What is Initial?

So if you’ve ever seen fighter come back to the airfield pattern looks way different that the one you learn in the mighty 172.

The Air Force overhead is essentially a descending 360 starting and ending at the landing zone (eg ‘the numbers’).

Subsequent aircraft in the formation delay thier ‘break turn’ to create a small upwind and ‘inside downwind.’

Generally the overhead is at 2,000 AFE. Turbine big wings fly a covential pattern at 1,500 AFE, and light civil will fly it at 1,000. You’ll also have convential straight ins.

Take a joint use field like Montgomery AL. You’ll often have 4 F-35 ‘initial’ for the overhead. An AC-130 in the 1500 ft pattern. The local FBO student in the 1000 ft patrern and an ERJ on 7 mile ILS final.

Learning the pattern priorites is a big part of UPT. Fortunately its flown the same at every base; so once you understand the UPT pattern you’ll be ready to sound cool and look good at red flag.