Mather (MHR) Traffic Pattern Caution

A review of the Airport/Facilities Directory for Mather, just east of Sacramento, will fail to alert you to the daily use of the airport by T-38’s from Beale AFB. The supersonic T-38’s use an overhead pattern at 2,000 ft AGL and are normally entering the pattern at about 280 kts. When on final they are going about 155 kts. Airport management has refused to publish this piece of information for reasons unknown. If you are lucky enough to be flying a jet watch out for the non-standard 1800 ft AGL pattern altitude. And, yes that is just 200 ft below the T-38’s.