Final answer:
At non-towered airports, pilots of fixed-wing and weight-shift control aircraft must circle the airport to maintain visual separation from other aircraft and announce their intentions. This ensures safety and avoids conflicts in the airspace.
Step-by-step explanation:
At non-towered airports, pilots of fixed-wing and weight-shift control aircraft must circle the airport in order to announce their intentions and maintain visual separation from other aircraft. This is done to ensure safety and avoid conflicts in the airspace. By circling the airport, pilots can observe the traffic pattern and communicate their position and intentions to other pilots.
For example, when approaching a non-towered airport, a pilot will enter the traffic pattern by making a 45-degree turn into the downwind leg. From there, they will proceed to make a turn onto the base leg, followed by a final turn onto the final approach leg before landing.