Circuit, Approach and Landing, Airmanship

Chapter 13.12

All approach and departure flights contain elements of the standard circuit

Very few local circuits correspond perfectly with standard circuits, but all non-standard circuits / local circuits contain elements.

If you apply the standard procedures on the elements of a non-standard circuit, you will gain experience that give you a lot of freedom.

Overview of the Approach and Landing

AIRMANSHIP on the circuit means, amongst other things, to maintain an overview when integrating into the traffic of the circuit:

• continually monitor airspace / LOOKOUT
  

• be ready, when necessary, to perform an ORBIT

• to extend the DOWNWIND
  

• to execute the GO AROUND

Overview of the Approach and Landing

The maintaining of the situational awarness is obtained by:

• an anticipated schedule of each step
  

• an application of standard procedures

A good sign of your situational awarness is your ability to compensate for the effects of wind throughout the circuit.

SCANNING during APPROACH CHECK

During the APPROACH CHECK, you should under no circumstances neglect the following two important aspects of the flight:

• maintaining the attitude and
  

• airspace surveillance

After checking a CHECKLIST-ITEM, you will look away from the instruments and the interior of the cockpit to monitor the airspace and correct your attitude according to the natural horizon. Then prepare the next CHECKLIST-ITEM.

SCANNING during APPROACH CHECK

Example:

While you are observing the airspace and horizon, you place your hand on the BOOSTER PUMP switch.

Before you press the switch, make sure by at a glance that you are pressing the correct switch.

This systematic way of performing the APPROACH CHECK and its manipulations is trained using a MOCK-UP or in the basic airplane.