How can we help our learners get just that much better
with their traffic patterns?
Hey, everyone, Jason Schappert here of MZeroA.com.
And, you are listening to, don't tell anybody.
Don't I say this every month?
The CFI Podcast, my favorite podcast, Certificated--
Did you know that?
It is the Certificated Flight Instructor.
You're not a certified flight instructor.
I don't know if you knew that.
You are a certificated flight instructor.
I've been big on the vernacular lately.
When people say private pilot license, "Hey, Jason, I got my PPL."
Like, "Man, no, you got your PPC."
Private pilot certificate.
I can't laugh, by the way.
If you watched the Commercial Pilot Podcast,
I just recorded it.
I batch these together.
This is my second video I've made
since recovering from double hernia surgery.
Why have one hernia when you can have two?
I did not get--
Or, maybe, I did get two for the price of one.
Well, I'll find out when I get the insurance bill.
I'm sure I did not get two for the price of one.
I have water over here.
If I have to stop and take a sip of water, I apologize.
But, breathing tube.
And, a robot did the surgery and everything else.
So, they said, "You'll be back to sports in a week."
I don't know what kind of sports they play,
but not the kind of sports I would want to play.
Right now, business is my sport.
And, that's been hard enough.
It's been four days of just on the couch reading
because that's about all I can do.
And, the kids are running around crazy,
wanting me to play with them and everything else.
I just can't.
Anyways,
today, we're talking, though, about traffic patterns
on the Certificated Flight Instructor Podcast,
which is brought to you by our number one-rated online ground school.
I know you've heard a lot about the ground school this week,
MZeroATrial.com.
Thank you for sending your learners that way.
We're diving into AIM chapter 4, section 3, airport operations.
And, we're talking--
I need you to start with the foundation.
"Foundation" was a buzzword for us in the month of March of 2021.
We're now in November of 2021 as of this recording,
but we can always still talk foundation.
And, the foundation for us, in the traffic pattern,
is understanding the components or, you know what?
I'll tie it into...
...not knowingly, didn't script it this way.
I'll tie it into how I started.
You know I love my vernacular,
certificated flight instructor, private pilot certificate.
I love those sorts of things, getting the verbiage right.
Well, in the components of the traffic pattern,
we have some very specific vernacular.
For example, here's where I'm going with this.
Who knows the difference
between an upwind leg and a departure leg?
If you don't, your mind's about to be blown.
If you do, you're saying,
"Yes, go there, Jason, because people need to know this."
The upwind leg, according to the AIM, and there's an image in there,
Figure 4-3-1.
The upwind leg, "A flight path parallel--"
Underline that word in your AIMs.
I'm doing it right now.
"A flight path parallel to the landing runway
in the direction of landing."
Well, in order to be parallel with something,
I can't be on top of it.
I can't be over it.
I need to be next to it.
At least, again, my geometry started and stopped in eighth grade.
But, that's when I learned parallel lines.
Again, I can't laugh.
Don't make me laugh.
"A flight path parallel to the landing runway
in the direction of landing."
Whereas, the departure leg,
"The flight path which begins after takeoff and continues straight ahead
along the extended runway centerline.
The departure climb continues until reaching a point
at least 1.5 mile beyond the departure end of the runway
and within 300 feet of traffic pattern altitude."
Where on earth did Jason get that?
300 feet of traffic pattern altitude, we'll turn a left crosswind.
It's right from the AIM.
There's no engineering marvel that said 300 feet,
that's the right time in Jason's 2-3-Mike-Zulu to make that turn.
No, nothing like that.
It's right from the AIM.
Okay, so, we've got the vernacular out of the way.
Upwind leg is a flight path parallel.
If I do a go-around, and obviously, on a go-around, you should side-step,
usually, to the right because that allows you to see
whatever you went around out your pilot's side in the left,
that's an upwind leg.
The departure leg is your straight-out departure.
And, even if you're staying in the traffic pattern, still the departure leg.
You will hear the controller tell you, "Extend your upwind."
They really mean your departure leg.
You may have a smart controller say, "Extend your departure leg."
