Flight Training - May 2013 - 43

becomes particularly important because of the nature of
the operations there.
Aircraft of various categories
and speeds are converging as
they enter and fly the pattern.
There is at least a possibility
that one or more aircraft are
in the area but not communicating by radio. Couple those
factors with an inexperienced
student pilot, another pilot flying a particularly wide pattern,
and another flying an unexpected straight-in approach,
and there is real potential for
conflict in the air.
Make it a practice to use the
landing light within 10 miles
of arrival at an airport. Your
aircraft will be easier to see,
and being seen is an important
part of establishing good collision avoidance procedures. At

mation you’ll need to know, before you need to know it. That
includes the use of current charts, referencing the Airport/Facility Directory (A/FD), and obtaining a standard briefing before
departing on your flight.
It may be tempting to make assumptions about what you will
find at your intended destination. Airports are tremendously
unique, however. Nontowered airports are no exception. They
do not lend themselves well to guesswork.
Without checking the A/FD before flight, you might not be
aware that the traffic pattern altitude at Plant City, Florida, is
only 800 feet agl, or that it’s 200 feet higher at Keystone Heights.
You would be unaware that the airport lights at Cedar Key are
unreliable, that Runway 3 at Douglas Municipal in Arizona has a
right-hand traffic pattern—or that Runway 18/36 is dirt, in poor
shape, and has four-foot-tall brush growing on it. That runway
is also closed indefinitely. Without reading the A/FD carefully, a
pilot might not be aware that Runway 36 is the calm wind runway at Illinois Valley Airport in Cave Junction, Oregon. Missing
any one of those simple points could easily cause you to enter a
pattern on arrival that is at odds with other traffic.
Pilots who make it a point to become aware of their destination airport’s idiosyncrasies before a flight have the information
they need to make appropriate decisions well in advance of their
arrival. Those who do not may find themselves creating a hazard

IT MAY BE TEMPTING TO MAKE ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT WHAT YOU
WILL FIND AT YOUR INTENDED DESTINATION. NONTOWERED
AIRPORTS DO NOT LEND THEMSELVES WELL TO GUESSWORK.
the same time, be aware that
not all aircraft have electrical
systems that allow for landing
lights. Be especially vigilant
during your downwind to base,
and base to final turns. These
are prime areas for conflicts
to occur. It’s often easiest to
see airplanes when they are
making those turns. Clear the
area throughout your time in
the pattern to be sure there is
not another aircraft in the pattern above or below you. Also
watch for aircraft shooting an
instrument approach that puts
them on a final approach leg
that starts several miles from
the airport.

REFERENCE MATERIAL. The
key to safe operations at a nontowered airport is to become
familiar with all the infor-

to flight that was unnecessary had they done their homework
before departure.
There are plenty of opinions on how to conduct yourself
when flying into or out of a nontowered airport. Don’t believe
them. Opinions are based on experience (even bad experience),
personal bias, and guesswork. You are better off going to the
source for information that will affect your safety and the safety
of those around you. In this case, one exceptional source is the
FAA’s Aeronautical Information Manual. There are no opinions
to be found there, just rock-solid advice for how to operate safely
at a nontowered airport, including the exact wording you should
use for almost all communications situations.
In Section 3: Airport Operations you will find a graphic that
illustrates the recommended flow of traffic for a standard lefthand traffic pattern. The same pattern applies for a right-hand
traffic pattern, although the image would be flipped over with all
the left turns becoming right turns.
To be truly on top of the situation, consider downloading
and reading Operations at Nontowered Airports from the AOPA
Air Safety Institute. This brief document is packed with useful
insights and information you can use to improve your understanding of both VFR and IFR operations at nontowered airports
(www.aopa.org/asf/publications/sa08.pdf ).
Jamie Beckett is a writer and flight instructor living in Winter Haven, Florida.
MAY 2013 FLIGHT TRAINING

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http://www.aopa.org/asf/publications/sa08.pdf

Flight Training - May 2013

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