One of the first things a pilot will need to become familiar with is his or her base airport. A base airport is the airport which a pilot learns to fly at. It’s not very common for student to learn to fly at multiple airports with the same flight school. Airports around the United States, which are good airports for pilot training, have similar characteristics. It’s common for a good base airport to have multiple flight schools on the field. Most airports, used for flight training, are at class D or C airports. None are located within class B airspace, and some are at airports with no control towers. Another similarity between base airports is that they’re usually predominantly general aviation airports, with little air carrier services provided on the field. It doesn’t take very long for student to know exactly where taxiways are located on the field, obstacle clearances during takeoff and landing, and even the location of specific airplanes which reside at the field. Some of the first, most basic things students will learn about their airport are the airport signs, airport lighting, and the traffic pattern
Airport markings
In order for the safe operation of aircraft while on the ground, airport markings, or signs, help pilots know what they can or cannot do. Signs with the guidance of the controller keep airport operations moving smoothly. Below are some of the most common airport signs.
Lighting
Lighting of an airport can tell a lot to a pilot without making contact with the tower. Even during the day, pilots rely on certain lights to safely fly into and out of an airport. At night, lights are essential for operations. However, not every airport keeps the lights on at all times. In order for a pilot to control the lighting at night, he must key the mike button for the lights on the ground to turn on. Keying the mike 3, 5, and 7 times, tells the system how bright the pilot wants the lights. Regardless of the lighting system at night, most airports have a rotating beacon. This light can be seen from hundreds of miles away in rural areas and is on all the time at night. The color code of the beacon tells pilots what type of airport it’s located on. A white light followed by a green light is a civil land airport. A white followed by two quick green denotes a military base; a white followed by a yellow denotes a sea port; and a white followed by a green followed by a yellow denotes a helipad. Below are some of the important lighting systems pilots use.
Below is a picture of a runway as seen from the cockpit of an airplane on very short final.
The Traffic Pattern
In order for safe takeoff and landings, pilots must all be on the same page. The traffic pattern makes sure everyone is following the same flow of movement above the runway in use. The pattern is made up of the departure, or upwind leg, crosswind, downwind, base, and final. The shape is a rectangle with rounded edges, and with the longer legs being parallel to the active runway. The standard pattern is one where the pilots make left hand turns, but some patterns at airports with multiple runways, use right traffic patterns, so that multiple runways can be in use at the same time. The rule of thumb with traffic pattern altitude, or TPA is 1,000 feet above the ground, or AGL, for common piston aircraft, and 1,600 feet AGL for turboprop aircraft. For example, Republic Airport is 82 feet above sea level, so the traffic patter there is 1,100 feet (or 1,082 rounded up to 1,100 feet). However, because of terrain, some TPA’s are customized to the environment. Always check the Airport/Facility Directory for official TPA’s. Lastly, it’s important to know that for best takeoff performance, aircrafts always take off into the wind. This allows them to rotate at the shortest distance possible. If an airplane experiences a tailwind during a takeoff roll, the roll will be much longer, than with a headwind, before it becomes airborne.
Entry
The entry leg of the pattern can occur at different locations, depending on where the airplane is located when it contacts the tower control. The standard spot to enter the pattern is on a 45° angle to the downwind leg (refer to the picture above). However, the controller might instruct a pilot to enter on a base, or a final leg, if the aircraft is in such a position to do so.
Upwind
The upwind leg, also called the departure leg, is the leg the aircraft is on once it leaves the runway. The airplane is going with the wind, or upwind, on this leg, and normally departs the pattern form this location. If a pilot must do a go-around, then he will also be on the upwind leg, once he decides to do so; even if the wheels never touched the ground.
Crosswind
The crosswind gets its name because the wind is at a 90° angle to the nose (in ideal conditions). This is the transitions from the upwind leg to the downwind leg.
Downwind
The downwind leg is the leg where aircraft are begun to be spaced for proper takeoff and landing timing. It is parallel to the runway in use, approximately 3/4th’s of a mile to a mile and a half away from the runway, and its length is dictated by different factors. These factors include how many airplanes are in the pattern, the types of planes, and if airplanes are waiting to takeoff on the ground. The controller lines up the planes on the downwind based on their intentions (a full stop verses a touch-and-go) their speed, and for jets, turning radius. Some spacing tricks controllers use are “360’s.” A controller commands an airplane to do a left, or right 360, or a complete 360° circle. This circle takes approximately two minutes and can allow for a plane on the ground to takeoff, or another plane to enter the patterns ahead of the circling plane. As mentioned before, this is the common leg that airplanes enter the pattern.
Base
When an airplane turns from downwind to base, they line themselves up at an approximate 45° angle to the runway’s threshold. As the plane travels on the base leg, this angle increases until it is 90° to the runway, which is when it turns final. Depending on how far away the airplane is from the runway, it may start a descent on the base leg.
Final
The final leg is where pilots get ready for the landing. Again, depending on the distance away from the runway, pilots descend from traffic pattern altitude. Once established on final, they acquire the PAPI, or VASI lights. These lights tell the pilot if he or she is on the glide path. The glide path is normally a 3° nose down attitude which will bring the airplane right down to the runway safely, and avoid obstacles along the final approach path. The final leg is completed either with touchdown, or a go-around procedure.
