Circuit Training

One of the most common training elements is practicing takeoff and landing. An aircraft may complete these procedures several times in a row by flying in a circuit or lap around the airport between each landing and take-off. Circuit flying procedures often need to be practiced in all conditions – day and night, and in different weather conditions to allow pilots to build experience and familiarity with these procedures.

One form of circuit training is often referred to as ‘Touch and Go’. In a Touch and Go, the aircraft does not come to a complete stop after landing and instead adds throttle to take off once again. These circuits are repetitive so the aircraft can be overflying the same location regularly – sometimes over areas they may not normally fly. They also typically operate at lower altitudes than normal and due to repeated practice of take-offs and landings, which can also be more annoying to residents than typical arrivals or departures. To ensure disturbances are kept to a minimum, the airport requests that Touch and Go operations use Runway 28L to avoid noise-sensitive areas.