¶ Military Circuit
Military circuits are different to standard civilian circuits as instead of being rectangular, they are oval shaped with the traditional ‘base legs’ replaced by two 180 degree turns. This helps the pilot always have a constant sight of the runway. Some airports will still ask that pilots fly standard rectangular circuits due to the airfield layout.
The military circuit can assume different wording (depending on the country) such as:
- Overhead pattern;
- Run and Brake;
- Jet circuit.
When fast jet aircraft join the military circuit they will first call at the initial point which is shown in the diagram above. Please note it is important to know you would still make radio contact with the controller at least 5 minutes flying time before hitting the initial point to get the joining instructions and information from the controller. After the pilot passes the initial point, the next point is normally at the midpoint of the runway and is called the break point, at this point the pilot will continue with long continuous turns and call base (or final, depending on the country) when the aircraft is abeam the runway threshold.
Aircraft can also enter the circuit in more traditional ways as instructed by ATC,
Another key difference is that pilots will need to ensure the pilot confirms their checks are complete or that the gear is down in a retractable gear aircraft. If the pilot doesn’t confirm this the controller must ask and get confirmation before a landing clearance is issued.