J3 Cub
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Flight Engineer
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 160; Flight Crew Total 8000; Flight Crew Type 4000
Training / Qualification; Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown
Conflict NMAC
Human Factors; Aircraft
Right hand pattern for 28R MYF; a Cessna had just turned final. I was on downwind about to turn base at pattern altitude; and a Cirrus was #3 for touch and go. All of us had clearances. I told the Tower to assure the Cessna that they were in sight.Cessna was on about a mile and a half final; and I turned above and to the north of that aircraft to establish spacing at the runway. The Cessna pilot asked if I saw her; and the Tower answered in the affirmative. Altitude separation estimated at 300 FT and lateral distance approximately the same. That is roughly 420 FT slant-range separation.Tower changed me to the left runway; because the Cirrus was closing from behind. The Cirrus touched down before I did; and the Cessna was west of the field turning downwind as I touched down. This interesting scenario is due to disparate approach speeds: I estimate the 172 at about 65 KTS; the Cirrus at perhaps 75; and my approach was 35.As the Cessna was turning right base on the next circuit; she started an extended transmission criticizing my flying. It seemed to go on forever; but was probably less than a half minute nonstop. My answer - on the Tower frequency - was 'come see me at my hangar.' The answer: 'I don't have time.'So I landed and dropped by as the pilot was debriefing her student. I introduced myself and she again said 'I do not have time to talk to you.'Putting aside whether paralleling an aircraft on final is some kind of violation or bad judgment - my impression is that it just makes sense for a slow aircraft to try to optimize separation on the runway - the point of this report is that criticizing another pilot on an ATC frequency is bad policy; even if a student is not involved. But adding a student to the mix; and then teaching that such a transmission is good practice is not good instructing. The student has learned that resolving problems should be restricted to ATC frequencies; and that ground and/or telephone discussions are not appropriate.An appropriate response is to call the Tower on the telephone; get the N-number of the pilot you wish to discuss something with; and then either do it on the phone; or in person; or simply call the FSDO.
In an unsolicited attempt to provide spacing at the threshold of the runway the pilot of Piper J3 elected to turn final close to and slightly above and behind the C-172 he was to follow. When the Instructor pilot of the Cessna took exception to the J3's unagreed to propinquity a verbal exchange resulted.