The traffic pattern in 3D
Every leg, every radio call and what to do on each one, flown in front of you.
Watch it fly: the airplane flies a full traffic pattern at a non-towered airport. Each leg shows the altitude, the radio call and what to do. Try the chase and cockpit cameras, switch to right traffic, or practice a 45° arrival.
Loading 3D airport…
Altitude0 ftWind 090° at 8 kt · Runway 9 in use
Generic airport · vertical scale 2×
Practice:
Pattern:
The pattern, leg by leg
| Leg | What happens | Typical call (non-towered) |
|---|---|---|
| Departure | Climb straight out on runway heading at VY. Turn crosswind past the end of the runway, within 300 ft of pattern altitude. | “…departing runway 9, remaining in the pattern.” |
| Crosswind | Perpendicular to the runway. Keep climbing to pattern altitude. | “…turning left crosswind runway 9.” |
| Downwind | Parallel to the runway at pattern altitude (often 1,000 ft AGL), about ½ to 1 mile out. Before-landing checklist. Abeam the numbers: power back, start descending. | “…left downwind runway 9, full stop.” |
| Base | Turn when the touchdown point is about 45° behind you. Configure and slow to approach speed. | “…left base runway 9.” |
| Final | Aligned with the runway. Stabilized: on speed, on glidepath, configured. Go around if not. | “…final runway 9, full stop.” |
Entering the pattern
- The recommended entry at a non-towered airport is on a 45° angle to the downwind leg, at pattern altitude, abeam midfield.
- Turns are to the left unless the airport says otherwise. Right traffic is shown on the sectional (“RP”), in the Chart Supplement and on the segmented circle.
- Self-announce about 10 miles out, on entry, and on each leg. Listen first: the other pilots' calls tell you where to look.
- Pattern altitude is often 1,000 ft AGL for piston airplanes, but check the Chart Supplement for each airport.
Towered airports are different. The tower tells you how to enter and when to turn, so follow ATC instructions instead of the self-announce calls. This model shows a generic airport; always use your airport's published procedures and your instructor's guidance.
Sources: AIM 4-3-2 and 4-3-3 (traffic patterns), AC 90-66C (non-towered airport operations), Airplane Flying Handbook Chapter 8 (Airport Traffic Patterns).
Check yourself
Prepare for the lesson: Radio Calls and Traffic Patterns · Airport Operations