Aerodromes, Circuit Procedures, and Ground Operations
Aerodrome questions cover what happens at an airport with no control tower and how aircraft and vehicles move around one that has a tower. The PSTAR focuses on circuit direction and altitude, joining procedures, radio calls at uncontrolled aerodromes, and the meaning of runway and taxiway markings.
The circuit (CAR 602.96)
- Turns are to the left unless a right-hand circuit is published in the Canada Flight Supplement.
- Circuit altitude is normally 1,000 ft AAE unless published otherwise.
- Join downwind at circuit altitude, mid-field. Straight-in approaches at uncontrolled aerodromes are discouraged.
- Report before entering the circuit, on downwind, on base and on final.
Uncontrolled aerodromes
- Broadcast on the ATF (123.2 MHz) or the published mandatory frequency, giving position reports within 5 NM.
- Calls such as backtrack, line up and rolling are advisories, not clearances. Other pilots rely on you to be where you said you would be.
Ground operations
- Runway hold-short markings: two solid and two dashed lines. Stop before the solid lines and never cross without a clearance.
- Mandatory instruction signs: white characters on a red background. Taxiway signs: yellow on black.
- Give way to aircraft on your right and to aircraft that are landing. Never walk or taxi close behind a running propeller or under a turning rotor.
Worked example
You arrive at an uncontrolled aerodrome with a published left-hand circuit and an ATF of 123.2. You broadcast 5 NM out, join downwind mid-field at 1,000 ft AAE, and call downwind, base and final. On final, a faster aircraft calls downwind and asks you to extend. You have right of way, but you must still avoid a conflict; the safe answer is to coordinate, and if necessary go around.
Traps that cost marks
- Quoting circuit altitude as ASL rather than above aerodrome elevation.
- Assuming a right-hand circuit is normal; left is the default.
- Treating an ATF broadcast as though it were a clearance.