FAA Part 107 Drone Practice Test

If you hear an aircraft announcing that it is midfield left downwind to RWY 13, where is the aircraft located?

1. North of the runway

2. East of the runway

3. West of the runway

4. South of the runway

The correct answer is: East of the runway

When an aircraft announces that it is midfield left downwind to runway 13, it indicates its position and flight path in relation to the runway. Understanding this requires knowledge of flight pattern terminology. A "left downwind" leg refers to the aircraft flying parallel to the runway on the left side when approaching to land. For runway 13, which is oriented approximately to the north (13 degrees), the left downwind leg would place the aircraft to the east of the runway, heading southbound. Since the aircraft is at "midfield," it is positioned halfway down the runway's length, indicating that it is neither too close to the approach nor the departure end. Thus, an aircraft on the left downwind to runway 13 is located east of the runway, flying in a path that will allow it to make a left turn into a landing approach. This is why the correct answer identifies the aircraft's location as east of the runway.