTOR NOTICED THAT HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN FLYING A R-HAND PATTERN AS THEY WERE DEPARTING THE PATTERN.
Narrative
I WAS ON A RENTAL CHKOUT FLT S OF JEFFERSON CITY; MO. I TOLD THE PROSPECTIVE RENTAL PLT THAT WE WOULD PRACTICE TKOFS AND LNDGS AT THE NEARBY ELDON ARPT. WHILE ENRTE TO ELDON I LOOKED UP THE ELDON ENTRY IN THE AFD TO SEE WHAT KIND OF TFC PATTERN WAS BEING USED FOR RWY 36. I DIDN'T NOTICE ANYTHING INDICATING R TFC; SO I TOLD THE PROSPECTIVE RENTAL PLT TO ENTER A L-HAND TFC PATTERN FOR RWY 36. WHILE OVERFLYING THE ARPT AT 500 FT ABOVE TFC PATTERN ALT; I LOOKED AT THE WIND SOCK TO CHK THE WIND DIRECTION; BUT I DIDN'T NOTICE THE SEGMENTED CIRCLE INDICATING R-HAND TFC FOR RWY 36. AFTER 2 FLTS IN THE TFC PATTERN WE DECIDED TO HEAD BACK TO JEFFERSON CITY. I LOOKED AT THE WIND SOCK AND NOTICED THE SEGMENTED CIRCLE INDICATING R TFC FOR RWY 36. I IMMEDIATELY LOOKED ELDON UP IN THE AFD AND SAW 'R TFC' NEXT TO RWY 36'S ENTRY. LUCKILY WE WERE THE ONLY ACFT IN THE TFC PATTERN. I LEARNED TO LOOK MORE CAREFULLY IN THE AFD AND AT THE SEGMENTED CIRCLE TO DETERMINE THE DIRECTION OF TURNS. I TOLD THE PROSPECTIVE RENTAL PLT OF MY MISTAKE SO HE COULD ALSO LEARN A LESSON. ONE SUGGESTION I WOULD MAKE; IN ORDER TO MAKE IT EASIER TO NOTICE THE STATEMENT INDICATING THE DIRECTION OF TURNS IN THE AFD; WOULD BE TO BOLD FACE OR UNDERLINE 'R TFC.'
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.