Figure 10-2. Recommended communication procedures at uncontrolled airports. about the traffic pattern. If there is not a control tow- er, it is your responsibility to determine the direction  of the traffic pattern, to comply with the appropriate  traffic rules, and to display common courtesy toward  other pilots operating in the area. The common traffic  advisory frequency (CTAF) is a good place to listen  for traffic at the airport. It is also important to listen  to the  automatic terminal information service (ATIS)  if one is provided. smoothly. Jets or heavy aircraft will frequently be fly- ing wider and/or higher patterns than lighter aircraft,  and in many cases will make a straight-in approach  for landing.  You are not expected to have extensive knowledge of  all traffic patterns at all airports, but if you are famil- iar with the basic rectangular pattern, it will be easy  to make proper approaches and departures from most  airports, regardless of whether they have control tow- ers. Check the Airport/Facility Directory for airport  and traffic pattern information. At airports with operating control towers, the tower  operator may instruct you to enter the traffic pattern  at any point or to make a straight-in approach with- out flying the usual rectangular pattern. Many other  deviations are possible if the tower operator and the  pilot work together in an effort to keep traffic moving  When entering the traffic pattern at an airport with- out an operating control tower, inbound pilots are ex- pected to observe other aircraft already in the pattern  and to conform to the traffic pattern in use. If other  aircraft are not in the pattern, then traffic indicators  on the ground and wind indicators must be checked to  determine which runway and traffic pattern direction  should be used. Many airports have L-shaped traffic  The standard general aviation (GA) rectangular traf- fic pattern is illustrated in Figure 10-1. Traffic pattern  altitude can vary by airport and should be checked in  the Airport/Facility Directory. The GA pattern altitude  is typically 800 – 1,000 feet. The PPC should NOT be  flown at the GA pattern altitude. In an effort to avoid  airplanes, the PPC pattern altitude should be one-half  the GA pattern altitude. Even after the airplane has  slowed to traffic pattern speed, it is still 2 to 3 times  the PPC speed.  10-3