Exercise F · for US student pilots
The traffic pattern
Departure, downwind, base and final — self-announced on the CTAF, and with a tower.
Worked here at Palo Alto (KPAO). In the app the same prompts use your own home airport and call sign.
Prompt 1 of 5
You are at the hold line for runway 12 at Half Moon Bay, a non-towered airport, about to depart to the north. Announce it on the CTAF.
What the AIM says: AIM 4-1-9 g 8 (b): 'Half Moon Bay traffic', identification, departing runway 12, departing the pattern to the north, climbing to your altitude, 'Half Moon Bay'.Prompt 2 of 5
Entering the left downwind for runway 12 at Half Moon Bay. Announce it.
What the AIM says: 'Half Moon Bay traffic', identification, entering left downwind runway 12, your intention (full stop / touch-and-go), 'Half Moon Bay'.Prompt 3 of 5
Turning final for runway 12 at Half Moon Bay, full stop. Announce it.
What the AIM says: 'Half Moon Bay traffic', identification, final runway 12, full stop, 'Half Moon Bay'. Then, after landing, 'clear of runway 12'.Prompt 4 of 5
Palo Alto Tower says: "N172SP, runway 13, cleared for the option." Read it back.
What the AIM says: P/CG 'cleared for the option': touch-and-go, low approach, stop-and-go or full stop at your discretion. Read back the runway and 'cleared for the option' with your call sign; tell the tower if you will remain on the runway.Prompt 5 of 5
On short final, Palo Alto Tower transmits: "N172SP, go around." Respond.
What the AIM says: Brief: 'going around' with your call sign — then fly it. A VFR aircraft overflies the runway, climbs to pattern altitude and enters the pattern via the crosswind unless told otherwise (P/CG). A long readback here is wrong.
What this exercise is graded against
| Call or readback | Graded against |
|---|---|
| CTAF self-announce: before taxiing onto the runway, departing the pattern | AIM 4-1-9 c 1, TBL 4-1-1; 4-1-9 g 8 |
| CTAF self-announce: entering downwind, base, final, clear of the runway | AIM 4-1-9 c 1, TBL 4-1-1; 4-1-9 g 8 |
| 'Cleared for the option' read back with the runway | P/CG: CLEARED FOR THE OPTION; AIM 4-3-23; 4-4-7 b |
| Go-around: a short acknowledgement, then fly it | P/CG: GO AROUND |
Now say them to a controller
Push-to-talk, at your airport, with today’s altimeter. The AI controller answers and the grader tells you what the AIM says about each call.
Prompts and notes are written in our own words from the FAA Aeronautical Information Manual (Change 3, 7/9/26) and the Pilot/Controller Glossary, with paragraph references. Frequencies are from the FAA NASR data and are for training only. Study aid; not approved or endorsed by the FAA. Always defer to the AIM, current FAA publications, your instructor and your examiner.