The lowly rectangular course can probably be lumped with slips as the two least-practiced maneuvers in the entire flight training curriculum. And that’s a shame. Although many say the purpose of the rectangular course is to hone our skills at flying in the traffic pattern, the goal is actually broader and considerably more important—it teaches us how to judge and then react to the wind while dividing our attention both inside and outside the airplane. In this way, it is not dissimilar to turns around a point or S-turns across a road—except that it is, perhaps, easier.
Flying a good rectangular course depends on three factors: picking a good field, judging the wind, and flying an equidistant rectangular pattern around the field. You will ultimately be evaluated on how well you maintained a consistent ground track around a fixed rectangle on the ground. The windier it is, the harder the maneuver is to perform.
Selecting a proper field is the first step. It should be generally rectangular, with the long sides long enough to give you a brief time in cruise to relax, and the short sides wide enough to make sure there is at least a moment of straight-and-level flight. Long sides of about a mile in length are good, and don’t be too concerned if the field is more of a square than a rectangle. Plan on tracking about a quarter-mile from the edge of the field.
1.
Enter the “pattern” on a 45-degree angle to the downwind at 600 feet to 1,000 above the ground, just as you would the traffic pattern. Note your distance from the field, which should be less than half a mile.2.
3a.
3b.
Enter at least a brief period of straight and level flight on the short sides. Point the nose into the wind, or crab, to make sure the airplane isn’t pushed into or away from the field. Because of this, turns from the upwind to the crosswind will be less than 90 degrees, while those from the downwind to the base leg are more than 90 degrees.
4.
The upwind leg will take longer. Be patient and don’t turn too early.
5.
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