So there you are, flying along in the traffic pattern of a non-towered airport. All is well. There are a couple other airplanes in the pattern with you, but everyone is making their radio calls, flowing together well, and maintaining good traffic separation with a strong emphasis on see-and-avoid.
Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, a new airplane pops up with the intention of landing. Maybe they enter on the base leg, or just call a long final that requires everybody already operating in the pattern to adjust their downwind and base legs to accommodate this new arrival.
To compound the annoyance factor, the interloper decides to meander down the runway after touchdown, taking an inordinately long time to taxi clear of the runway, causing the next airplane in the lineup to do a go-around.
It happens. As much as it saddens me to say it, it happens a lot.
Still, this is generally not a condition created through malice or an out of control ego.
Rather, it often stems from an ignorance of how to operate with other traffic in a smooth, safe, logical manner.
For all the Advisory Circulars, FAASTeam meetings, and occasional angry outburst on the CTAF, there are always a significant number of pilots who just don’t seem to realize what a burden they’re putting on their fellow pilots, or what a traffic SNAFU they’re causing by just jumping into the pattern from any direction, at any time, regardless of what’s going on.
This is often caused by errant instruction provided by a well-intentioned CFI who simply doesn’t understand the correct, safe method of entering a traffic pattern at a non-towered airport.
Not surprisingly, perhaps, that is exactly what I found myself a bystander to last week.
While in the pattern at my home airport, the other traffic and I were flowing nicely as we all got a bit of practice at landings. I was enjoying the opportunity to circulate some oil on a sunny day while working on no-flap landings. Ahead of me in the pattern was a C-310 flown by a young woman I have flown with in the past. She’s top-notch. And so, I was enjoying the experience of following her through the pattern as much as I was entertaining myself in my never-ending quest for the perfect squeaker of a landing.
Somewhere in there, a new aircraft entered the pattern. They turned right while still way out in the distance to join a left base to the runway in use. So far off in fact that it would be more reasonable to say they called base while still en route.
The instructional flight was being flown by the student, with the instructor making the radio calls. They found their way into the pattern incorrectly, but without causing too much of a disturbance. However, after touching down and rolling out to mid-field on the 4,000′ runway, the CFI announced they would be doing a stop-and-go short-field takeoff.
This was a bit inconvenient for the other traffic because we hadn’t planned on dealing with a surprise guest who would land and stop on the runway while a student pilot reconfigured the aircraft and prepared for a short-field takeoff.
It was also surprising because this wouldn’t be a simulated short-field takeoff. By using up half or more of the runway on landing, it was a real short-field takeoff, complete with real life obstacles in the form of trees and a large body of water immediately behind them.
After takeoff, the CFI keyed the radio and announced they were leaving the area. At less than 500 AGL they made a right turn out of a left-hand pattern and climbed away.
Now, the cranky old dude in me noticed several errors in judgment were made during this single landing and takeoff. I can live with that. I once made an error in judgement myself. It was a bracing experience.
However, what got my attention in this situation is that three CFIs were in the pattern. Two of us were doing it right. One of us was doing it wrong. And that one was actively instructing a primary student who would have every reason to believe they’d just done the right thing, the right way.
That’s not good.
Rather than start a bitch-fest on the radio, which is always a bad idea, I chose a different path. I sent an email to the program manager of the flight school, opening with the line, “Let me say right up front, this email does not constitute a complaint.”
Setting an appropriate tone is important. I wasn’t mad at the CFI or the student pilot, but it was obvious that both had a basic misunderstanding of how to conduct themselves in a non-towered airport environment.
Frankly, that’s not unusual. The flight school is based at a towered airport. The odds are good the CFI trained at a towered airport. The widely held and totally inaccurate assumption is that non-towered airports are uncontrolled airports runs rampant at many such schools.
So my goal was simple: To let the program manager know that at least one of his instructors was passing on bad information to students, and showing a bit of derring-do on takeoff requirements that just might bite him or her on the butt one day if they keep cutting things that close.
As expected, he was appreciative. After all, he’s a pro. He let me know he’d be making sure his instructors got a briefing regarding the proper way to handle each of the areas of deficiency I’d mentioned. A reaction that would make his CFIs better and more confident, his students better informed, and traffic issues in the local area to be less stressful for everyone.
