Tina,
I spend A LOT of time in patterns with FWs.
Do you fly lower in and in the same direction as FW traffic?
Do you use the radio to announce position?
I find that when I am comfortable with the FW traffic they are comfortable we me also.
(With the exception of student pilots, who are uncomfortable with anything else in the pattern..)
The airport I am based at has several FW schools (including a local collage), a helicopter school and a warbirds museum. In addition to this the world famous pilot shop Sporty's is here and they give away free hotdogs every Saturday which draws in everything from small jets to piper cubs and ultralights.
It's fantastic exposure and I was a bit intimidated when I fist moved here. I actually used to wait until the pattern died down before flying. I would not dream of that now. I love to jump into the mix.
Here is a GREAT FAA circular:
Traffic Patterns for Rotorcraft at Non-Towered Airports
http://gyrowiki.com/Shared Documents/Forms/DispForm.aspx?ID=678
Here are some of my favorite passages:
e. The FAA encourages pilots to use the standard
traffic pattern. However, for those pilots who choose
to execute a straight-in approach, maneuvering for
and execution of the approach should be completed
so as not to disrupt the flow of arriving and
departing traffic. Therefore,p ilots operating in the
traffic pattern should be alert at all times to
aircraft executing straight-in approaches.
(3) In the case of a gyrocopter approaching
to land, the pilot should avoid the flow of fixed-wing
aircraft until turning final for the active runway.
(4) A helicopter operating in the traffic pattern
may .fly a pattern similar to the airplane pattern
at a lower altitude (500 AGL) and closer to
the airport.
They mention that some helicopters may fly a pattern
opposite of the FW pattern.
I strongly disagree with doing that. I have found that this confuses FW pilots, they have a hard time finding you, determining who is in what position in the pattern and worst of all when some FW decides to fly UPWIND or does a go around you will be in for a head-on with that FW.
I have found that flying the standard pattern but inside and at 1/2 pattern altitude works out best by far (as recommended by FAA circular AC No.90-66A).
This way even though you are slower then the fW traffic you move at about the same pace, you are easier to see, they won't mow you over from behind, things seem more 'normal' to the FW pilots and you don't have to worry about FW traffic using the up-wind leg or doing a go-around and flying in your face.
Using the radio on every leg as well as when approaching the pattern does wonders for making everything comfortable and smooth.
.