Departure
Departure from the traffic pattern can happen in several locations, but pilots can request almost any departure procedure. Pilots must follow standard departure procedures for a specific airport. Normally, departures are continuations of the upwind leg. Other departures can be made at a 45° angle to the crosswind (as shown in the above diagram), and in the downwind. These departures must be requested by the pilot prior to takeoff. Downwind departures are common when pilots want to travel in the opposite direction that the runway is aligned. The plane will takeoff, turn to crosswind, then to downwind, but continue climbing to their desired altitude, and out of the pattern.
The entry leg of the pattern can occur at different locations, depending on where the airplane is located when it contacts the tower control. The standard spot to enter the pattern is on a 45° angle to the downwind leg (refer to the picture above). However, the controller might instruct a pilot to enter on a base, or a final leg, if the aircraft is in such a position to do so.
Upwind
The upwind leg, also called the departure leg, is the leg the aircraft is on once it leaves the runway. The airplane is going with the wind, or upwind, on this leg, and normally departs the pattern form this location. If a pilot must do a go-around, then he will also be on the upwind leg, once he decides to do so; even if the wheels never touched the ground.
Crosswind
The crosswind gets its name because the wind is at a 90° angle to the nose (in ideal conditions). This is the transitions from the upwind leg to the downwind leg.
Downwind
The downwind leg is the leg where aircraft are begun to be spaced for proper takeoff and landing timing. It is parallel to the runway in use, approximately 3/4th’s of a mile to a mile and a half away from the runway, and its length is dictated by different factors. These factors include how many airplanes are in the pattern, the types of planes, and if airplanes are waiting to takeoff on the ground. The controller lines up the planes on the downwind based on their intentions (a full stop verses a touch-and-go) their speed, and for jets, turning radius. Some spacing tricks controllers use are “360’s.” A controller commands an airplane to do a left, or right 360, or a complete 360° circle. This circle takes approximately two minutes and can allow for a plane on the ground to takeoff, or another plane to enter the patterns ahead of the circling plane. As mentioned before, this is the common leg that airplanes enter the pattern.
Base
When an airplane turns from downwind to base, they line themselves up at an approximate 45° angle to the runway’s threshold. As the plane travels on the base leg, this angle increases until it is 90° to the runway, which is when it turns final. Depending on how far away the airplane is from the runway, it may start a descent on the base leg.
Final
The final leg is where pilots get ready for the landing. Again, depending on the distance away from the runway, pilots descend from traffic pattern altitude. Once established on final, they acquire the PAPI, or VASI lights. These lights tell the pilot if he or she is on the glide path. The glide path is normally a 3° nose down attitude which will bring the airplane right down to the runway safely, and avoid obstacles along the final approach path. The final leg is completed either with touchdown, or a go-around procedure.
Departure
Departure from the traffic pattern can happen in several locations, but pilots can request almost any departure procedure. Pilots must follow standard departure procedures for a specific airport. Normally, departures are continuations of the upwind leg. Other departures can be made at a 45° angle to the crosswind (as shown in the above diagram), and in the downwind. These departures must be requested by the pilot prior to takeoff. Downwind departures are common when pilots want to travel in the opposite direction that the runway is aligned. The plane will takeoff, turn to crosswind, then to downwind, but continue climbing to their desired altitude, and out of the pattern.
Final
The final leg is where pilots get ready for the landing. Again, depending on the distance away from the runway, pilots descend from traffic pattern altitude. Once established on final, they acquire the PAPI, or VASI lights. These lights tell the pilot if he or she is on the glide path. The glide path is normally a 3° nose down attitude which will bring the airplane right down to the runway safely, and avoid obstacles along the final approach path. The final leg is completed either with touchdown, or a go-around procedure.
The picture to the right is an example of traffic patterns when two parallel runways are in use.
Departure
Departure from the traffic pattern can happen in several locations, but pilots can request almost any departure procedure. Pilots must follow standard departure procedures for a specific airport. Normally, departures are continuations of the upwind leg. Other departures can be made at a 45° angle to the crosswind (as shown in the above diagram), and in the downwind. These departures must be requested by the pilot prior to takeoff. Downwind departures are common when pilots want to travel in the opposite direction that the runway is aligned. The plane will takeoff, turn to crosswind, then to downwind, but continue climbing to their desired altitude, and out of the pattern.
The final leg is where pilots get ready for the landing. Again, depending on the distance away from the runway, pilots descend from traffic pattern altitude. Once established on final, they acquire the PAPI, or VASI lights. These lights tell the pilot if he or she is on the glide path. The glide path is normally a 3° nose down attitude which will bring the airplane right down to the runway safely, and avoid obstacles along the final approach path. The final leg is completed either with touchdown, or a go-around procedure.
The picture to the right is an example of traffic patterns when two parallel runways are in use.
Departure
Departure from the traffic pattern can happen in several locations, but pilots can request almost any departure procedure. Pilots must follow standard departure procedures for a specific airport. Normally, departures are continuations of the upwind leg. Other departures can be made at a 45° angle to the crosswind (as shown in the above diagram), and in the downwind. These departures must be requested by the pilot prior to takeoff. Downwind departures are common when pilots want to travel in the opposite direction that the runway is aligned. The plane will takeoff, turn to crosswind, then to downwind, but continue climbing to their desired altitude, and out of the pattern.