Narrative:

I had taken my student to aurora airport to practice landing. After being vectored into the pattern, we followed directions and entered right downwind for runway 18. The day was severe clear and was the first such day since dec. Therefore, there was a lot of VFR traffic practicing touch and goes. The pattern was saturated. We were following an small aircraft also doing touch and goes. We were arriving at the point to turn base, and we were getting closer and closer. We tried to slow the aircraft down for spacing and we expected the other aircraft to turn base any time. So in order to provide more space between the aircraft I executed a left 360 degree. Simultaneously, I said to tower, 'north____' is doing a left 360 for spacing.' the air traffic controller then thoroughly reprimanded me on the radio said 'you will not do a 360 unless authorized by me and you will not do that in my airspace. You must think of the traffic behind you.' I executed the turn to avoid traffic so there was no other way. If I extended the pattern, I would have interfered with incoming traffic. I had already slowed the aircraft down. I don't know what I can give for helpful suggestions except controllers should not reprimand pilots on the radio. Especially since I was doing the turn to avoid traffic and using my PIC authority. I understand it was a tight pattern but I had no other alternative. A suggestion may be that if the pattern is saturated, have incoming traffic circle. Also, I have done the same maneuver at aurora in the past and it was unquestioned. If aurora doesn't want 360 degrees, then we as pilots should be informed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INSTRUCTOR WITH STUDENT IN SATURATED VFR TFC PATTERN WAS OVERTAKING ACFT AHEAD AND MADE A 360 R TURN TO INCREASE SEPARATION. TWR CTLR VOICED OBJECTION.

Narrative: I HAD TAKEN MY STUDENT TO AURORA ARPT TO PRACTICE LNDG. AFTER BEING VECTORED INTO THE PATTERN, WE FOLLOWED DIRECTIONS AND ENTERED R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 18. THE DAY WAS SEVERE CLR AND WAS THE FIRST SUCH DAY SINCE DEC. THEREFORE, THERE WAS A LOT OF VFR TFC PRACTICING TOUCH AND GOES. THE PATTERN WAS SATURATED. WE WERE FOLLOWING AN SMA ALSO DOING TOUCH AND GOES. WE WERE ARRIVING AT THE POINT TO TURN BASE, AND WE WERE GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER. WE TRIED TO SLOW THE ACFT DOWN FOR SPACING AND WE EXPECTED THE OTHER ACFT TO TURN BASE ANY TIME. SO IN ORDER TO PROVIDE MORE SPACE BTWN THE ACFT I EXECUTED A L 360 DEG. SIMULTANEOUSLY, I SAID TO TWR, 'N____' IS DOING A L 360 FOR SPACING.' THE AIR TFC CTLR THEN THOROUGHLY REPRIMANDED ME ON THE RADIO SAID 'YOU WILL NOT DO A 360 UNLESS AUTHORIZED BY ME AND YOU WILL NOT DO THAT IN MY AIRSPACE. YOU MUST THINK OF THE TFC BEHIND YOU.' I EXECUTED THE TURN TO AVOID TFC SO THERE WAS NO OTHER WAY. IF I EXTENDED THE PATTERN, I WOULD HAVE INTERFERED WITH INCOMING TFC. I HAD ALREADY SLOWED THE ACFT DOWN. I DON'T KNOW WHAT I CAN GIVE FOR HELPFUL SUGGESTIONS EXCEPT CTLRS SHOULD NOT REPRIMAND PLTS ON THE RADIO. ESPECIALLY SINCE I WAS DOING THE TURN TO AVOID TFC AND USING MY PIC AUTHORITY. I UNDERSTAND IT WAS A TIGHT PATTERN BUT I HAD NO OTHER ALTERNATIVE. A SUGGESTION MAY BE THAT IF THE PATTERN IS SATURATED, HAVE INCOMING TFC CIRCLE. ALSO, I HAVE DONE THE SAME MANEUVER AT AURORA IN THE PAST AND IT WAS UNQUESTIONED. IF AURORA DOESN'T WANT 360 DEGS, THEN WE AS PLTS SHOULD BE INFORMED.

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.