Private pilot · ACS PA.III.B
Traffic Patterns
The traffic pattern is the shared choreography around an airport. Its legs are upwind, crosswind, downwind, base, final and departure; the entry (normally a 45° to downwind) is how you join it.
Fly it where everyone expects you, at the right altitude and speed, and you’re easy to see, easy to sequence and easy to avoid.
Why this one matters
Most midair collisions happen near airports, in good weather, often in the traffic pattern. A predictable pattern, flown where others expect you, with clear position calls and constant scanning, is what keeps airplanes from meeting there. The pattern is also where wake turbulence, wind shear and distraction catch pilots close to the ground.
Can’t miss
- •Pattern turns are to the left unless markings, lights or the Chart Supplement show right traffic.(14 CFR 91.126; AC 90-66)
- •Recommended pattern altitude: 1,000 feet AGL for propeller-driven airplanes, 1,500 feet AGL (or 500 above the established pattern) for large and turbine airplanes, unless the airport publishes another.(AC 90-66, Non-Towered Airport Flight Operations; AIM 4-3-3)
- •At a nontowered airport, the preferred entry is a 45° to the downwind at midfield, at pattern altitude. Announce your position on the CTAF.(AC 90-66, Non-Towered Airport Flight Operations)
- •At a towered airport, establish two-way radio communication before entering Class D, and follow the tower’s instructions for entry and sequence.(14 CFR 91.129)
- •Right of way: an aircraft landing or on final has it; of two landing, the lower one, which must not cut in front of the other; when converging at about the same altitude in the same category, the aircraft on the right.(14 CFR 91.113)
- •Avoid wake turbulence: land beyond a larger airplane’s touchdown point and take off before its rotation point.(AIM, Chapter 7, Wake Turbulence)
- •Checkride standard: pattern altitude ±100 feet and the appropriate airspeed ±10 knots, with proper spacing and wind correction.(Private Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-6C), PA.III.B.S5)
What you should know
Towered and nontowered K1
- At a towered (Class D) airport, call before entering with your position, altitude and the ATIS code. The tower assigns the entry, sequence and runway; read them back.(14 CFR 91.129)
- At a nontowered airport, there’s no one sequencing traffic. Self-announce on the CTAF (about 10 miles out, then entering and on each leg) and fit into the flow.(AC 90-66, Non-Towered Airport Flight Operations)
- Unless the airport says otherwise, turns in the pattern are to the left. Look for the segmented circle and traffic pattern indicators, and check the Chart Supplement.(14 CFR 91.126; AC 90-66)
- Read the airport as you arrive: the runways, taxiways, markings, signs and lighting; the segmented circle with its pattern indicators; and the wind cone, tetrahedron or tee for wind direction.(AIM 4-3-3; Private Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-6C), PA.III.B.S1)
Choosing and flying the pattern K2 · K4
- Get the wind and runway from ATIS, ASOS or AWOS before you arrive, and pick the runway most nearly into the wind unless a different runway is in use.(AIM, Chapter 4 (air traffic control: services, airport operations))
- Enter on a 45° to the downwind at midfield, at pattern altitude (1,000 feet AGL for propeller airplanes unless published otherwise), established on the entry leg well before you join the downwind.(AC 90-66, Non-Towered Airport Flight Operations)
- Arriving from the other side: cross midfield at least 500 feet above pattern altitude (typically 1,500 feet AGL; 2,000 feet AGL if large or turbine airplanes are using the airport), continue about 2 miles clear of the pattern, descend to pattern altitude outside it, then turn back and join the 45° entry to downwind (a teardrop). Never descend into the pattern.(AC 90-66, Non-Towered Airport Flight Operations)
- When the pattern is not busy, AC 90-66 also allows crossing midfield at pattern altitude on a crosswind entry and turning directly onto downwind; give way to traffic already there.(AC 90-66, Non-Towered Airport Flight Operations)
- Staying in the pattern: climb on the extended centerline past the departure end, and turn crosswind within 300 feet of pattern altitude.(AC 90-66, Non-Towered Airport Flight Operations)
- Leaving the pattern: continue straight out, or exit with a 45° turn (left in a left-hand pattern) beyond the departure end after reaching pattern altitude. Don't turn toward the downwind through traffic entering it.(AC 90-66, Non-Towered Airport Flight Operations)
- Correct for wind on every leg so the ground track stays rectangular: crab into the wind on downwind and crosswind, and adjust the base turn so you don’t overshoot final.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Airport Traffic Patterns)
- The standard geometry: fly downwind about 1/2 to 1 mile from the runway; hold pattern altitude until at least abeam the approach end; turn base at about 45° from the approach end; and complete the turn to final at least 1/4 mile from the runway. Correct for drift at each of these points.(AIM 4-3-3; AC 90-66)
- Turbine traffic flies the pattern higher, wider and faster, which is also why the midfield crossing is higher where they operate.(AC 90-66)
Who goes first K3
- An aircraft in distress has right of way over all others.(14 CFR 91.113)
- Aircraft on final or landing have right of way over aircraft in flight or on the surface. Of two aircraft approaching to land, the lower one has it, but must not take advantage of that to cut in front or overtake.(14 CFR 91.113)
