Great Falls International Airport traffic pattern
Pattern altitude at Great Falls International Airport (GTF · KGTF) is 4,700 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL) by the standard convention — none is published for this field, and every runway end is standard left traffic.
All of Great Falls International Airport — runways, frequencies, charts and live weatherPattern diagram
Drawn to scale from the FAA NASR runway alignments and the per end right traffic flags — pick a runway to see its pattern. Live wind picks the favored runway when KGTF reports it.
RWY 17LEFT traffic
- Heading
- 167° mag · 180° true
- Dimensions
- 6,030 × 150 ft
- TPA
- 4,700 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL) · standard
- Surface
- Asphalt
- Lights
- 4-light PAPI (left) (3°)
- Displaced thr
- 230 ft
- CTAF
- 122.95
More details — RWY 17
- Threshold elev
- 3,640 ft
- Markings
- nonprecision
- Approach obstacle
- Road, 10 ft, 345 ft from threshold, 266 ft L of centerline — 14:1 slope to clear · penetrates the 20:1 visual approach surface
- Threshold crossing height
- 47 ft
- TDZ elevation
- 3,660 ft
- Declared TORA/TODA/ASDA/LDA
- 6,030 / 6,030 / 6,030 / 5,800 ft
Pattern side + displaced threshold: FAA NASR · TPA standard 1,000 ft AGL (not charted) · layout: schematic (headings + lengths)
Pattern direction by runway
| Runway | Pattern | Heading | Pattern altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| 03 | Left traffic | 032° mag | 4,700 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL) |
| 21 | Left traffic | 212° mag | 4,700 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL) |
| 07 | Left traffic | 077° mag | 4,700 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL) |
| 25 | Left traffic | 257° mag | 4,700 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL) |
| 17 | Left traffic | 167° mag | 4,700 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL) |
| 35 | Left traffic | 347° mag | 4,700 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL) |
No pattern altitude is published for KGTF; the figure above is the AC 90-66B 1,000 ft AGL convention for propeller aircraft, rounded to the field. Turbine aircraft normally fly 1,500 ft AGL. Headings are the runway alignment; downwind is the reciprocal.
Flying the pattern at KGTF
Great Falls International Airport is towered, working 118.7. Contact the tower before entering the surface area and fly the pattern you are assigned — the directions below are the charted default when no instruction is given.
All ends are left traffic, which is the FAR 91.126 default — turns to the left unless the field charts otherwise. The full entry procedure is here →
Frequently asked
What is the traffic pattern altitude at KGTF?
Great Falls International Airport has no traffic pattern altitude published in the FAA NASR data. The AC 90-66B convention for propeller aircraft is 1,000 ft AGL, which works out to roughly 4,700 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL) here — but confirm it against the Chart Supplement before you fly, since a field can have a non standard pattern altitude that NASR does not carry.
Does KGTF have right traffic?
No. All 6 runway ends at Great Falls International Airport use standard left traffic, so no right pattern is charted here.
Do I fly a standard pattern at KGTF?
Great Falls International Airport is towered (118.7), so the pattern shown here is the charted default — but the controller's instruction overrides it. Expect straight in approaches, base entries and midfield crossings as traffic dictates.
More about KGTF
Pattern direction and alignment are drawn from the FAA NASR (28-day cycle); the diagram is generated, not an FAA chart. Pattern altitude is shown as published where NASR carries one, otherwise as the AC 90-66B 1,000 ft AGL convention. For planning and education only; always verify against the Chart Supplement.