FCLP pattern questions

[Nealius]

I've got a couple questions about the FCLP pattern and how they differ from the boat pattern since the carrier box on the runway is neither moving nor angled off:

 

1. On initial, do you line up starboard of the runway/carrier box as you would at the boat?

2. How far past the carrier box do you initiate the break?

3. Do you start your groove turn at the "rundown" on the carrier box, or do you extend downwind to account for the stationary landing area? How far would you extend?

[Possum]

1. Yes.

2. As far as you need to not dork up your first pass. Usually departure end of the runway.

3. 15 seconds -1sec for every knot of headwind (kind of). If there’s a 15 knot wind, I’d still give it a couple of potatoes past the box, otherwise you’ll be tight.

[Nealius]

Headwind in relation to the active runway, yes?

[Possum]

Yes, I should’ve said headwind component.

[Nealius]

Awesome thanks. After thinking about it for a minute, I realized it was a stupid question and I should have been able to guess by the -1 second per every knot thing.

[Possum]

Well, winds are rarely straight down the runway so you have to calculate headwind component. But honestly, that gouge was usually just for the first pass. For FCLP, everyone uses ground gouge and adjusts for groove length off of a downwind ground checkpoint.