6/6/23 AC 90-66C
14
aircraft that may be on short final prior to entering the runway for takeoff and
communicate their intentions, their departure runway, initial departure altitude, and
direction of flight, and monitor CTAF until they are in contact with ATC.
Note 1: When receiving an IFR clearance release to enter airspace from ATC,
with or without a clearance void time, you should not takeoff at a non-towered
airport until you are positive that there is no inbound aircraft/traffic pattern
conflicts. If your takeoff is going to be delayed, contact and advise ATC.
Note 2: Caution should be taken when receiving IFR clearances on the ground
from a Remote Transmitter Receiver (RTR) or a Remote Communications Outlet
(RCO), as these can limit your situational awareness of other aircraft that may be
entering the traffic area for landing while you are not monitoring the
CTAF/UNICOM.
10.4.4 Immediate IFR Departure. Pilots departing IFR are encouraged not to accept immediate
IFR departures just to meet clearance void times as this increases the risk of a collision
hazard on the runway when they conduct an immediate departure and another aircraft
could be on short final, entering the runway from another location, or may be crossing the
runway in use. As stated above, an ATC IFR clearance and ATC stating released are not
authorizations to takeoff. Per paragraph 10.4.3, communicate on CTAF, announce your
intention to takeoff; state the runway in use, initial departure altitude, and direction of
flight; and call for any aircraft in the pattern or inbound to the airport for landing to
obtain a complete understanding of all air traffic to be avoided.
11 RECOMMENDED STANDARD TRAFFIC PATTERN. The following information is
intended to supplement the AIM, Paragraph 4-3-3, Traffic Patterns, and the PHAK,
Chapter 14. Further, during preflight planning, you should check the Chart Supplement
information for the airport of destination and in addition to obtaining airport information,
check for any airport remarks and/or special procedures. This information can alert you to
takeoff, landing, or other procedures, and ensure you are familiar with all available
information regarding that airport.
11.1 Traffic Pattern Design. Airport owners and operators, in coordination with the FAA, are
responsible for establishing traffic patterns. The FAA encourages airport owners and
operators to establish traffic patterns as recommended in this AC. Further, left traffic
patterns should be established, except where obstacles, terrain, and noise-sensitive areas
dictate otherwise (see Appendix A).
11.2 Determination of Traffic Pattern. Prior to entering the traffic pattern at an airport
without an operating control tower, aircraft should avoid the flow of traffic until
established on the entry leg. For example, the pilot can check wind and landing direction
indicators while at an altitude above the traffic pattern, or by monitoring the
communications of other traffic that communicate the runway in use, especially at
airports with more than one runway. When the runway in use and proper traffic pattern
direction have been determined, the pilot should then proceed to a point well clear of the
pattern before descending to and entering at pattern altitude.