Posted for Bill Hannahan <wfhannahan@yahoo.com>:

 
  I think Earl Schroeder’s idea is excellent.

  I never liked the merge after Fisk. The controller says “Lower your gear and
descend to xxxx feet” (the low pattern), a good formula for dropping in on a
Cessna.
  I keep the gear and speed up, descending slowly into the low pattern,
passing slower aircraft on the outside. Once at the lower altitude slow to a
comfortable speed, 120-130 mph with flaps 10 deg from full up, 1600 rpm, gives
a comfortable quiet ride with good visibility over the nose and low engine
temps. Continue passing till ½ mile base, lower the gear. If there are no
planes between me and the runway make short approach and land long to minimize
taxi. If there is a plane close ahead, widen out for a longer final, rock
wings slowly to look for traffic and to make myself more visible, keep away
from the parallel runway extended centerline, land on the numbers unless the
other plane is well down the runway, expect wake turbulence.
  If the tower has not spotted you by short final, make a brief call to get
landing clearance, “White Lancair, 36 left, short final”.
  Be prepared to go around if it gets uncomfortable. The controllers are good
about working go arounds back in, in contrast to the Sun N Fun controllers who
talk a lot and miss a lot of what is going on.
  On the plus side the traffic splits at Fisk (no-wind conditions), and there
are two north south runways, so the traffic splits again on the turn to final.
  Riding down to Fisk from Rippon you can listen to the planes being directed
to 36 and have an idea of how many are in front of you, high wing, low wing,
color etc., and get an idea of where the holes are.
  Things might get worse if LSA become numerous.

  From Earl Schroeder

 
 My solution:  dual lanes down the tracks with the
 
 lower altitude on the
 
 left side containing the slower airplanes.  The right
 
 lane at the higher
 
 altitude and directed to left or right 18-36 depending
 
 on speed or other
 
 requirements.  Stop closing 18-36 for anything except
 
 an emergency.  If
 
 the warbirds require special handling or the group
 
 types, create a
 
 window in the notam [say an hour in the afternoon
 
 (like a reservation
 
 system)].  If they miss the window, tough, and have
 
 them join in the
 
 standard arrival.  Some suggest letting the 'fast'
 
 homebuilts use the
 
 warbird approach.  Letting them in the window might
 
 work but it isn't a
 
 total solution as it does not address those of us that
 
 can fly safely at
 
 90 knots but not at 70 which is the common speed I've
 
 observed in these
 
 many years.

 
 
 BILL HANNAHAN
 WFHANNAHAN@YAHOO.COM