But, you'll hear it all the time, continue on the upwind.
I'll call your crosswind.
You're not really on the upwind.
You're still in the departure.
Alright.
Now, listen.
Don't be an extremist.
I love my proper vernacular.
And, I may jokingly produce "The Little Book of Jasonisms" one day
as a Christmas present for you.
Not this Christmas, Coach Ray and Tom.
They're who edit this.
Tom edits the audio.
Coach Ray edits the video portion of this.
Let's not make "The Little Book of Jasonisms"
for this Christmas.
We've got more than enough to do.
Maybe, 2022 Christmas, "The Little Book of Jasonisms."
Add it to your parking lots of ideas, you two.
Anyways,
where was I going with that?
I get on tangents.
We like to know the proper vernacular.
Be somewhere in the center.
Don't be an extremist who goes,
"Well, Mr. Controller, I could extend my upwind.
But, for me to extend my upwind, I need to side-step 100 feet to my right."
No, just fly, keep flying straight out.
You know what they mean.
Don't be that guy.
I feel bad.
I feel bad for Karens everywhere that people use Karen for somebody
who complains and sends letters and does things like that.
Karen is everywhere.
I feel for you.
And, I don't know what the male version of that is.
I just hope it's not a Jason.
But, I feel for Karens everywhere.
They have to deal with that.
But, don't be--
how do we say that person, that guy, that gal, that person?
Alright, traffic patterns.
Here's the next question.
How on earth should we enter a traffic pattern?
How on earth should we enter the traffic pattern?
I'll tell you a few things here.
Pilots are encouraged to use the standard traffic pattern.
Show of hands, who all knows somebody who cuts you off in the pattern
because they didn't use a standard traffic pattern?
You were following all the rules.
It was that other person.
"Pilots are encouraged--"
Underline that word.
I'm in 4-3-3 under the note 1.
"Pilots are encouraged to use the standard traffic pattern.
However, those pilots who choose to execute a straightened approach,
maneuvering for an execution of the approach
should not disrupt the flow of arriving and departing traffic.
Likewise, pilots operating in the traffic pattern should be alert at all times
for aircraft executing straight approaches."
Did it say you can't make a straightened approach?
No,
it just said we're encouraged.
If you look at Figure 4-3-2,
in the legend,
it shows you the recommended standard left-hand traffic pattern depicted.
Underline the word "recommended,"
because the AIM is not regulatory.
The FARs were, we say, written in blood.
They're regulatory.
The AIM is just a book of polite suggestions
that if everybody followed them, the world would be a better place.
And, I truly believe that.
I think we should follow those things.
And, I believe there's some things in the AIM that should be treated
as if they were regulatory.
If everybody made the standard 45-degree entry
to a left-hand traffic pattern, assuming they use left-hand traffic,
let me just say the standard 45-degree entry to the downwind.
Well, that's a right or left downwind.
That's up to the airport.
And, their noise abatement procedures or terrain procedures,
whatever that may be,
if everybody made the standard 45-degree to downwind entry,
I think the world would be a better place,
because who's been ever just cut off by somebody on a straight in?
Who's been cut off by somebody on an opposing downwind or base?
Who's been cut off by somebody who never even made a radio call?
If you haven't, you will.
But, I imagine, if you're listening to this CFI Podcast,
you have,
because you've earned your stripes literally
in aviation.
This has happened to you before.
The world will be a better place.
Now, this is the CFI Podcast.
It does me no good to be on my soapbox telling you what you should do.
What I'm here to do is say these are two little things
to take home to teach to your learners.
Take home the vernacular of upwind versus departure leg.
It's minute.
Can I be really, really vulnerable with you?
I earned my ATP checkride
and didn't know that.
Passed my ATP checkride, no problems.
Probably, the best checkride I've ever done,
because I've had some bad checkrides.
The standards were low, I guess, back in the olden days.
One of the best checkrides, if not the best checkride I've ever done,
I went through all the checkrides, not just ATP, from private on up.
No one ever asked me that question.
You can go your whole flying career mistakenly calling it the upwind leg
when you're really on the departure leg.
