Narrative:

Based at uncontrolled field with heavy glider traffic. Returning to field called my position 5 mi east. Flew overhead to see wind sock. Sock showed wind from west. Flew crosswind mid field to overhead sock. Still west wind. Made left downwind and again gave traffic advisory on unicom. Did same on base and final. There was some other traffic advisory, but I was not able to understand transmission. While on short final about 100', I saw tow aircraft fly crosswind and then fly right downwind to land opp runway. With wind about 270 degrees, I chose runway 22 with about a 50 degree crosswind. The tow pilot used runway 4 with about 130 degree crosswind with tailwind component. The reason was he said, 'that's the way we have been landing today.' seems consideration to WX, wind not important enough. The glider operation once set up does not want to change runways because it's too much trouble. Not professional and puts undue burden on any pilots arriving and attempting to land into wind. What's the answer? The pilot under 91.3 far should have control, but the glider people say they determine airport direction.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GLIDER OPERATION SETS UP TRAFFIC PATTERN AT NON TWR ARPT DOWNWIND.

Narrative: BASED AT UNCONTROLLED FIELD WITH HEAVY GLIDER TFC. RETURNING TO FIELD CALLED MY POS 5 MI E. FLEW OVERHEAD TO SEE WIND SOCK. SOCK SHOWED WIND FROM W. FLEW XWIND MID FIELD TO OVERHEAD SOCK. STILL W WIND. MADE LEFT DOWNWIND AND AGAIN GAVE TFC ADVISORY ON UNICOM. DID SAME ON BASE AND FINAL. THERE WAS SOME OTHER TFC ADVISORY, BUT I WAS NOT ABLE TO UNDERSTAND XMISSION. WHILE ON SHORT FINAL ABOUT 100', I SAW TOW ACFT FLY XWIND AND THEN FLY RIGHT DOWNWIND TO LAND OPP RWY. WITH WIND ABOUT 270 DEGS, I CHOSE RWY 22 WITH ABOUT A 50 DEG XWIND. THE TOW PLT USED RWY 4 WITH ABOUT 130 DEG XWIND WITH TAILWIND COMPONENT. THE REASON WAS HE SAID, 'THAT'S THE WAY WE HAVE BEEN LNDG TODAY.' SEEMS CONSIDERATION TO WX, WIND NOT IMPORTANT ENOUGH. THE GLIDER OPERATION ONCE SET UP DOES NOT WANT TO CHANGE RWYS BECAUSE IT'S TOO MUCH TROUBLE. NOT PROFESSIONAL AND PUTS UNDUE BURDEN ON ANY PLTS ARRIVING AND ATTEMPTING TO LAND INTO WIND. WHAT'S THE ANSWER? THE PLT UNDER 91.3 FAR SHOULD HAVE CTL, BUT THE GLIDER PEOPLE SAY THEY DETERMINE ARPT DIRECTION.

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.