Soar Spots: A Review of Glider Conflictions in Canada

by Uwe Goehl, Civil Aviation Safety Inspector, Transport Canada, General Flight Standards

Unless you are a balloon pilot, you have probably spent a fair amount of time flying in an aerodrome traffic circuit.

Student pilots pursuing an Ultralight Aeroplane Permit, Recreational Pilot Permit or Private Pilot Licence spend a considerable part of their training in the circuit, logging and perfecting take-offs, approaches and landings. Not only are traffic circuits flown by aircraft operating under visual flight rules (VFR), but a traffic circuit may be part of a visual approach, a contact approach or a circling approach flown by an aircraft operating under instrument flight rules (IFR). It may even be the quick, safe method used by an aircraft to return to the aerodrome following a situation during or right after take-off, such as an engine failure on a multi-engine jet in visual meteorological conditions (VMC).

Aside from balloons, all sorts of aircraft of different configurations and with different performance capabilities may fly a traffic circuit, from slow ultralight aeroplanes to much faster transport category jets. This can create challenges when these aircraft with very different performance capabilities are operating at an aerodrome at the same time. Because of this, Transport Canada’s Aeronautical Information Manual (TC AIM) had a significant update to the guidance on flying visual circuits at controlled and uncontrolled aerodromes in edition 2024-2, published on October 3, 2024.

The way pilots must operate their aircraft when flying near an aerodrome can be found in the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs) Subpart 602, Division V. CAR section 602.96 closely mirrors the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) published in ICAO Annex 2–Rules of the Air, section 3.2.5. In a nutshell, both the CARs and the ICAO SARPs say that the pilot-in-command must:

• observe aerodrome traffic to avoid a collision;

• conform to or avoid the flow of traffic already established by other aircraft;

• make all turns to the left, unless otherwise instructed. In Canada, that instruction may be given by ATC or published in the Canada Flight Supplement; and

• when practical, land into the wind.

This helps explain why traffic circuit procedures are the same in other countries (i.e., observe other traffic to avoid a collision, conform to and avoid the pattern of traffic formed by other aircraft operating at the aerodrome and make all turns to the left in a circuit, unless otherwise specified), while some procedures, such as recommended traffic circuit entries, are different.

For example, in Canada, the preferred entry at an uncontrolled aerodrome is crossing the aerodrome mid-field. In the United States, the preferred entry at a non-towered airport is at a 45-degree angle to the downwind leg.

Some countries chart the specific lateral track and altitude to be followed, depending on aircraft performance, for each aerodrome.

While some elements of the traffic circuit are identical, these examples also underscore why it is important for a pilot to thoroughly familiarize themselves with differences before flying in another country.

What’s changed and what hasn’t?

Here is the good news. It is very likely, whether you are an aeroplane, glider, rotorcraft or balloon pilot, that you are already flying a traffic circuit as described in the updated edition of the TC AIM. We haven’t changed the recommended traffic circuit entry procedures. We expect pilots to comply with the regulations, and we encourage pilots to operate in accordance with published guidance information. In this case, though, the recommendations in the TC AIM were lagging with respect to industry-accepted procedures and airline standard operating procedures (SOPs), so the objective was to bring the TC AIM into alignment with the way many aircraft already, and legally, fly traffic circuits. The new guidance is better harmonized with recommended aerodrome circuit procedures in other countries, such as Australia and the United States. However, if you are a light general aviation aeroplane pilot, you may not have been aware that jets and turboprops typically conduct wider circuits at 1 500 ft above ground level (AGL). This makes sense because they operate at higher speeds and have greater turning radii, so they cannot conform to the flow of traffic formed by slower single- and multi-engine aeroplanes.

If you are a jet pilot, you may be unfamiliar with the modified circuits flown by glider pilots. Most pilots know that gliders have the right of way over powered aircraft (they cannot maintain altitude, and a successful go-around is very improbable). But did you know that aircraft towing gliders may follow what looks like an erratic departure track to keep their glider within gliding distance of a safe landing spot, and that this is legal?

If you are a glider pilot, do you know what to expect from slow, low performing ultralight aeroplanes operating in the circuit?

If you are a powered paraglider pilot flying a low, tight-traffic circuit at 20 mph, are you aware that you may be sharing the circuit with gyroplanes and helicopters?

Rotorcraft pilots: there are several recommendations for you to fly the circuit depending on your performance capabilities. Of course, helicopter pilots may choose to avoid the flow of traffic in the circuit(s), opting to arrive or depart directly from the helipad at the aerodrome. But do you know what to expect from a balloon operating at an aerodrome? Also, for helicopter pilots: the TC AIM has an update on helicopter operations at aerodromes in RAC 4.5.3.

Finally, for balloon pilots: do you know where and how other aircraft in the airspace around you manoeuvre near an aerodrome?

It is important for pilots to have good situational awareness and to know what to expect from each other. The objective is to ensure safety for everyone while providing fair aerodrome access to all legitimate airspace users, regardless of the size or performance capabilities of their aircraft.

Traffic circuits can get busy and increase pilot workload, especially at uncontrolled aerodromes. A few other suggestions in the TC AIM can help minimize surprises and keep everyone safe:

• Keep a good look-out.

• Make yourself visible. Turn on your anti-collision (beacon/strobe) lights and landing lights. It will make it easier for other pilots to see you.

• If you have a transponder, always use it, including the altitude encoding function. Even if you are not in transponder airspace, you will be visible to aircraft using Aircraft Collision Avoidance Systems (ACAS).

• Communicate, communicate, communicate! Speak clearly and concisely using the recommended terminology. See NAV CANADA’s Phraseology Guides.

Note: Read more about United States non-towered airport flight operations (PDF, 1.9 MB).

Note: Uwe is a qualified aeroplane, balloon, glider, gyroplane, RPAS and ultralight aeroplane pilot. Prior to joining Transport Canada, if he wasn’t doing a visual circuit in an Airbus A320 or a gyroplane, he would be doing them in a sailplane, weight shift control aircraft, or in his powered paraglider.