But, I think it's important for our learners
to learn it right from the very beginning
because here's what you don't want.
Here's what you don't want.
You don't want them scrolling through the--
Well, you do want them scrolling through the AIM on their own.
But, you don't want them to scroll through the AIM on their own and go,
"The upwind leg, that's not what Jason taught me.
The departure leg, I think Jason confused those.
I wonder what else Jason was confused about."
You don't want to plant the little seed of doubt.
And, I did that for a very, very long time.
I was an instructor who just called everything upwind.
I never heard of a departure leg.
I heard people call themselves on the departure,
but I just thought that's because they were departing.
Let's get the vernacular right from the start.
And then, back to this 45-degree to downwind,
whether that's a left or right downwind entry.
Encourage all your learners to make a proper traffic pattern.
And, you know what?
I still want my learners to know what to do and how to enter the traffic pattern
because they're going to go to a Class Delta or Charlie
or a Bravo one day that says,
"Hey, enter 2-mile left base Runway 36.
Call me 2 miles,"
and they're going to go,
"Well, Jason's only had me do a 45 to downwind entry.
I don't know how to enter on the base.
What altitude should I be at?
When should I configure the airplane?"
They still didn't know those things.
Now, you could set them up for that
at a pilot-controlled airport when no one's there,
so you're not being a rude or a jerk to anybody.
But, I share all that to say they do need that real-world experience.
They need to know the AIM suggests this.
But, let me tell you, in the real world, people are going to cut you off.
People are going to jump in front of you.
People are going to make straight-ins.
People are going to take advantage of you not being as,
we'll call it defensive flying.
Defensive driving, defensive flying.
They're going to take advantage of that.
You need to teach your learners all the various scenarios.
They need to understand there's one recommended way to end a traffic pattern.
That's a 45-degree to downwind.
But, they also understand people do it all sorts of different ways.
And, they're not breaking the law.
They're not breaking the rules.
They're not going to FAA prison because of it,
just because they entered on a straight-in.
They need to also understand that when you go to a towered field,
Tower may ask you to do whatever they please to get you in there.
The other day I was number four for landing.
Do you know how far I extended my downwind out?
I thought we were flying to another country.
I was on my downwind so long.
Eventually, I was about to leave their airspace.
They asked me to keep doing 360s.
So, I stayed in their airspace.
Number four for landing,
while there are three or four queued up for departure
just that time of year here in Florida
where everybody comes to Florida for the pretty winters.
Just something else to ponder and think about.
CFIs,
you don't have to listen to this podcast.
But, we are like best friends because of it.
You don't have to.
You have a million other things to go do.
Either you're an aspiring CFI,
you've got a lot of studying to go doing and lessons to create.
Or, you're a current CFI
and you got students texting you right now
asking for help or need to get on the schedule.
Instead, you're taking time right now to better yourself as a CFI.
I applaud you.
I cannot wait to shake your hand and, yes, shake your hand.
We will get back to a normal world very, very soon.
Not normal, I want better than normal.
No one wants to get back to normal.
But, we'll get back to doing life.
How about that?
Even better, very, very soon.
I am so looking forward to seeing all of you on airshow very, very soon.
Hey, I just learned.
I don't know if I'm allowed to announce this or not, but I'm going to.
Sorry, sorry, MZeroA team.
As of this recording, double-check with the team,
we're going to be at, I don't know dates, I don't know anything,
but SUN 'n FUN in Lakeland is doing a little mini-December flying.
I don't know dates.
I don't know much about it.
I just saw the credit card transaction go across the pipeline.
And, that's how I knew we were going.
So, that's funny how I find out about things sometimes.
It's all good.
We'll be there.
I'd like to be there.
I hope the team puts me on the schedule and books me.
Anyways, if you'll be there, I look forward to meeting you.
I can't wait to just get back to doing life again,
getting back out there with you all.
That's what we're looking towards.
CFIs, have a blessed, amazing, outstanding rest of your day.
And most importantly, remember,
that a good pilot is always learning.
Have a great day, everybody. I'll see you.