Traffic Patterns

Maintain within ±100 ft of traffic pattern altitude, with correct entry and spacing from other traffic.

The standard pattern is left turns, flown at the published traffic pattern altitude, typically 1,000 ft AGL for piston airplanes unless the Chart Supplement says otherwise (AIM 4-3-3).

Five legs, in order:

1. Upwind/departure: climbing out on the extended centerline
2. Crosswind: 90° to the runway, turned past the departure end and within 300 ft of pattern altitude
3. Downwind: parallel to the runway, opposite the landing direction, about ½ to 1 mile out
4. Base: 90° to final, started when the touchdown point sits about 45° behind the wing
5. Final: aligned with the runway, stabilized for landing

Before the flight:

• Chart Supplement: TPA and any nonstandard right-hand pattern, per runway
• Sectional: "RP" at the airport marks right traffic for the listed runways

Arriving, I confirm from the air:

• Segmented circle and wind indicators: the traffic pattern indicators show turn direction; the sock, tee, or tetrahedron shows the wind
• What traffic is actually doing on CTAF and out the window; the pattern in use beats the one I computed

Right traffic exists for reasons (terrain, obstructions, noise), so a nonstandard pattern is a clue about the airport, not a formality (AC 90-66C).

The preferred entry is on the 45° leg to the midpoint of the downwind, at pattern altitude, established well before joining.

Arriving from the opposite side, two options (AC 90-66C):

• Overfly midfield at least 500 ft above TPA, fly clear of the pattern, descend, then turn back and join the standard 45° entry
• Midfield crosswind entry at TPA, turning downwind, but only when it doesn't conflict with traffic on the 45

Self-announce on CTAF starting about 10 miles out, then with position reports as I enter and turn through each leg. I announce; I never assume everyone has a radio. Scanning is the separation.

Two standard departures (AIM 4-3-3, AC 90-66C):

• Straight out on the extended runway centerline
• A 45° turn in the direction of the pattern (left turn from a left-hand pattern), begun after reaching pattern altitude

Climb to TPA before turning on course, announce the departure and direction on CTAF, and keep scanning for inbound traffic on the 45; the departure path and the preferred entry path cross close to the airport.

A downwind departure (continuing out on the downwind instead of turning on course) gets flown, and it's standard phraseology at a towered field, but it isn't one of the two recommended at a nontowered airport. It leaves me opposite-direction to anyone joining on the 45, so it's the answer to defend, not the one to give.

The pattern is a rhythm, the same actions at the same places every lap:

• Downwind: pattern speed, pre-landing flow (mixture, fuel, gauges) done by midfield
• Abeam the touchdown point: first power reduction, first notch of flaps, begin the descent
• Base: second notch, slowing toward final approach speed, and a look down final for straight-in traffic before turning
• Final: landing flaps, stabilized at approach speed

ACS standards: pattern altitude ±100 ft, appropriate airspeed ±10 knots, proper wind-drift correction on every leg so the ground track stays rectangular (ACS PA.III.B).

Spacing tools, in order of preference:

• Adjust downwind width or speed early: small corrections upstream beat big ones on final
• Extend the downwind and turn base when the traffic ahead is safely inside my base turn, announcing the extension
• A 360 for spacing only where it won't surprise anyone, never on base or final with traffic behind

The turn from base to final is the classic collision point: overshooting the turn while looking for traffic invites the skidding, stall-prone correction. If sequencing on final gets tight or confusing, the answer is a go-around, flown on the upwind side to keep the pattern in sight (AC 90-66C).