Airport Wind Indicators

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     Reference: ACS PA.III.A.K1 - K9, PA.III.B.K1 - K4 PHAK Chapter 14

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​Wind indications are provided by both wind indicators and ATC or FSS at towered airports.  But, at non-towered airports where there is no source of verbal communication of the current winds, wind indicators are used.  Indicators are found near the runway and located in a segmented circle, which shows the traffic pattern directions. There are a few types of indicators used.

• Wind cone

• Windsocks

• Tetrahedron

• Wind tee

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Traffic Patterns

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​At non-towered airports segmented circles are located in an area near the runways that pilots can easily see it from the air.  Segmented circles are to provide basic traffic pattern information. 

• At most airports and military air fields the traffic pattern altitude (TPA) for piston aircraft is 600 feet up to 1,500 feet AGL. 

• Traffic pattern altitude for military turbojet aircraft is 2,500 feet AGL

• To find the exact traffic pattern direction and traffic pattern altitude (TPA) for any airport can be found in the Chart Supplement U.S.