Hi, I'm a little puzzled what this message means:I'm contacting a tower for a full stop landing and I get the following reply:" make left traffic, Runway 3 Altimeter 2992"What I'm supposed to do? CheersMark

It means you are to enter a left-handed traffic pattern to land on Runway 3. (All of your turns in the pattern will be to the left.) If your altimeter setting is different from that given (2992, in this case), you need to re-set it in the Kohlsman window (that little slot at about 3 o'clock on your altimeter gauge) to 2992 so that you will get an accurate reading of your altitude. You can change the reading using the little knob on the altimeter.Hope this helps.-Lindy :-rotor:-wave

Yes it helped a lot. But how do I know which point that marks the traffic pattern?

Mostly experience, plus it will depend on the type of aircraft you are in. From my real world flying days (looooonng time ago :-) ) if you are in a GA single engine training plane such as a Cessna 152, 172 or that type, generally your pattern height would be about 1000 feet above ground level (AGL) at about a mile or two from the airport. The larger ad/or faster the craft, the bigger the pattern. Since I never flew IFR and I don't sim fly IFR or use anything above a twin engine (I fly mostly helicopters in the sim), I never studied approach plates. But even a VFR (Visual Flight Rules) sectional will give you lots of information about an airport.You might drop into the Avsim Groundschool forum and pick up some more information there.-Lindy :-rotor:-wave

A complete standard pattern for such as a C172 would be ---1: take off - straight ahead to 1000 ft2: Right (or left ) turn 90 degrees .maintain heading until about 2 miles distant from first turn.This is the" crosswind leg"3:another 90 degree right(or left) turn - "downwind leg".In the US and Canada(But not in the UK) - I have on occasions been asked to call " midfield" on this leg- this means when you are opposite the midpoint of the runway in use.4: Another 90 degree right(or left ) turn onto the "base leg" usually at about 5 miles distant from the field.5 Another 90 degree right( or left ) turn onto finals.The distances etc involved would be greater for a larger or faster aircraft.When joining the pattern you should position to join the apropriate "leg" according to where you are in relation to the field.EG: Coming on a heading opposite to the landing runway heading you would join on the downwind leg.If coming in on a heading similar to the RW heading you should fly upwind on the "dead side" with reasonable horizontal separation from the runway(and any landing traffic ) and join on the crosswind leg.This is how I was taught - admittedly a long time ago.Dave

>You might drop into the Avsim Groundschool forum and pick up>some more information there.I'd love to. Where is it? :D

>A complete standard pattern for such as a C172 would be>--->>1: take off - straight ahead to 1000 ft>2: Right (or left ) turn 90 degrees .maintain heading until>about 2 miles distant from first turn.This is the" crosswind>leg">3:another 90 degree right(or left) turn - "downwind leg".In>the US and Canada(But not in the UK) - I have on occasions>been asked to call " midfield" on this leg- this means when>you are opposite the midpoint of the runway in use.>4: Another 90 degree right(or left ) turn onto the "base leg">usually at about 5 miles distant from the field.>5 Another 90 degree right( or left ) turn onto finals.>>The distances etc involved would be greater for a larger or>faster aircraft.>When joining the pattern you should position to join the>apropriate "leg" according to where you are in relation to the>field.>>EG: Coming on a heading opposite to the landing runway heading> you would join on the downwind leg.If coming in on a heading>similar to the RW heading you should fly upwind on the "dead>side" with reasonable horizontal separation from the>runway(and any landing traffic ) and join on the crosswind>leg.>>This is how I was taught - admittedly a long time ago.>>DaveBut is a holding pattern and what you descriped here the same? I think I have understanded the standard pattern.

Okay, sorry..... my bad. (-: The Avsim "Flight School" forum, here right under the Hangar Chat forum. I suspect it covers some ground school information in there.-Lindy :-rotor:-wave

A holding pattern is usually a "racetrack" configuration- ie; two long straights joined by two 180 degree turns. Usually based on some fixed navigational aid (VOR/NDB ) or point with mandatory headings and leg lengths.Dave

There's an excellent reference source available from the FAA known as the Aeronautical Information Manual or AIM. The AIM describes in fair detail procedures and techniques used in flying within the U.S. (although most procedures are derived from ICAO procedures, so apply internationally as well). The standard traffic pattern is described in the following diagram from the AIMhttp://forums.avsim.net/user_files/60056.gifProcedures for entering the traffic pattern is described Chapter 4 Section 3 ...http://www1.faa.gov/ATPubs/AIM/Chap4/aim0403.html#4-3-3The complete manual is athttp://www1.faa.gov/ATPubs/AIM/index.htmIt's a great reference and good reading if you want to make your simming more realistic.

Great info - thanx for posting.CheersMark