Traffic Pattern Entries

Making right turns to join left-hand traffic patterns is not a FAR violation because ‘vicinity’ is not defined.

Joseph E. (Jeb) Burnside

Monday, January 22, 2024 at 08:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

A pilot questioned an FAA-recommended traffic pattern entry for non-towered airports, arguing its initial right turn violates FARs 91.126/91.127 which generally mandate left turns.
The FAA initially defended the procedure, defining "approaching an airport" as starting *after* the course reversal, thus placing the right turn outside the regulated "vicinity" of the airport for turn direction.
While acknowledging regulatory ambiguity, the FAA clarified they do not typically enforce turn direction *outside* the actual traffic pattern.
Ultimately, the FAA indicated they are unlikely to take enforcement action for the recommended right turn used to join a traffic pattern.

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Responding to the article “Parallel Runway Traps” in our October 2023 issue, reader and ATP/CFI Jerrold Seckler took us to task for an image showing an airplane crossing over a non-towered airport from the upwind side and then executing a right turn to enter the traffic pattern. The FAA’s version of this image, the left panel of figure 8-3 in the Airplane Flying Handbook (AFH, FAA-H-8083-3C), is reproduced at right.

Jerrold wrote to point out the image’s recommendation would seem to be in violation of “FARs 91.126 and 91.127, which require all turns be made to the left when operating in the vicinity of an airport in Class G or E airspace unless right turns are specified.”