If you’ve ever sat on a plane wondering why the pilot announced that you’d be landing soon but seemed to be flying in circles with no runway in sight, you’ve probably been in a holding pattern.

The article criticizes the modern trend of pilots flying overly large and inefficient traffic patterns, contrasting it with the tighter, more skilled practices of the past. It advocates for smaller, ...

Many common traffic pattern "sins" involve flying excessively wide or fast patterns, leading to inefficiency, reduced visibility from the airport, and increased potential for conflicts with other ...