traffic pattern

American  

noun

1. Aeronautics. a system of courses about an airfield that aircraft are assigned to fly when taking off, landing, or preparing to land.

2. any systematic movement of people or vehicles.

   The kitchen was designed to accommodate the family's traffic pattern.

---

traffic pattern British  

noun

1. a pattern of permitted lanes in the air around an airport to which an aircraft is restricted

---

Example Sentences

He was surprised by the traffic pattern at Walmart, where customers could enter through only one door, and walk in one direction.

From Washington Times • Oct. 4, 2020

With this new traffic pattern, the number of traffic-related injuries went down but the number of crashes went up.

From Washington Post • Dec. 25, 2017

They also will continue the up-and-over nighttime traffic pattern along eastbound Business I-40 at Peters Creek Parkway, as needed for preliminary work on the Business 40 Improvement Project.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 13, 2017

“Shortly after takeoff, over the departure end of the runway, the pilot announced a mayday and entered the right traffic pattern for the runway,” the report said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 28, 2017

The captain tells Klotz to ask for another traffic pattern.

From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell