Response to Barry Hancock:


<<One of the funner things is to come into the break patterne at 240K

Of course you are talking about an uncontrolled airport....damn, I hate being outdone! :) >>


Acutally, my home field (HIO) has no problem with a break pattern.  I don't ask if there is a lot of traffic and I always ask in a way that makes clear that I'm happy to fly a conventional pattern if that works better for them.  They're getting used to it and I think they actually get a kick out of it.  One of the things I am hoping is that they will figure out that, even on crowded days, it is easier to deal with a Legacy in a gaggle of Cessnas if the Legacy flies a break pattern.  RDM has no problem with breaks either.  If you come to the Lanciar fly-in you should be cleared for one.



<<You're #2 following the cessna a mile ahead." Most tower operators still don't have a clue.

I had a controller all over me the other day...."Sir, it's NEVER a good idea to come into the pattern here at 200 knots." What? It's OK for the jets, but not for a Lancair? And it was my *ground speed*. My *indicated* airspeed was 185 kts. I love it when some ground lover tells me how to fly my airplane! Anyway...right before he keyed the mike to yell at me, I had popped the paddles and by the time I could respond to him it was "my INDICATED airspeed is 165 knots, sir. I'll be at 120 here shortly, how would you like me to proceed?" It was great fun. >>


My favorite was again at HIO one evening when I had not had the plane long.  I got cleared in ahead of a bizjet of some kind and the controller pretty quickly decided he had probably made a mistake.  He was obviously very worried and asked me twice to make best speed.  When the crisis didn't happen he finally asked: "84BZ, how fast are you going".  I answered "185K but I had to slow down if I am going to land."  The brakes were helpful that time too.

One more war story:  IFR from VIS to SAN out over the ocean just south of Orange County had the following exchange with SOCAL:

"84BZ, are you a jet"

"Negative"

Well are you a turboprop"

No, I'm just a miserable piston plane but pretty fast."