A little correction can go a long way. And while I will never know the name of that CFI or student, and they will likely never know how their enhanced briefings came to be, I’d like to think the improved knowledge and skills they develop as a result will make their lives in the air better, safer, and more enjoyable.
One can always hope.
Here’s something I’ve never been able to figure out. At my home airport (KMAI) RWY 36 is right traffic and RWY 18 is left traffic. It is an uncontolled field. Someone explained the reasoning but I can’t remember why.
Are there obstacles that would affect the standard pattern?
http://www.westhoustonairport.com/reference/pdfs/West_Houston_Airport_20180319_112524.pdf
More on pattern flow. (If it can be linked).
My second favorite discussion, after “Radio Communications at a Non-Towered Airports”, is “Traffic Patterns at Non-Towered Airports”. It always generates a heated What’s Legal vs. What’s Safe, Recommended vs. Required, AIM vs. FAR, debate. My concern is when folks offer up their own techniques, without really fully understanding either.
I get it; lot’s of stuff is ‘legal’….and we now have more options officially acknowledged and addressed by the FAA.
But the basics (like Bullet #6 below) really haven’t changed. From AC 90-66B, Appendix A, Traffic Patterns, Single Runway Ops (Sorry I couldn’t copy the diagram, it’s in the AC, and the AIM):
Key to traffic pattern operations:
1. Enter pattern in level flight, abeam the midpoint of the runway, at pattern altitude.
2. Maintain pattern altitude until abeam approach end of the landing runway on downwind leg, begin descent and turn base at approximately 45 degrees from the intended landing point.
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.”
We still have a lot of latitude to operate the way we want at non-towered airports, but when everyone invents their own ‘standard’, there is no ‘standard’.
Thanks,
Tom Curran
Let’s try not to forget that the best possible practice toward becoming an excellent pilot is trying to make every approach & landing a ‘dedstik’ (abbreviation for deductible reckoning) approach & landing, as is needed, for instance, for every Glider flight!
As a student pilot I made my first solo cross country from KASH (towered) to KSFM (non towered).
Knowing the prevailing winds and listening to traffic on CTAF runway 14 was the preferred and in use. Coming from the South West I announced that I was Crossing midfield at 2200 feet ( 1000 above TPA), for a teardrop entry to a 45 for a left downwind 14.
Foreflight gives a beautiful depiction of this with procedures – traffic pattern and if you quickly go to aerial view you can get a great mental picture of landmarks for starting the turn.
Try it, you will like it !
At our Airport, we don’t allow “stop and goes”. Only “touch and goes” or “full stops” and taxi back for takeoff. A busy, non-towered airport with one runway needs this rule as it is very unsafe to stop on the runway during day or night operations. The obvious is that you can’t see behind you and it is discourteous to other flyers. Also, we require straight-ins ( if not an emergency) to give way to others in the pattern. This is a requirement whether on an IFR or just practicing or trying to save fuel. If you manage your speed correctly, you can usually work into the pattern without inconveniencing anyone else. If not you can go around and get into the traffic pattern like your other fellow pilots. As far as departures at a non-towered single runway airport, there is no FAA rule regarding your direction of departure. In fact climbing out and heading on your way is a good idea (subject to being a good neighbor from a noise standpoint). The article is great in that it brings out a lot of good comments (whether you agree or not) and learning points! That will make good pilots more informed and lead to safer skies!
Woody Lesikar said “As far as departures at a non-towered single runway airport, there is no FAA rule regarding your direction of departure.“
Not so. AC 90-66B prescribes the direction of departure from a non-towered field thusly:
”11.9 Departing the Pattern. When departing the traffic pattern, airplanes should continue straight out or exit with a 45-degree left turn (right turn for right traffic pattern) beyond the departure end of the runway after reaching pattern altitude. Pilots need to be aware of any traffic entering the traffic pattern prior to commencing a turn.”
In addition, FAR 91.126(1) states: “ Each pilot of an airplane must make all turns of that airplane to the left unless the airport
displays approved light signals or visual markings indicating that turns should be made to the
right, in which case the pilot must make all turns to the right”
I see these rules violated all the time, but the rules are there in black and white.
Marc Rodstein says there is a regulation regarding departing the pattern at a non-towered airport and sites an “AC” which is not a regulation. Secondly he states that 91:126(1) determines the direction of departing aircraft. Not so! This regulation which is easily read states and has to do with “landing” at a non-towered airport with a left hand pattern. It does not relate to departures.
