What are the standard traffic pattern procedures?

What is the standard traffic pattern altitude?

It is recommended that aircraft enter the airport traffic pattern at one of the following altitudes listed below. These altitudes should be maintained unless another traffic pattern altitude is published in the Chart Supplement U.S. or unless otherwise required by the applicable distance from cloud criteria (14 CFR Section 91.155).

Propeller-driven aircraft: 1000 ft AGL

Large and turbine-powered aircraft: 1500 ft AGL or 500 ft above established pattern altitude

Helicopters: 500 ft AGL

What is the standard traffic pattern direction?

Unless otherwise indicated, all turns in the traffic pattern must be made to the left.

Right traffic patterns are indicated (on Sectional, Aeronautical, and VFR Terminal Area Charts) with the abbreviation “RP” (Right Pattern), followed by the appropriate runway number(s) at the bottom of the airport data block.

Helicopters may fly on the opposite side of the runway from fixed-wing traffic when airspeed requires or for practice power-off landings (autorotation) and if local policy permits.


(Refer to AIM 4-3-3 for more information)