What range should you maintain on the downwind leg in a radar pattern?

What range should you maintain on the downwind leg in a radar pattern?

• A. 150-200
• B. 120-160
• C. 100-140
• D. 200-250

Answer: (A)

Maintaining a specific range on the downwind leg in a radar pattern is about giving yourself and ATC the right amount of space to work with as you fly parallel to the runway and prepare to turn toward the base and final. The typical target is about 1.5 to 2.0 nautical miles from the runway centerline. This distance provides enough room to execute a standard-rate turn from downwind to base and then to final without getting too close to other traffic, while still staying within radar coverage for effective vectoring and separation. If you’re closer than this, the turns to base can be too tight and you risk spacing issues; if you’re farther, you risk losing radar contact or needing longer, less efficient pattern segments.

Maintaining a specific range on the downwind leg in a radar pattern is about giving yourself and ATC the right amount of space to work with as you fly parallel to the runway and prepare to turn toward the base and final. The typical target is about 1.5 to 2.0 nautical miles from the runway centerline. This distance provides enough room to execute a standard-rate turn from downwind to base and then to final without getting too close to other traffic, while still staying within radar coverage for effective vectoring and separation. If you’re closer than this, the turns to base can be too tight and you risk spacing issues; if you’re farther, you risk losing radar contact or needing longer, less efficient pattern segments.