traffic pattern operations

Created by: Edwin A. Pitty Sanchez

Traffic Pattern Operations


Airport Landing Indicator


Wind Considerations

WINDSOCK WIND

With the depicted wind, which way will we be taking off and landing?


Wind Considerations

WINDSOCK WIND

Takeoffs and Landings should always occur into the wind. This allows for better performance and increased aircraft controllability.


Leg Names

UPWINDFINAL

DOWNWIND

BASE CROSSWIND

These leg names will be used to help communicate your location during flight training. This pattern is called left traffic, as all turns are made to the left. If the wind direction was reversed, we would flying a right traffic pattern.


See AFD to that specific airport.

What if the winds are calm?


Standard Traffic Pattern


1. Enter pattern in level flight, abeam the midpoint of the runway, at pattern altitude. (1,000' AGL is recommended pattern altitude unless established otherwise. . .)

2. Maintain pattern altitude until abeam approach end of the landing runway on downwind leg.

3. Complete turn to final at least 1/4 mile from the runway.

4. Continue straight ahead until beyond departure end of runway.

5. If remaining in the traffic pattern, commence turn to crosswind leg beyond the departure end of the runway within 300 feet of pattern altitude.

6. If departing the traffic pattern, continue straight out, or exit with a 45 degree turn (to the left when in a left-hand traffic pattern; to the right when in a right-hand traffic pattern) beyond the departure end of the runway, after reaching pattern altitude.

Key to Traffic Pattern Operations


Runways are identified by numbers which indicate the nearest 10-degree increment of the azimuth of the runway centerline.

Use of Runways


Declared Distances


Takeoff Run Available (TORA) – The runway length declared available and suitable for the ground run of an airplane taking off.

Takeoff Distance Available (TODA) – The takeoff run available plus the length of any remaining runway or clearway beyond the far end of the takeoff run available.

Declared Distances


Accelerate-Stop Distance Available (ASDA) – The runway plus stopway length declared available and suitable for the acceleration and deceleration of an airplane aborting a takeoff.

Landing Distance Available (LDA) - The runway length declared available and suitable for a landing airplane.

Declared Distances


Always announce your intentions when operating on the flight line or on ground in Uncontrolled Airport. For example:

“Taxiing” “Taking off” “Landing ”

Things to remember…


Air Traffic Control (ATC) will use a signal lamp to give you instructions and clearance limits. The light gun has a focused bright beam and is capable of emitting three different colors: red, white and green. You have to look closely but they are visible from a surprising distance away.

ATC GUN SIGNALS


ATC GUN SIGNALS

Flashing Green On The Ground

Cleared to taxi

Flashing Green In The Air

Cleared to approach airport, or return to land.


Steady Green On The Ground

ATC GUN SIGNALS

Steady Green In The Air

Cleared for Takeoff Cleared to Land


Steady Red On The Ground

ATC GUN SIGNALS

Steady Red In The Air

Stop Continue to circle, give way to other aircraft


Flashing Red On The Ground

ATC GUN SIGNALS

Flashing Red In The Air

Immediately taxi clear of runway in use

Airport unsafe, do not land


Alternating

Red/Green On The Ground

ATC GUN SIGNALS

Alternating Red/Green In The Air

Exercise extreme caution


Flashing White On The

Ground

ATC GUN SIGNALS

Return to starting Point


Correct X-Wind Taxi Technique

traffic pattern operations

Technology

pitty sanchez

landing runway

runway length

remaining runway

right traffic pattern

departure end of runway

righthand traffic pattern

lefthand traffic pattern