Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) Practice Exam

What is the first step when establishing a normal approach to landing?

1. Complete a pre-landing checklist

2. Establish a normal traffic pattern

3. Maintain altitude

4. Clear the runway

The correct answer is: Establish a normal traffic pattern

Establishing a normal traffic pattern is crucial as it sets the foundation for a safe and structured approach to landing. The traffic pattern allows for orderly sequencing of aircraft as they approach the runway, ensuring that each aircraft can manage its descent and landing without conflicting with others in the airspace. Entering the traffic pattern contributes to consistency in the arrival process, making it easier for pilots to anticipate the actions of other aircraft while providing clear references for altitude, distance, and timing. This systematic approach to organizing the landing procedure is critical for maintaining safety, especially in busy environments and when multiple aircraft are operating in the same vicinity. While completing a pre-landing checklist, maintaining altitude, and clearing the runway are all important considerations in the landing process, they follow after establishing the traffic pattern. The pattern creates the framework within which these other actions are performed effectively.