Standard Airport Traffic Patterns
The traffic pattern altitude is usually 1,000 feet above the elevation of the airport surface..
A: The flight plan routing is chosen for the minimum flight time while avoiding bad weather and restricted airspace.
Air traffic control reviews the flight plan and may modify it for traffic separation needs..
The circuit is an orderly pattern used to position the aeroplane for landing and minimise the risk of collision with other aircraft.
Aerodromes attract aircraft, therefore rules and procedures are required to maintain an orderly sequence or flow of traffic..
A circuit consists of five legs – the take-off, crosswind, downwind, base and final approach to the runway.
A simplified representation is shown in this picture.
The take off and final stage of the circuit is flown into the wind, as this is the safest way for an aircraft to operate..
“The standard aerodrome traffic circuit pattern facilitates an orderly flow of traffic and is normally a circuit pattern made with all turns to the left.
When arriving at an aerodrome to land, a pilot will normally join the circuit upwind, crosswind (mid-field), or downwind (before mid-downwind).Apr 11, 2019.
In a standard aerodrome traffic circuit pattern, all turns are made to the left (unless stated in ERSA FAC).
When an aircraft is arriving to land at an aerodrome, the pilot will normally join the circuit upwing, crosswind or downwind..
“The standard aerodrome traffic circuit pattern facilitates an orderly flow of traffic and is normally a circuit pattern made with all turns to the left.
When arriving at an aerodrome to land, a pilot will normally join the circuit upwind, crosswind (mid-field), or downwind (before mid-downwind).Apr 11, 2019.
The standard traffic pattern is a rectangular pattern consisting of an upwind, crosswind, downwind, and final approach leg.
The standard traffic pattern altitude is 1,000 feet above aerodrome elevation, with turbine aircraft maintaining 1,500 feet above aerodrome elevation..
The standard traffic pattern is to the left; unless visual markings and published documentation indicate otherwise, all turns in the pattern will be made to the left.
The standard traffic pattern is a rectangular pattern consisting of an upwind, crosswind, downwind, and final approach leg..
If there are no other aircraft observed, the pilot should check traffic indicators and wind indicators on the ground to determine which runway and traffic pattern direction to use. [Figure 8-2] Many airports have L-shaped traffic pattern indicators displayed with a segmented circle adjacent to the runway..
The world of air traffic:
The FAA is a year-round, 24/7 operation, responsible for 5.3 million square miles of U.S. domestic airspace and 24 million square miles of U.S. airspace over the oceans.
There are 43,290 average daily flights in and out of the U.S..
Airport traffic patterns are procedures that improve the flow of traffic at an airport and enhance safety when properly executed.
Most reported mid-air collisions occur during the final or short- final approach leg of the airport traffic pattern..
The specified path to be flown by aircraft operating in the vicinity of an aerodrome. Source: ICAO Doc 4444 PANS-ATM
Aerodrome Traffic Zone (ATZ)
The aerodrome traffic circuit may be subject to various restrictions, e.g.:.
1) A default turn direction may be chosen (either left or right) in the interest of uniformity. This means that if the opposite runway is used for take offs and landings, the active side will become non-active and vice-versa.
2) The active side may be fixed due to e.g. nois.
