Narrative:

I was returning to home field in my experimental aircraft. Since there were no xmissions on tower frequency, I requested to enter the pattern by a 'military break' from a low approach. I frequently use this entry leading a formation flight to the field. I requested a left break, which is away from the normal right traffic pattern, but was given a right break by the tower. (This is contrary to the normally assigned break away from the traffic pattern.) I reconfirmed with the tower the right break, and broke at mid-field. As I broke, I noticed a cherokee midfield on a wide downwind, which did not present a problem since the break maneuver finishes on a very close-in downwind pattern. However, the cherokee pilot apparently was not comfortable with the 'break maneuver' and executed a 360 degree turn on the downwind leg. I felt bad that I apparently scared the cherokee pilot with the break maneuver, since he didn't understand the pattern entry I was executing. In the future, I will only use the 'military break' pattern if tower clears me to break away from the normal traffic pattern. This procedure will avoid startling my fellow airmen unfamiliar with the military pattern entry.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN RV6 PLT MADE A NON STANDARD REQUEST AT FFZ, USING TERMINOLOGY THE TWR DID NOT SEEM TO UNDERSTAND, YET APPROVED. THE MANEUVER CAUSED ANOTHER ACFT TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION.

Narrative: I WAS RETURNING TO HOME FIELD IN MY EXPERIMENTAL ACFT. SINCE THERE WERE NO XMISSIONS ON TWR FREQ, I REQUESTED TO ENTER THE PATTERN BY A 'MIL BREAK' FROM A LOW APCH. I FREQUENTLY USE THIS ENTRY LEADING A FORMATION FLT TO THE FIELD. I REQUESTED A L BREAK, WHICH IS AWAY FROM THE NORMAL R TFC PATTERN, BUT WAS GIVEN A R BREAK BY THE TWR. (THIS IS CONTRARY TO THE NORMALLY ASSIGNED BREAK AWAY FROM THE TFC PATTERN.) I RECONFIRMED WITH THE TWR THE R BREAK, AND BROKE AT MID-FIELD. AS I BROKE, I NOTICED A CHEROKEE MIDFIELD ON A WIDE DOWNWIND, WHICH DID NOT PRESENT A PROB SINCE THE BREAK MANEUVER FINISHES ON A VERY CLOSE-IN DOWNWIND PATTERN. HOWEVER, THE CHEROKEE PLT APPARENTLY WAS NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THE 'BREAK MANEUVER' AND EXECUTED A 360 DEG TURN ON THE DOWNWIND LEG. I FELT BAD THAT I APPARENTLY SCARED THE CHEROKEE PLT WITH THE BREAK MANEUVER, SINCE HE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE PATTERN ENTRY I WAS EXECUTING. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL ONLY USE THE 'MIL BREAK' PATTERN IF TWR CLRS ME TO BREAK AWAY FROM THE NORMAL TFC PATTERN. THIS PROC WILL AVOID STARTLING MY FELLOW AIRMEN UNFAMILIAR WITH THE MIL PATTERN ENTRY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.