- Converging at about the same altitude, aircraft of the same category: the one on the right has right of way. Between categories: a balloon has it over all; a glider over an airship, powered parachute, weight-shift, airplane or rotorcraft; an airship over a powered parachute, weight-shift, airplane or rotorcraft. An aircraft towing or refueling another has it over all other engine-driven aircraft. Head-on, both turn right; an overtaking aircraft passes well clear to the right.(14 CFR 91.113(d)-(f))
Seeing and being seen R1 · R2
- Most midair collisions happen near airports, in daylight and good visibility. Scan in short sections, look before each turn, and use landing lights in the pattern.(AC 90-48, Pilots' Role in Collision Avoidance)
- High-wing airplanes hide traffic above in turns; low-wing airplanes hide traffic below. Lift a wing or look under it before turning.(AC 90-48, Pilots' Role in Collision Avoidance)
- The pattern is busy: checklists, radio and landing all at once. Prioritize flying the airplane and looking outside; finish the before-landing checklist on downwind, not on final.(Risk Management Handbook (FAA-H-8083-2A))
Wake turbulence and wind shear R3
- Wingtip vortices form whenever a wing makes lift, strongest from heavy, clean, slow airplanes. They sink below the flight path and drift with the wind.(AIM, Chapter 7, Wake Turbulence)
- Behind a larger airplane landing, land beyond its touchdown point. Behind one taking off, lift off before its rotation point and climb above its path, or wait. A light quartering tailwind can hold vortices over the runway.(AIM, Chapter 7, Wake Turbulence)
- Wind shear near the ground, from thunderstorms, fronts or terrain, can drop airspeed suddenly. Fly a stabilized approach, adding half the gust factor to your normal approach speed (wind 20 gusting 30: add 5 knots), without carrying extra speed into a long float, and go around early.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C))
- By case: landing behind a larger airplane that is landing, stay at or above its path and land beyond its touchdown point; landing behind one that is departing, land well before its rotation point; departing behind one, lift off before its rotation point and climb above its path. After a larger airplane's low approach, missed approach or touch-and-go, wait at least 2 minutes before taking off or landing.(AIM 7-4-6)
On the flight
ACS standards
- Maintain traffic pattern altitude ±100 feet and the appropriate airspeed ±10 knots.(Private Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-6C), PA.III.B.S5)
- Correct for wind drift, keep orientation with the runway and proper spacing from other aircraft.(Private Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-6C), PA.III.B.S3-S4, S6)
What your instructor is watching for
Your instructor watches whether you enter the way the airport expects, make clear position calls, hold altitude and speed, correct for wind so the pattern stays square, keep your eyes outside, and adjust spacing when traffic is ahead.
Scenarios
Decide what you would do first, then see the worked answer.
Approaching a nontowered airport, you hear another airplane calling a 5-mile straight-in final while you’re about to enter the downwind.
What do you do? See the worked answer
Find it and sequence yourself. Tell them on the CTAF where you are, extend downwind if needed so they land first, and keep looking: their position call may not be accurate.
AC 90-66, Non-Towered Airport Flight Operations
On downwind with a strong wind blowing you toward the runway.
What happens if you don’t correct, and what do you do? See the worked answer
You drift close to the runway, making the base leg short and the final turn steep: a stall and spin setup. Crab away from the runway on downwind to hold your track, and start base where you normally would.
Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C)
Short final, a gust drops your airspeed by 15 knots and you start sinking.
What do you do? See the worked answer
Add full power, lower the nose to protect airspeed and go around. Don’t try to save an unstable approach close to the ground.
Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C)
Common mistakes
Entering on a long straight-in at a busy nontowered airport.
Others in the pattern don’t expect you and may turn final in front of you.
Instead: Use the 45 entry to downwind unless traffic and the airport allow otherwise, and announce clearly.
Turning final with a tailwind on base without correcting.
You overshoot the centerline and are tempted to steepen the turn with rudder: the classic base-to-final stall and spin.
Instead: Start base earlier with wind, keep the bank moderate, and go around if you overshoot.
Head-down in the pattern.
Checklists and radios hide the traffic you’re most likely to hit.
Instead: Do checklists early and in short pieces, and look out before every turn.
Now train it
Say it out loud, hear it asked, and take the quick check in this lesson’s practice pack. It tracks your shaky spots.
Got it?
When it feels solid, practice traffic patterns out loud with our examiner.
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Teaching this? The instructor lesson plan →
Sources
- AC 90-66: Non-Towered Airport Flight Operations
- Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM): Chapter 4 (airport operations) and Chapter 7 (wake turbulence)
- 14 CFR Part 91: 91.113, 91.126, 91.129
- Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C): Airport traffic patterns
- AC 90-48: Pilots' Role in Collision Avoidance
- Private Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-6C): Area III
Study aid, not FAA guidance. Regulations change; check the current text at eCFR and the ACS. Checked against current sources 2026-11-12.