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 flying both high-wing and low-wing aircraft overwhelmingly oppose "circular patterns," citing severe visibility issues for the runway and other traffic during a constant-bank turn.
• Critics argue that these patterns are destabilizing due to flap extensions in turns, lead to dangerously short final approaches at low altitudes, and could increase the risk of loss-of-control accidents.
• Many respondents believe that introducing another non-standard pattern type at non-towered airports would only increase confusion and the potential for mid-air conflicts.
• The article notes that the "circular patterns" concept originated from AOPA and University of North Dakota research aimed at reducing loss-of-control accidents, with a study on its benefits concluding soon after the letters were published.

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

See a mistake? Contact us.