| Once you join flight training school to become a private | | | | reach about 45 degrees from this point, you will have |
| pilot, you are going to hear the term "touch and go". | | | | to turn left to the base. |
| Get used to it because a great deal of your training is | | | | Segment five is the final. You are seconds from |
| going to be centered on this. Any pilot will tell you that | | | | landing and are headed towards the appropriate |
| they find the go a much easier concept than the touch. | | | | runway to accomplish this. |
| New soon to be Pilots are quite often under the | | | | These five segments make up what is known as the |
| impression then one is ready to land an airplane at the | | | | flying pattern. There will be times that you are utilizing |
| airport you can pick and choose any open runway. | | | | the services of an airport that does not have |
| There are many considerations to be kept in mind | | | | controlled flying patterns. In these circumstances, the |
| when landing a plane and the runway you choose is | | | | responsibility is upon you to ensure that you notify |
| only one of them. The runway that is assigned to you | | | | everyone exactly what you are doing. You will do this |
| is based on the wind direction. The rule is to always to | | | | via the common frequency that you will see printed on |
| be moving into the wind and landing as straight as | | | | your sectional map. With this information, you simply |
| possible. Then you have to consider the traffic that is | | | | need to announce your position within that pattern. |
| around you as well which is normally about 10,000 feet | | | | When you are making your transmission be sure to |
| of the ground and its normal pattern of movement is | | | | start it and end it with the name of the airport you are |
| counter clockwise around the airport. There are times | | | | flying into. Additional information is also required such as |
| however you will be instructed to fly a right pattern. | | | | your plane type and tail number. Once you have done, |
| There are five segments to the traffic pattern that | | | | all of this correctly you have completed the touch and |
| you must be very familiar with. | | | | go. |
| Segment one is the upwind, which is straight out from | | | | No doubt, you will be somewhat nervous the first few |
| the runway. | | | | time that you do this but remember it is imperative that |
| Segment two is the crosswind. Here you will be | | | | everyone be fully aware of your intentions. Watch the |
| required to turn from the upwind onto the crosswind. | | | | runway lights, as they are guide to telling you whether |
| Segment three is the downwind. This will be in the | | | | you are too high or too low. Make use of the ailerons |
| opposite direction of the where you will have to land, | | | | to keep lined up with the runway at the same time |
| but it runs parallel to the airport. | | | | watching your speed. This is a prime example of being |
| Segment four is the base. You will be familiar with the | | | | required to multi task. |
| numbers that are painted on any runway. When you | | | | |