Ibra wrote:If you know the runway in use, why one can't just join downwind there is plenty of space, about 4nm length, you can't hit someone even if you want to do it on purpose...
A 4nm downwind? Maybe at Cardiff!
The airfield circumference, the "roundabout" for the OHJ is longer than the downwind, plus you're not mixing with any training traffic doing circuits at that point, so you're much less likely to bump into other traffic.
TopCat wrote:Not as bad as calling "overhead" (deadside or otherwise) when it's simply a complete lie, and they're still half a mile away or more.
Top tip: 'overhead' does not mean 'inside the ATZ'.
Half a mile from what? "Overhead" in terms of the overhead join means somewhere around the circumference of the airfield. If the airfield is a mile across, this is necessarily going to be half a mile from the centre point.
PaulSS wrote:"Overhead" is overhead, nowhere else.
Are you sure? What's your definition of overhead?
PaulSS wrote:"Dead side, descending" is descending on the dead side. No room for guessing or assuming.
Are you sure they're going for the same runway as you?
PaulSS wrote:There's no need for interpretation; it's abeam the upwind threshold.
This is just where it's recommended to make the call. I'm with foxmoth, downwind can be anywhere along the downwind up to the point of "late downwind". Otherwise if you miss the call in the exact position where you're supposed to call due to the radio being occupied or workload, what do you do then, skip it? Make up your own call such as "abeam the Toyota dealer"?
If you're flying in the US and join 45 degrees to the downwind, mid-field, where would you call downwind, if at all?