Understanding Pattern Positions

[Namit]

@Aernout

Extend upwind: This means that you should maintain the departure runway heading until ATC calls you to turn.

Turn left / right downwind: After you take off you will need to get to the downwind leg. This is done by making a 180 degrees turn to the left or to the right depending on which side the tower cleared you to fly your pattern.

Extend downwind: When instructed to extend downwind you have to extend the downwind leg and pay attention to traffic around you. The controller is giving you the responsibility to maintain a safe distance from other traffic and you are free to turn base when you think it is ready. This does not mean you can turn when you get this instruction as there is a reason why you should extend your downwind.

I’ll call your base: Tower informs you to extend the downwind leg but he will tell you when to turn base, in other words at this point ATC will take care of your separation with any other traffic.

Turn left / right base: This call can come at any time. It can come after the controller told you “I’ll call your base” but he can also just tell you to turn base at any point while you are on downwind. After you receive this call you don’t have to wait for another call while on base to turn final. This is up to the PIC.

Make a 360 left / right: From your present position make a 360 degree turn to the left or the right. Don’t make this turn with a bank angle of 90 degrees. A minimum of 1 minute for this turn should be fine, in real life turning an airplane is done by the autopilot with a speed of 3 degrees per second. This means making a 360 will take 360 / 3 = 120 seconds = 2 minutes

Although this post goes into more detail, I believe this satisfactorily explains patterns, but let’s see what the moderators have to say.