Positions in the aerodrome traffic circuit

Question 1

What’s the “downwind leg”?

Answer 1

A flight parallel to the landing runway, in the direction opposite to the landing direction

Question 2

How would you describe the “crosswind leg”?

Answer 2

Horizontally perpendicular to the extended centerline of the take-off runway

Question 3

You are taking off for circuit training. Take- off and landing procedure includes successively the following legs in the correct order:

Answer 3

Upwind, crosswind, downwind, base leg, final

Question 4

What’s the meaning of the instruction “EXTEND DOWNWIND”

Answer 4

To lengthen the downwind leg until
further advised, mostly for spacing with other aircraft (e.g: wake turbulence separation or traffic sequencing)

Question 5

During your departure, when do you turn to a right crosswind?

Answer 5

When there is an arrow to the right in the signal square (this is not standard)

Question 6

How to perform a standard arrival on an uncontrolled airfield?

Answer 6

Overfly at circuit altitude (for example 1000 ft AGL) + at least 500 ft, look for the signal square and descend on the dead side of the circuit

Question 7

Being in the traffic pattern, you have to communicate at least on:

Answer 7

Downwind” and “final”

Question 8

What’s the difference between “DIRECT APPROACH” and “STRAIGHT IN APPROACH”?

Answer 8

Straight in: within 30° from the RWY axis
Direct: within the other 60° of the 90° angle

Question 9

What’s the meaning of a “LONG LANDING”?

Answer 9

Landing near the end of the runway, when you intend to leave the runway at the end and so being closer to the parking area.

Question 10

If you receive from the Air traffic controller, before or during your initial climb, the message “MAINTAIN (or CONTINUE) RUNWAY HEADING”, this means

Answer 10

I fly on my compass or gyro the magnetic orientation of the runway with no drift correction

≠ Track the extended centerline of the take-off runway

Question 11

For traffic management purposes in the circuit, air traffic controllers may request you to perform the following techniques:

Answer 11

• Fly a faster or a slower approach speed
• Extend the downwind leg until ATC approves a turn to base leg
• Perform a 360-degree turn to allow preceding traffic to clear
• Make S-turns on final
• Orbit to the right or to the left

If a lower speed is unsafe, tell ATC “unable”, better than to stall

Question 12

What is a LONG FINAL?

Answer 12

4 NM or more from the runway threshold

Question 13

You are on the extended centreline, approaching to land and are three miles from the runway threshold. What radio report should you send?

Answer 13

FINAL

Question 14

A runway with a true direction of 253°. Variation is 5°W. What will be the QFU of this RWY?

Answer 14

26

Question 15

A pilot flying one pattern after another where each landing is followed immediately by a take-off (for training purposes) is called

Answer 15

A touch and go landing