Welcome Guest. Sign in or Signup

2 Answers

Departing a very busy uncontrolled airport

Asked by: 879 views General Aviation

My question is about how to fit into the pattern for takeoff at a very busy uncontrolled airport.

Traffic on a typical afternoon is comprised of four airplanes in the pattern making closed traffic. When the departing airplane lifts off there is an airplane established on final with insufficient space for a departure. This continues with no break for departing aircraft.

So how to break into this cycle for departure? I've been doing this: (1) Wait for a couple of landings to see if  sufficient spacing develops between the airplane on upwind and the airplane turning base to final, then if no luck  (2) Try to negotiate a long downwind to create a gap.

What suggestions do you CFIs have for departing an impenetrable pattern? Thanks!

Ace Any FAA Written Test!
Actual FAA Questions / Free Lifetime Updates
The best explanations in the business
Fast, efficient study.
Pass Your Checkride With Confidence!
FAA Practical Test prep that reflects actual checkrides.
Any checkride: Airplane, Helicopter, Glider, etc.
Written and maintained by actual pilot examiners and master CFIs.
The World's Most Trusted eLogbook
Be Organized, Current, Professional, and Safe.
Highly customizable - for student pilots through pros.
Free Transition Service for users of other eLogs.
Our sincere thanks to pilots such as yourself who support AskACFI while helping themselves by using the awesome PC, Mac, iPhone/iPad, and Android aviation apps of our sponsors.

2 Answers



  1. Kris Kortokrax on Oct 27, 2022

    You didn’t include any information concerning the airport configuration.

    If the airport has more than one runway, I would use a runway that is not being used by everyone else (of course, not creating a conflict with landing aircraft). I used to do this routinely while doing rides at a WWII museum. E-W runway intersected the N-S runway at the south end. I would take off to the north, do the ride and land to the south. Never created any conflict, although some people in the pattern were of the mistaken opinion that I must use the same runway as they were using.

    Or, fly a helicopter. I could depart from the ramp or taxiway.

    Asking for help from the landing aircraft (as you did) is about the only other solution (if it is a one runway airport).

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  2. Mark Kolber on Oct 27, 2022

    A couple of thoughts come to mind.

    1. Are you really ready to go? My nontowered home base (one runway) tends to get very busy too. Four flight schools/clubs with multiple aircraft, a waiting list for hangars, light GA and Part 91 jet traffic. I often see pilots who in an effort to be extra careful, wait until there is a break before they finish that final check. By the time they are done, the opening is gone.

    2. I find there is almost always an opening. Recognizing it takes a special form of situational awareness. What is the aircraft that has taken off? Is it expected to climb slower or faster than me? If equal or faster, I know I can depart as soon as they are past the departure end of the runway. Same for that airplane which just turned base. or a 3 mile final. (If I am trule ready to go – and no, I am not rushing).

    3. Negotiate. Nothing wrong with transmitting, “Cessna 1234X holding short 10 for departure. Could the downwind traffic extend?”

    That’s the bottom line. When al else fails, Communication – whether or not it fits into the AIM-standard glossary – is key. There have been a lot of discussions surrounding the Watsonville accident where two airplanes ran into each other on final. I’ve listened to the audio several times and while people can argue blame, the single biggest takeaway I got was a failure of communication.

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes


The following terms have been auto-detected the question above and any answers or discussion provided. Click on a term to see its definition from the Dauntless Aviation JargonBuster Glossary.

Answer Question

Our sincere thanks to all who contribute constructively to this forum in answering flight training questions. If you are a flight instructor or represent a flight school / FBO offering flight instruction, you are welcome to include links to your site and related contact information as it pertains to offering local flight instruction in a specific geographic area. Additionally, direct links to FAA and related official government sources of information are welcome. However we thank you for your understanding that links to other sites or text that may be construed as explicit or implicit advertising of other business, sites, or goods/services are not permitted even if such links nominally are relevant to the question asked.