The Perfect Traffic Pattern – MzeroA Flight Training
Hey, MzeroA nation, Jason here. You've heard me say it, a perfect landing starts with
a perfect traffic pattern. Well, what does that really mean? Before I head up to the cockpit
and show you what that looks like, what does that mean? It means exactly what we said, it means I want that
rectangular traffic pattern. No over-banking, under-banking,
no racetrack patterns, no trapezoids as your shape. I want that beautiful
rectangular traffic pattern.
You see, if you don't fly the same
traffic pattern every single time, every single landing is a new adventure. If I always fly a half-mile downwind,
a half-mile downwind, to a half-mile downwind,
no matter where I go. So, although I may be always landing
at different airports, I can bring the eyesight of what a
perfect traffic pattern looks like to any airport that I end up
going to with that. A perfect landing starts with
a perfect traffic pattern. Add that to your vocabulary,
and let's head up to the cockpit, and see it on display. Hey, MzeroA nation.
Jason here. Hope you're enjoying,
The Secret to Perfect Landing Series. Today, I want to talk about
something basic, but so important. It's the idea that a perfect landing
starts with perfect pattern. What do I mean? Well, first off, any sports fans,
you watch or play basketball.
When you line up to
the free-throw line playing basketball, the professional players
all do the same thing, they dribble the ball three times. Whatever the routine is,
they have to follow the same routine. Golfers follow the same routine. Follow the same routine. It starts with a perfect pattern,
flying the right downwind. About midway up my strut right now
is where I like to keep my downwind. Here, maintaining my airspeed of about 90. Now, getting a beep,
my touchdown point of Runway 3-2, I start my procedure. Carb heat comes on, power comes back,
to roughly 1700 in the RPM department, 10 degrees of flaps,
and making sure I initiated descent down. I roughly want to be,
for that perfect pattern in my airplane, 90 on downwind, 80 on base, 70 on final,
65 short final, 60 over the airport fence. Somewhere in that realm
is where I want to be.
Right now I'm losing altitude. I'm slowing down about 87 right now,
slowing and ready to turn base. Williston traffic,
Skyhawk 2-3-Mike-Zulu is turning left base at runway 3-2,
Williston traffic. Alright. Turn in a nice little base here,
as you can see. And again, standard rate turns,
turning my base at the same point, too. Remember what the wind is doing. Right now, I'm lucky
to have a headwind, but that wind's going
to be pushing me away. So, do I need to grab any? On base, my next notch of flaps. Your landings should be very procedural. Your pattern should be very procedural. The same thing's happening. About this point, I'm checking final.
It's looking good. I'm a hair fast.
Maybe 43, 80. There's my 80 now, I got that. Those extra flaps helped. I'm ready to turn final. Williston traffic,
Skyhawk 2-3-Mike-Zulu is turning final runway 3-2,
Williston. Alright.
Coming around. We'll see if we need
the next notch of flaps here in a second. Not rolling out too early,
not rolling out too late. A nice standard rate turn. You don't want to
overshoot or undershoot here, then you end up chasing here. Smooth on the controls. A perfect landing
starts with a perfect pattern. The right distance on the downwind,
the right airspeed on the downwind. Turning base at that 45-degree point,
managing that. And now, my eyes–put your eyes, if you can see them
on the number 3-2 with me.
My speed is 70.
Perfectly. I'm going to go last notch of flaps here. Looking good.
I'm not quite back to idle just yet. My eyes are looking at the number 3-2. In the left seat, put your centerline
on your right shoulder. CFI in the right seat, put the centerline
on the center of your chest, or right on your nose,
to help you with that. Sixty-five over the trees,
just like we said. Eyes are looking
right between the number 3-2. We know we're going to
go a hair past that because that's our aiming point. We're looking good. We're looking good. And we're going to hold it here.
Transition. Take our eyes down that runway,
eyes down that runway, hold it. Hold it. Hold it. Hold it, and right just
like that is a pretty darn good landing.
Listen, MzeroA nation. Thank you just for all that you do. I hope you'll be joining us August 19th. We have a huge announcement. You won't want to miss it. So, leave your comments below,
and I'll see you all on August 19th for our big live announcement as well. Have a wonderful
rest of your day. And most importantly, remember,
that a good pilot is always learning. Have a great day, guys.
We'll see you..