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Copperstate Arrival ?Notice to Pilots?

J

Jerry P. Sheppard

Member
Any words as to how the flow of flying traffic is going into Casa Grande this year without having FAA air traffic controllers?

Are folks going to the old entry points (Rest Point to the north on I-10 for Rwy 5 / Mine Pit to the west for Rwy 23) or something else – like following the “Notice to Pilots” as outlined on the Copperstate web page?

WX looks great for this year’s event.
 
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Jerry P. Sheppard said:
Any words as to how the flow of flying traffic is going into Casa Grande this year without having FAA air traffic controllers?

Are folks going to the old entry points (Rest Point to the north on I-10 for Rwy 5 / Mine Pit to the west for Rwy 23) or something else – like following the “Notice to Pilots” as outlined on the Copperstate web page?

WX looks great for this year’s event.
Click to expand...

From the Copperstate website:
"Casa Grande Municipal Airport is a non-towered airport-- and it will simply remain so during the Fly-In. While traffic volume is expected to be high, a safe environment for air operations can be maintained by eliminating the operational complexity of previous years, which was primarily due to the use of special traffic patterns for local flights (passenger rides, factory demos, showcase, etc.). During this year’s event, these special traffic patterns have been eliminated, and all pilots will follow standard recommended practices for operations at non-towered airports."
 
If the weather cooperates here in SoCal I'm planning on flying in tomorrow. Any PIREPS on what the traffic in the pattern/vicinity is like? I'm proficient in uncontolled airport operations but I have to admit that I'm a little nervous about the pattern at Copperstate.

My original plan was to leave here at 7am, getting me there around 9am, thinking that traffic should be light early in the morning. Now it's looking like I might not be able to take off till 11, getting me there sometime around 1pm. Any thoughts on what the traffic will be like at that time? This will be my first time to Copperstate so any thoughts our advice is greatly appreciated.
 
Old entry works for me

I plan on using the same entry procedures from past years. During the Cactus Flyin (Casa Grande uncontrolled) lots of planes and most use the Copperstate pattern entry procedures.

I arrive from the south, overfly the airfield to the north, arrive over the rest stop over the highway (I-10) and enter the left hand pattern for Rwy 5.

Keep your eyes and ears open.

See ya there.
 
OMG

Pmerems said:
I plan on using the same entry procedures from past years. During the Cactus Flyin (Casa Grande uncontrolled) lots of planes and most use the Copperstate pattern entry procedures.

<CLIP>

Keep your eyes and ears open.
Click to expand...

Yep. If there are people who insist on not flying by the requested procedure, it's going to be a mess and I sure don't want to be there.

I just talked with Paul, who arrived today. He says the arrival was fairly pedestrian today and everyone he saw or heard was doing a normal, uncontrolled field pattern. (He did mention that there was several folks over Stanfield complicating the busy environment with holds and ILS approaches, as usual.)

Again, if yahoos insist on rolling their own approach and not working with the requested procedures, please, Lord, protect the folks trying to work together towards safely attending the event.
 
standard procedure?

For my clarification, the requested procedure is the standard 45 degree entry to downwind, right? On the Copperstate website they state that there are no special procedures in use for the fly in.

I'm planning on the 45 degree entry to the right downwind, which I believe is the standard for Casa Grande. If people coming in are using approaches that were used in years prior that are not currently published there will be a lot of confusion. Me, being unfamiliar with the area and not knowIing the local landmarks, like the I10 rest stop, or what the procedures were in years prior, would be completely confused if people are calling inbound from other than a standard non-towered pattern.

And this is what makes me nervous about heading there tomorrow, people not adhering to the what is published for this year and coming in from all directions. If I do fly in I'll be listening closely and if it sounds like there is a lot of confusion, and peoe not flying a standard pattern I'll optionally pass on the fly in and just keep going to Tuscon. Never been there, looks like a nice place to spend a day.

Please forgive the typos, I typed this on the phone.
 
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jtrusso said:
For my clarification, the requested procedure is the standard 45 degree entry to downwind, right? On the Copperstate website they state that there are no special procedures in use for the fly in.

I'm planning on the 45 degree entry to the right downwind, which I believe is the standard for Casa Grande. If people coming in are using approaches that were used in years prior that are not currently published there will be a lot of confusion. Me, being unfamiliar with the area and not knowIing the local landmarks, like the I10 rest stop, or what the procedures were in years prior, would be completely confused if people are calling inbound from other than a standard non-towered pattern.

.
Click to expand...

Left traffic for 05, right for 23 - standard pattern per the AIM - that worked just great today (there were about five arrivals from the time I called at 10 miles and when I landed today - just so folks get an idea of the level of traffic). I was surprised to hear the usual flight school traffic at the Stanfield VOR and flying the ILS. If tomorrow or Saturday is busy, I hope those instructors demonstrate a little judgement and knock it off.
 
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Depending on when I get out of SoCAL on Friday, I'll be there (on the standard 45deg approach to the downwind) for a few hours in the afternoon then all day Saturday with RV-6 builder Dave McAllister. I've left my Kansas-City-49-ship-formation smoke brackets on for folks to see how great they look :) Rosie
 
jtrusso said:
For my clarification, the requested procedure is the standard 45 degree entry to downwind, right? On the Copperstate website they state that there are no special procedures in use for the fly in.

I'm planning on the 45 degree entry to the right downwind, which I believe is the standard for Casa Grande. If people coming in are using approaches that were used in years prior that are not currently published there will be a lot of confusion. Me, being unfamiliar with the area and not knowIing the local landmarks, like the I10 rest stop, or what the procedures were in years prior, would be completely confused if people are calling inbound from other than a standard non-towered pattern.

And this is what makes me nervous about heading there tomorrow, people not adhering to the what is published for this year and coming in from all directions. If I do fly in I'll be listening closely and if it sounds like there is a lot of confusion, and peoe not flying a standard pattern I'll optionally pass on the fly in and just keep going to Tuscon. Never been there, looks like a nice place to spend a day.

Please forgive the typos, I typed this on the phone.
Click to expand...

If Runway 5 is in use (typical) then the freeway rest stop is quite visible as the spot where the two lanes of the freeway diverge from each other.

It is 4 nm due North of the airport and flying southwards directly at the airport (about 170 mag) puts you in an extended 45 degree entry to the standard Left pattern for Runway 5.

http://skyvector.com/?ll=33.0128388...153903:G.32.95414427837696,-111.7682284226116

It does meet an AIM standard pattern, giving a slightly longer 45 degree entry perhaps.
 
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Arrivals

Hopefully all of the flight schools will go elsewhere to practice the ILS approach this weekend. Normally they will be stacked up at Stanfield VOR for the hold and approach. Then, they don't land but do the Missed procedure.

PLEASE NOTE: You'll often hear planes that are in the hold saying, "Stanfield Traffic." They are headed in to CGZ and beware.

I'll be working all weekend for AirEvac at the airport. Let's make it quiet weekend.
 
az_gila said:
If Runway 5 is in use (typical) then the freeway rest stop is quite visible as the spot where the two lanes of the freeway diverge from each other.

It is 4 nm due North of the airport and flying southwards directly at the airport (about 170 mag) puts you in an extended 45 degree entry to the standard Left pattern for Runway 5.

http://skyvector.com/?ll=33.0128388...153903:G.32.95414427837696,-111.7682284226116

It does meet an AIM standard pattern, giving a slightly longer 45 degree entry perhaps.
Click to expand...

Thanks Gil, that is some great info. I really appreciate the tip.

I'm still stuck under the overcast here in SoCal so it's 50/50 if I'll make it out today.
 
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