Circular Approaches?

I own and fly a Cessna 172, and a curved pattern (Circular Patterns, March 2017) would not be an advantage as I would not see the runway until I came out at the end of the turn. I realize the military used this approach but as you know they have very few high-wing aircraft. Also, you would not be able to see if another aircraft cut you off until the last moment. Why change something that has been working just fine?

Key Takeaways:

• Pilots express strong opposition to the adoption of "circular patterns" (curved approaches) for general aviation, especially at non-towered airports, questioning their safety and necessity.
• Primary safety concerns include significantly obstructed visibility for both high-wing and low-wing aircraft during constant-bank turns, hindering the ability to spot other traffic or see the runway.
• Critics also argue that these approaches are inherently destabilizing, complicate flap management and power settings, and reduce critical evaluation time, thus increasing the risk of loss of control for typical GA aircraft during landing.

Key takeaways sponsored by Aviator Pro | Start Your Training ->

See a mistake? Contact us.