Airports

OBJECTIVE

ELEMENTS

Operations at airports with and without operating control towers
Adherence to traffic pattern procedures, instructions, and rules
How to maintain proper spacing from other traffic
How to maintain the desired ground track
Wind shear and wake turbulence avoidance procedures
Orientation with the runway or landing area in use
How to establish a final approach at an appropriate distance from the runway or landing area
Identification and proper interpretation of airport, runway and taxiway signs and markings with emphasis on runway incursion avoidance
Land and Hold Short Operations
Visual Glideslope Indicators
Airport/Facilities Directory and other publications
Controlled Airports
Uncontrolled (Non-towered) Airports
Runway Layout
Airport Visual Aids
Approach Light Systems
Pilot-Controlled Lighting
Ramp Hand Signals

COMPLETION STANDARDS

Exhibits knowledge of the elements related to traffic patterns. This shall include procedures at airports with and without operating control towers, prevention of runway incursions, collision avoidance, wake turbulence avoidance, and wind shear
Complies with proper traffic pattern procedures
Maintains proper spacing from other aircraft
Corrects for wind drift to maintain the proper ground track
Maintains orientation with the runway/landing area in use
Maintains traffic pattern altitude, ±100 feet, and the appropriate airspeed, ±10 knots
Exhibits knowledge of the elements related to airport, runway, and taxiway operations with emphasis on runway incursion avoidance
Properly identifies and interprets airport, runway, and taxiway signs, markings, and lighting

COMMON ERRORS

THINGS TO REMEMBER

VASIs/PAPIs:
Red over White, you’re all right.
White over White, you’ll fly all night!
Red over Red, you’re dead!
White over Red, you’re inverted!
Let big airplanes have the right of way
Courtesy goes a long way
If in doubt ask
Don’t accept a LAHSO unless you KNOW you can comply with it.
Intersection takeoffs require extra vigilance to determine aircraft performance. Plus, is there someone on the runway behind you and did ATC clear you or the aircraft behind you for departure?
Rampers can be helpful, but, PIC duty to keep wings clear of obstacles
Put landing gear down before entering traffic pattern, allows for less workload and distraction while in pattern and dealing with ATC.
Lesson is mostly ground work, then practice in pattern.
Have pattern configurations, power settings, and such memorized before spending time working on traffic patterns. Rectangular courses are practice for traffic patterns.
Patterns are high workload, complete descent and before landing checklists BEFORE entering pattern. Yes, that means the gear will be down early. It beats no gear.
Clear of Runway: An aircraft is not clear of the runway until all parts of the aircraft, including tailfeathers, are on the other side of the hold short bars, even if that means protruding onto a taxiway. Once clear, stop and complete the after landing checklist, but not until then.

STUDY