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.

Pilots must thoroughly understand and adhere to standard traffic patterns, typically left-hand, to ensure safety at both towered and nontowered airports. Effective learning methods for traffic ...

Conditions near the airport were clear when the collision occurred, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. “This was a clear night last night. The helicopter was in a standard pattern. The American ...