Advisory Circular 90:66B 11.1 Traffic Pattern Design, states in part that airport owners along with FAA and users may establish traffic patterns for their particular requirements.
Although “AC”s” are helpful they are just that, advisory!
Mr. Rodstein if you can find me an FAR that regulates the direction of departures at a private non-towered airport please let me know.
Often overlooked….14 CFR Part 1: Definitions
“Traffic pattern means the traffic flow that is prescribed for aircraft landing at, taxiing on, or taking off from, an airport.”
91.126 Operating on or in the vicinity of an airport in Class G airspace.
Note it says Operating on, or in the vicinity of an airport. So that would cover departure also.
It’s been this way for a long time. It just seems recently there is a lack of understanding and compliance. I would bet big money, if you caused an accident or even had an accident not complying with this reg you would get a violation and possibly insurance void. But beyond the legal aspect it’s just a good idea, don’t you think?
Respectfully disagree Tom. You are taking out of context what you want and then saying it’s a regulation. Not so fast.
By the way, if you ever have time from your flying activities sit yourself down at the departure end of a busy non-towered single runway airport and count the departures that turn left. Whose doing it?
Their just headed in the direction of their flight or as directed by ATC. Nothing wrong with that !
Woody Lesikar – When departing the pattern and turning away from the pattern (ex: takeoff on 36 leaving to the east), I first climb to about 1500’agl before making the right turn to avoid a couple of possible hazards. Some pilots enter the downwind from an extended crosswind leg when they are approaching the airport from the upwind side. A right turnout even at pattern altitude could put you into a face-to-face position with that traffic. Some fly-in events even officially establish an arrival pattern along the upwind/crosswind/downwind legs. The other reason I avoid that early turnout is to avoid possible helicopter traffic which many times enters the opposite downwind area to avoid fixed-wing traffic like they are supposed to do.
Good Idea!
And departing to the left could put you on a collision course with those coming into the pattern from the 45. Better to climb as you said and depart anyway you want there after, subject to the particular traffic pattern, noise abatement procedures, obstructions and ATC directives.
Actually, 91.126 (1) is a sub paragraph of 91.126 (b):
(b) Direction of turns. When approaching to land at an airport without an operating control tower in Class G airspace—
Therefore, it only applies to aircraft approaching an airport.
So I just read the West Houston airport rules and regulations online, which happen to be nearly 3 years out of date. Restricting straight-ins to only when the ceiling is 1000 AGL seems a little too restrictive when you can’t fly the VFR pattern. Seems the restriction should be modified to at least 1500 AGL to give you the 500 ft cloud clearance. And even then the problem for turbine aircraft is getting into the 1500 AGL pattern. So the restriction should be 2000 AGL.
I fly most of my flights at KLEW and we get turbine traffic every day who fly straight ins normally. Not a big deal. In the summer, the pattern is always busy with a wide variety of aircraft. Most of the time, things go smooth. Every once in awhile, it gets a bit hectic, but that is good training for my students to pay attention to the radios and fly their aircraft correctly a maintain good spacing. A breakout is not out of the question sometimes.
I agree to be considerate of your fellow pilots when in the pattern. I only do stop and goes when I’m the only one in the pattern and only on the long runway.
For safety in non-towered airport, it really behooves us to follow the non-regulatory advisory circulars and aeronautical information manual guidance to prevent additional Part 91 regulations.
Seems to me that courtesy in the pattern and safety in the pattern often go hand in hand, sometimes unwittingly. To the poster above who
mentions that straight ins are ‘legal’ and ‘real world’
is right…and wrong. More on that shortly.
Is it more courteous to fly a straight in with several in the pattern, causing those that were already there to alter their patterns so you won’t be inconvenienced, or to just maneuver your plane to fit into the pattern? Which is safer? Now, go read CFR14 137.45(d) and see what it has to say.
Obviously, Ctr 14 137 covers ag pilot procedures…..which are good guidelines nevertheless.
AIM 4-3-3 also cover this, if you care to peruse it.
Non-towered has little surveillance by the feds….My field is non towered with banner towing, gliders, parachute jumping and student traffic. Some days it looks like the D-Day invasion!
I estimate there are about 300 runway incursions and near mid airs a year!
