Thomson-McDuffie County Airport traffic pattern

Pattern altitude at Thomson-McDuffie County Airport (HQU · KHQU) is 1,500 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 Thomson-McDuffie County Airport — runways, frequencies, charts and live weather

Pattern 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 KHQU reports it.

RWY 10LEFT traffic

Heading: 097° mag · 093° true
Dimensions: 5,514 × 100 ft
TPA: 1,500 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL) · standard
Surface: Asphalt
Lights: 2-light PAPI (left) (3°)
ILS: ILS · CAT I · LOC 110.75 (AAQ) · GS 3.00°
Displaced thr: 299 ft
CTAF: 122.8

Enter the left downwind (heading 277°) on the 45° at 1,500 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL).

More details — RWY 10

Threshold elev: 449 ft
Markings: precision
Approach obstacle: Trees, 103 ft, 2,878 ft from threshold, 57 ft L of centerline — 26:1 slope to clear
Threshold crossing height: 48 ft
TDZ elevation: 467 ft
Declared TORA/TODA/ASDA/LDA: 5,514 / 5,514 / 5,514 / 5,215 ft

Condition: Good. Edge lights: High. Weight bearing: Single wheel 30k, Double wheel 50k, Dual tandem 87k.

Pattern side + displaced threshold: FAA NASR · TPA standard 1,000 ft AGL (not charted) · layout: FAA runway-end coordinates

Pattern direction by runway

Runway	Pattern	Heading	Pattern altitude
10	Left traffic	097° mag	1,500 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL)
28	Left traffic	277° mag	1,500 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL)

No pattern altitude is published for KHQU; 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 KHQU

Thomson-McDuffie County Airport is non towered, so the pattern is self announced on CTAF 122.8. AC 90-66B asks for a report on entry and on each leg, and for the standard 45° entry to downwind at pattern altitude.

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 KHQU?

Thomson-McDuffie County 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 1,500 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 KHQU have right traffic?

No. All 2 runway ends at Thomson-McDuffie County Airport use standard left traffic, so no right pattern is charted here.

What frequency is the pattern on at KHQU?

Thomson-McDuffie County Airport is non towered, so pattern position reports go on the CTAF, 122.8. AC 90-66B asks for self announcing on entry and on each leg.

More about KHQU

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.