7.standard-traffic-pattern. Standard Traffic Pattern
The standard traffic pattern is a rectangular flight path flown around the landing runway that provides an orderly, predictable flow of arriving and departing aircraft at non-towered airports and a baseline procedure at towered airports. Unless light gun signals, published procedures, or ATC instruct otherwise, the standard pattern uses left-hand turns. Right-hand turns are flown only when indicated by segmented circle markings, the airport/facility directory (Chart Supplement), NOTAM, or ATC.
The pattern consists of five named legs, flown in this order on a normal arrival:
- Departure leg (upwind) — the climb path aligned with the runway centerline after takeoff. The pilot continues straight ahead until beyond the departure end of the runway and within 300 feet of pattern altitude before turning crosswind.
- Crosswind leg — a 90° left turn from the departure leg, flown perpendicular to the landing runway off its departure end. Continue to climb to pattern altitude on this leg if not already established.
- Downwind leg — flown parallel to the landing runway in the opposite direction of landing, at pattern altitude, approximately 1/2 to 1 mile out from the runway. The before-landing checklist is normally completed here. Power is reduced and the descent is begun abeam the intended point of landing.
- Base leg — a 90° descending turn from downwind, flown perpendicular to the extended runway centerline. Wing flaps are typically extended in increments. The pilot adjusts the turn to base based on wind to avoid overshooting or undershooting final.
- Final approach — aligned with the extended runway centerline, descending to the runway. Final flap setting and final airspeed (typically 1.3 V_SO) are established.
A sixth term, upwind leg, refers to a flight path parallel to the landing runway flown in the direction of landing — used during a go-around or when overflying the field for pattern entry. Do not confuse upwind with the departure leg.
Pattern Altitude
Standard traffic pattern altitude (TPA) is generally 1,000 feet AGL for propeller-driven aircraft and 1,500 feet AGL for large and turbine-powered aircraft, but pilots should always verify the published TPA in the Chart Supplement, as some airports use 800 feet AGL or higher altitudes for noise abatement, terrain, or airspace reasons. Pattern altitude is maintained until abeam the intended point of landing on downwind, at which point a stabilized descent is begun.
Pattern Entry at Non-Towered Airports
The FAA recommends entering the pattern on a 45° angle to the downwind leg, abeam the midpoint of the runway, at pattern altitude. Alternative procedures published in AC 90-66 include:
- Crossing midfield 500 feet above TPA, then descending on the upwind side clear of the pattern before joining the 45° entry to downwind.
- A straight-in or base entry only when traffic permits and does not conflict with aircraft already established in the pattern.
Before entering the pattern, the pilot should:
- Listen to the CTAF/UNICOM for at least several miles out to build situational awareness of other traffic.
- Check the wind indicator and segmented circle to determine the active runway and pattern direction.
- Make position reports at 10 miles, entering downwind, base, final, and clearing the runway.
Standard Pattern Speeds and Configuration
A typical training airplane flies the pattern at the following targets, adjusted to the pilot's operating handbook (POH):
- Downwind: ~90 KIAS, gear down (if retractable), one notch of flaps optional, before-landing checklist complete.
- Base: ~80 KIAS, additional flaps as required, descending at approximately 500 fpm.
- Final: ~70 KIAS or 1.3 V_SO, full flaps as desired, stabilized by 300 feet AGL.
Wind Correction
A crosswind on the downwind or base leg will drift the airplane toward or away from the runway. The pilot must crab into the wind to maintain a constant ground track, and time the turns to base and final accordingly. A tailwind on base, for example, requires beginning the turn to final earlier to avoid overshooting the centerline; an attempt to recover by steep, low-altitude turning is a leading cause of stall/spin accidents.
Departing the Pattern
When departing a non-towered airport, the FAA recommends climbing straight out on the runway heading until beyond the departure end and within 300 feet of pattern altitude, then either continuing straight out or making a 45° turn in the direction of the pattern (left for a standard pattern) to exit. Avoid abrupt turns at low altitude and never cut across the pattern.
Flying a precise, stabilized pattern is the foundation for consistent landings — every pattern is a setup for the approach that follows.