That’ll keep your eyes looking always outside the cockpit…where they belong! There’s no bigger waste of vision than looking inside the cockpit.
Head outside the cockpit is NOT a solution to chaos or accepting poor and dangerous flying from others.
May I offer a small defense of the occasional straight-in approach to a non- towered airport? To keep myself more or less in practice with these fancy avionics, I sometimes ask the last controller on my return from faraway for an ILS or GPS approach, even though it is great VFR. (not a real loggable approach, just going through the motions.) It is rarely busy in my corner of the swamp. So on change to advisory once established, just past the IAF, and all seems quiet, I will then announce on Unicom that I am 6 miles north for a full stop Runway19 at hometown international. I don’t expect everybody to know where approach fixes and intersections are, thus my direction and distance. And of course, if there are others in the pattern, I’ll break off the approach early and fit in with the flow, no matter how eager I may be to land. But if I can get away with it without being a nuisance, I do like that straight-in.
Thank you for announcing position by distance and direction. I think the com radio is so important, announcing intersections and ILS is presuming a lot for a VFR solo student and unnecessary in IMHO.
I too see nothing wrong with announcing a straight in, and don’t see how safety is enhanced by maneuvering to avoid such in the vicinity of an airport.
Rather than announcing distance out I prefer using time as especially the student or rather inexperienced VFR pilot may have difficulties evaluating the distance information, and any pilot might be unsure about the performance and approach speed of the aircraft joining straight in.
Using ‘time’ as you stated is great for projecting when you’ll be arriving to the pattern. But not much help for other aircraft determining proximity/location to avoid potential midair collision potential. Nice to come up with new ideas, but you need to screen all ramifications of your plan before blindly implementing.
If I’m 6 southwest, inbound at 2500′, I need to know your distance and direction more than how many minutes you are from the field.
Is some of this being driven by the new EFIS/Flight Director avionics….seems some have forgotten any other way???
RE: “stopped and sat there on the runway” & “my student has to do his after landing checklist!”
For revision of that cklist-
After Landing Check List:
Item #1- Taxi Clear of the active runway at earliest opportunity.
Straight in approaches and base leg entry’s are both legal. I say legal because contrary to some belief’s the FAA does regulate traffic flow at uncontrolled airports.
Before someone says I am implying all turns must be to the left as happened in another such discussion, all I am saying is the flow of the traffic is covered in the FAR’s. You must follow the published flow, left turns standard or right turns non standard if published. This does not include entry. Entry can be base leg, straight in or straight out departure. Normal entry could require a right turn to down wind. However if you enter a straight in to the downwind, or a base leg the turns must then follow the flow. Left turns or right turns. A right base leg to a left flow pattern is actually a violation of the far. A right turn out at a left flow pattern is also.
So not only did said instructor show poor judgment he also set his student up for a violation, if the student followed his example.
91.126 Operating on or in the vicinity of an airport in Class G airspace.
(a) General. Unless otherwise authorized or required, each person operating an aircraft on or in the vicinity of an airport in a Class G airspace area must comply with the requirements of this section.
(b) Direction of turns. When approaching to land at an airport without an operating control tower in Class G airspace—
(1) Each pilot of an airplane must make all turns of that airplane to the left unless the airport displays approved light signals or visual markings indicating that turns should be made to the right, in which case the pilot must make all turns to the right; and
A right turn out is 100% legal. The regulation you quoted applies to “approaching to land” only.
Part of the problem from my observation is CFIs whose experience and training is largely at towered airports. I hangar my airplane at Greeley, CO and often fly to Northern Colorado, formerly Fort Collins/Loveland, both non-towered. Most of my flying is to non-towered airports in Colorado and Wyoming.
We get lots of visitors from the Denver area towered airports. There appears to be a belief among them that anything goes, because we’re non-towered. Especially common: a right base entry onto 10 from the south (10 is left pattern). 20 mile “finals” are not unusual, as if the pilot expects all other traffic to divert. There are many more examples.
If the non-towered regulations were followed, a lot of the problems would not exist. Perhaps the 141 schools should be required to have a specific block in their syllabus covering in detail those regulations, with recurring specific training for their CFIs.
That newcomer did not make a mistake,… it was obvious from his right turn onto base and call from there that his unforgivably rude intrusion was knowingly deliberate and should have been described as such to his student who, if inexperienced might not have realized it, after landing or when departing!
