David Young
Maneuver Analysis
1. Maneuver – Rectangular Course.
2. Description – A constant altitude maneuver in which the ground track of the airplane is
equidistant from all sides of a selected rectangular area on the ground.
3. Objective – To develop the student’s ability to compensate for drift during turns, orient
the flight path with a line parallel to the intended ground track, and to divide attention
between the flight path and a ground reference point. This maneuver will assist in the
planning and execution of a proper traffic pattern.
4. Contents –
a. An ability to compensate for wind drift during turns and straight and level flight.
b. An ability to perform level turns of varying bank angles.
c. An ability to maintain a constant distance from a line parallel to the intended
ground track.
5. Analysis –
a. There are five sides in a traffic pattern/rectangular course maneuver:
upwind/departure, crosswind, downwind, base, and final (refer to Figure A).
i. Upwind/Departure – The leg flown into the wind, usually directly after
takeoff.
ii. Crosswind – The leg flown perpendicular to the upwind leg. It is used to
space the aircraft from the runway. It tends to be about ½ mile from the
runway.
iii. Downwind – The leg flown with the wind. It is flown parallel to the
runway, or in this maneuver, our downwind reference line.
iv. Base – The leg flown perpendicular from the downwind leg (in the
direction of the runway), and it is used to get the aircraft closer to the
runway.
v. Final – The leg flown while lined up with the approach end of the runway.
It is the last leg of the traffic pattern. In this maneuver, the final leg is
combined with the upwind leg because you will not be landing out of this
maneuver.
b. In all portions of this maneuver, it is VERY important to crab the aircraft into the
wind to prevent the aircraft from drifting off course.
i. A crab is simply the pointing of the aircraft’s nose into the wind in order
to keep the aircraft’s flightpath from being pushed downwind.
ii. Refer to Figure B and note the aircraft’s actual ground course if it is not
crabbed into the wind as compared to if it is.
iii. To figure out just how much crab is needed, look out in the distance and
find two points that are in line with one another and you. If you drift to
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c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
the left of those two points, then you need more right crab, and if you drift
to the right of those two points, then you need more left crab.
Select an area, such as a field or a set of four roads, which is bounded on all four
sides.
i. The sides of the area should be approximately 1 mile long and away from
any populated areas, aircraft, and livestock.
ii. Be sure that there is a suitable emergency landing area should anything
happen during the maneuver.
Perform two clearing 90º turns to check for traffic/obstructions in the surrounding
area.
Perform a GUMPP check:
i. Gas – Fullest tank.
ii. Undercarriage – Retracted.
iii. Mixture – Full rich.
iv. Propeller Control – Full prop.
v. Pump – On.
Perform the maneuver at 600 - 1,000 ft AGL and at traffic pattern speed (90 kts).
i. The PTS says that the maneuver must be completed at standard traffic
pattern altitude.
Enter the maneuver on a 45º angle from the right downwind (refer to Figure B)
i. For example, if the wind is from the north, the downwind heading is 180º.
Enter the maneuver on a heading of 135º.
ii. Hold your heading until you intercept the downwind leg, which should be
abeam the corner of the area boundary.
1. You may want to lead your turn to downwind by about ¼ mile.
2. Once established on the downwind, keep the aircraft
approximately ¼ mile from the downwind area boundary.
3. Do NOT attempt to fly directly above the edges of the field
because you will then lose your visual reference.
As you fly abeam the downwind-base boundary, begin a left turn with a fairly fast
rate of roll-in to compensate for the wind blowing the aircraft further downwind.
i. As the aircraft is half way through the turn, begin to shallow out the bank
angle to keep the aircraft approximately ¼ mile from the base leg
boundary.
1. Less bank is needed because the groundspeed is now lower than on
the downwind leg. The reduction in groundspeed will tend to keep
the aircraft closer to the boundary.
ii. Turn past 90º from the downwind heading in order to establish a crab
angle into the wind.
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1. The amount of crab needed is dependent on the wind speed, but it
usually is no more than about 10º.
iii. Keep the aircraft approximately ¼ mile from the base leg boundary.
i. As you fly abeam the base-final/upwind boundary, begin a medium left turn and
continually increase the bank angle to a heading that will put the aircraft straight
into the wind.
i. A turn of less than 90º will be necessary to fly parallel to the final/upwind
boundary.
ii. The groundspeed will decrease with the increase in headwind.
iii. If the final/upwind leg is truly parallel with the wind, then no crab is
needed, but in all reality, a slight crab will probably be necessary because
the wind will most likely not be exactly parallel to the final/upwind leg.
1. If crab is needed, crab into the wind to maintain a ¼ mile distance
from the final/upwind boundary.
j. As you fly abeam the final/upwind-crosswind boundary, begin a shallow left turn
to a heading that will maintain a distance of ¼ mile from the crosswind boundary.
i. A turn of less than 90º will be necessary to fly parallel to the crosswind
boundary. This is because the aircraft will need a little crabbing into the
wind.
ii. The groundspeed will increase slightly because the headwind has turned
into a crosswind.
iii. Keep the aircraft approximately ¼ mile from the crosswind leg boundary.
k. As you fly abeam the crosswind-downwind boundary, begin a medium bank turn,
and continually increase the bank angle as you near the downwind heading.
i. This is to prevent the now increasing tailwind from pushing you too far
downwind during the turn.
ii. A turn of more than 90º will be necessary to fly parallel to the downwind
boundary.
iii. The groundspeed will increase with the increase in tailwind.
iv. The aircraft should be rolling wings level as it passes a point aligned with
the crosswind.
6. Visual Cues –
a. Use field breaks to help judge distance.
b. Draw an extended line from two objects parallel with the leg you are on to keep
you from drifting too far left or right.
c. Use the image of the engine cowling and the horizon to maintain altitude.
7. Instrument Cues –
a. Use the altimeter to maintain altitude.
b. Use the inclinometer to maintain coordination.
8. PTS Standards –
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a. Private Pilot –
i. Exhibits knowledge of the elements related to a rectangular course.
ii. Selects a suitable reference area.
iii. Plans the maneuver so as to enter a left or right pattern, 600 to 1,000 feet
AGL (180 to 300 meters) at an appropriate distance from the selected
reference area, 45° to the downwind leg.
iv. Applies adequate wind-drift correction during straight-and-turning flight
to maintain a constant ground track around the rectangular reference area.
v. Divides attention between airplane control and the ground track while
maintaining coordinated flight.
vi. Maintains altitude, ±100 feet (30 meters); maintains airspeed, ±10 knots.
b. Commercial Pilot – None Specified.
9. Common Errors –
a. Poor planning or division of attention.
b. Uncoordinated flight.
c. Improper correction for wind drift.
d. Failure to maintain altitude and airspeed.
e. Selecting a ground reference from which no safe emergency landing can be made
to.
10. References –
a. AFH, Ch. 6
b. Gleim’s Flight Instructor Flight Maneuvers, Part II, Unit X
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Figure A
Figure B