GA1327b

In respect of the proliferation of avoids in Visual Circuit Patterns, I’m sure that we would all wish to see them reduced to the minimum but there will always be some sensitive areas near airfields and, although it is not feasible to avoid every house, all that can be done is to try to design circuit patterns that will cause the minimum nuisance. In that respect, we have to be tolerant of those who live near airfields because they can suffer from continuous noise from active circuit patterns that can sometimes become unbearable to them for whatever reason – airfields have to work with their local communities rather than ignore them. But when airfield operators are designing circuit patterns with this in mind, it’s important that the resultant patterns are both flyable and easy to navigate around so that pilots aren’t continuously having to transfer their attention away from flying the aircraft. Whilst a ‘standard’ template might be applied to ensure the visual circuit is recognisable in shape and form, aircraft have greatly differing performances and so one aircraft’s ‘sensible’ pattern might not be another’s. But we agree that significant deviations and ‘downwind navexs’ can soon negate the facility for expeditiously practising landings and take-offs once established in the visual circuit, and can also compromise overhead joins, so there needs to be a pragmatic solution to avoids. Some airfields spread the noise by alternating circuit directions at different times if the airspace allows but this can also cause confusion in itself if pilots forget or don’t know the ‘circuit pattern of the day’. The bottom-line is that when visiting unfamiliar airfields then any constraints on circuit patterns must be thoroughly reviewed as part of the flight planning process so that you’re fully aware of where you are going to fly once established in the visual circuit. In this respect, many electronic planning and navigation aids such as SkyDemon have the facility to display airfield circuit patterns and avoids as an overlay so this can be a very useful tool for pre-flight planning (as are internet satellite/aerial pictures) but beware of becoming distracted by focusing on electronic screens in flight to the detriment of lookout and the task of flying itself. There’s a lot of pre-flight preparation to be done before heading to an airfield you haven’t been to before, and note also that the rules of the air (SERA.3225(b)) require you to ‘conform with or avoid the pattern of traffic formed by other aircraft in operation’, not just conform to the published circuit pattern, and so you must also fit in with the other aircraft and their ground track in the circuit. The final point to make is that if you have an emergency or safety issue with your aircraft then the first priority is to fly the aircraft, avoiding noise-sensitive areas becomes secondary to that if you have control limitations or urgently need to land.