I totally agree with Don Draper. You are being way too easy on the CFI, Jamie. He wasn’t misinformed, but either rude or plain stupid. This reminds me of a flight in my Aerostar landing behind a C-150 at a non-towered field. Both of us made traffic calls all the way around the pattern, and I flew a wide pattern and long final to allow for the 40-50 knot difference in final approach speeds.Spacing was looking good until the Cessna landed on the runway and … stopped! No announcement to that effect, just stopped and sat there on the runway. As I got closer to the runway and realized they were going to stay put, I announced a go around and asked the trainer why they didn’t exit the runway. The reply that I got from the instructor was “my student has to do his after landing checklist!”.
It’s sad to say, but it looks like the same attitudes we are now seeing while we are driving in traffic are filtering over into aviation and flying. Let’s all try to be safe out there folks and use a little common sense. I still try to make flying my ESCAPE from the sometimes senseless world we are living in.
Students and CFIs also do not OWN non-towered airports. Pattern flying and straight in approaches are all common, legal and allowed. One exception is Bravos where they often restrict training entirely. Non-towereds are also home to many aircraft and those pilots are not students or trainers and would simply like to land and get hangared without wasting fuel (often coming home after a long flight). CFIs should also train their students to expect straight in approaches and make accommodation for them….it works EXACTLY that way in real life too.
I disagree
Turning (and leaving) all radios OFF is a big help at non-towered airports!
gbigs, that is EXACTLY the crux of the problem…. please stop doing that and follow the rules like everyone else.
No. You are wrong and so are those that assume all approach and landings at non-towered airports are from a pattern position. It is not done like that at towered airports and is not mandated or required at non-towered airports either.
Everyone seams to forget that non electric airplanes live at non towered airports. See and avoid means see and avoid, you cant do that with a radio call on 10 mile final. if you aren’t low on gas, on fire, or very sick please use the pattern it’s there to keep us all safe. We all need to respect each other and go with the flow. USE THE PATTERN!
I disagree also. And competent CFIs who teach their students to correct way of flying the pattern also teach to break out of the pattern if they are a conflict or find a rude pilot wanting to “simply land and get hangered without wasting fuel.”
Flying the pattern gives people/planes, some of which do not have radios, an oportunity to “see and avoid” as well as being seen. Flying a straight in approach or an abbreviated pattern adds another layer of unnecessary risk.
Not necessarily. A straight-in would avoid a possibly dangerous merge with downwind traffic, eliminate downwind hazards from blind spots, and eliminate the base to final stall/spin risk.
gbigs, I completely disagree. One, two or three aircraft already flying the pattern? Join them with a standard approach and take your turn. I made a couple of calls and checked-turns out you’re not special.
Again, training aircraft in the pattern have no special right to the final approach than anyone else. All aircraft flying downwind can and should extend when a high performance aircraft, or even someone in distress possibly needs to make a straight in approach. Ever heard a tower controller tell you THEY will call your base turn? The danger in this scenario is for ANYONE to assume they have a RIGHT to the final approach whether flying pattern or straight in…
gbigs is 100% correct. I have the same right to do a straight-in to save time and money or practice an instrument approach as someone else has to fly a standard pattern with upwind landings or as yet someone else has who wants to practice crosswind takeoffs and landings on a different runway. Pilot’s arriving now have better options and can choose between 45 to the downwind, straight-in, overhead 2000agl to the downwind side, or overhead at pattern altitude to the mid-field downwind – guidelines can be found in the Regs, Airplane Flying Handbook, the AIM, in AC90-66B, and chief counsel interpretations, and obviously spell out when all of this is safe to do and not safe to do. And of course some airports are too busy to ever allow some of these things to be done safely.
Five in the pattern, all students/cfi’s. (yikes). In comes the interloper on a five mile straight in
flying his new high performance SEL. AND HE ASKED THE ‘TRAFFIC ON DOWNWIND TO EXTEND AO HE COULD LAND”! Then on short final he announced he would be making this a touch and go. Just…yeesh.
Great article. Sometimes I think that correct operations in the traffic pattern is becoming scarce.
Correct operations have been replaced by flying what ever pattern is most convenient, provided you announce your intentions on the radio. I live on a non-towered airport and see it every day, mostly instructors with students from the big city airport. Yes, a great article….