Does a pilot need clearance to enter the traffic pattern?

Question

In one video, I saw a Cessna that got its instructions to enter the pattern along with landing clearance, but I saw another where the pilot just flew in and got clearance somewhere around late-downwind.

Edit: Still confused here, if you need a landing clearance to enter traffic, then why do diagrams like this exist: (Figure 4 indicating the recommended area landing clearance should be given)

And why do you see so many videos on youtube of late landing clearances? And why do I see people get cleared to land when they're on downwind abeam to the numbers if they already have clearance?

Answer 1

The US AIM (Aeronautical Information Manual) says:

When necessary, the tower controller will issue clearances or other information for aircraft to generally follow the desired flight path (traffic patterns) when flying in Class B, Class C, and Class D surface areas and the proper taxi routes when operating on the ground. If not otherwise authorized or directed by the tower, pilots of fixed-wing aircraft approaching to land must circle the airport to the left. Pilots approaching to land in a helicopter must avoid the flow of fixed-wing traffic. However, in all instances, an appropriate clearance must be received from the tower before landing.

^{(AIM 4-3-2-b.)}

^{(AIM Fig 4-3-1)}

So it is mandatory to receive a landing clearance, but if traffic flow doesn’t demand it, there is no need to fly the traffic pattern. The controller basically has a lot of freedom here, but the standard is to get instruction to join it, even if this means to join a long final.

Answer 2

At a controlled airport, you need a clearance to land, and sometimes to enter its airspace (varies by class of airspace and country). How to enter the pattern is not a clearance, at least if you're VFR.

Depending on other traffic in the area, ATC may give explicit instructions on how to enter the traffic pattern. If there's no other traffic present (or at least none near enough to cause a conflict), though, ATC may not care how you do it. Their job is to ensure a "safe, orderly and expeditious flow of traffic," not to dictate every single thing a pilot does.

The diagram you cite shows the standard traffic pattern, which is what pilots use at uncontrolled fields, or at controlled fields if ATC doesn't specifically instruct us to do something different. Even when ATC does give instructions, it is usually based on the names of the pattern legs, e.g. telling you to enter on base or long final (because that makes the most sense given your position and that of other traffic) rather than on the downwind as usual.

Answer 3

The difference will be controlled and non controlled airspace. When in controlled airspace you will receive clearance to enter the pattern and proceed to landing. In uncontrolled airspace you will transmit on guard or airport freq. your position and type aircraft and state your intentions.

Answer 4

Note: This answer assumes that you are in FAA airspace.

There are two aspects about entering a terminal area to land. First, there is clearance into the terminal area, and secondly, there is clearance to land. Let's look at them separately.

The clearance into the terminal area is dependent on airspace and your flight flan. You do not need a landing clearance to enter the traffic pattern. This is clearance to fly a path in the sky, but is not a clearance to touch anything on the ground. If your terminal area is controlled, you will need to work with ATC to arrange your entry into the traffic pattern. Depending on your entry geometry, this could be a full rectangular left hand pattern as you depicted, they could just give you a long final, or anything in between.

For further reading about FAA classes of airspace, this is a good reference.

Where clearance into the traffic pattern permits a flight path, landing clearance allows the airplane to touch the ground, but does not provide any clearance for path of flight. Thus, if the airfield is controlled, you need to receive a landing clearance before wheels touch the ground. Situationally dependent, you will typically receive landing clearance about when you turn base. It is controller technique to give you an earlier or later landing clearance. You may fly a full traffic pattern expecting to receive clearance, and when on short final it is not received, you have to execute a go around.