PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Standard Visual Circuits
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Old 23rd Jan 2012, 20:19
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foxmoth
 
Join Date: Dec 1999
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With what has been said above about there being no such thing as a standard circuit I will tell you what I was taught and teach as standard. Climb out at a suitable speed - this can vary depending on type, but for a normal training aircraft I would probably use Vx. Turn crosswind at 500', level at circuit height (1,000' for a standard field) and turn downwind, call downwind abeam the upwind end of the runway (this may be modified dependant on other r/t traffic, but this IS the correct place to call), then do checks. Tracking for most low wing aircraft should have the wingtip just over the far side of the runway - adjust if you have a particularly long/short wingspan. Turn base with the threshold 45 degrees behind the wing (as said - this is nil wind, so adjust as needed). Immediately after the turn, close the throttle, hold attitude, select initial flap and on reaching your initial approach speed, adjust attitude and power so that you start your turn onto final to roll out on final at 500', this should put you about a mile and 1/2 on final - note - steeper than a 3 degree slope, then take final flap and adjust speed. Each leg should be adjusted for driftto track at 90 degrees/parallel to the runway and power on base/final will need to be adjusted to allow for tail (hopefully only on base)/headwind.
As pointed out, this WILL need to be varied because of local procedures and/or how other pilots are flying their circuit ahead (and behind) of you, but IMHO should form the basis if there is nothing written down or been passed by briefing.
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