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Some airports have a non-standard traffic pattern altitude. For example KGXY is 800 feet. Why is this?

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Airports underneath controlled airspace may need to keep their traffic clear of controlled airspace, which may start from a typical altitude such as 1000Ft.

As is also mentioned in this answer, in April 2013 the standard pattern height was changed from 800 ft to 1000ft, possibly accounting for a number of airports still having the old "standard".

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  • $\begingroup$ Many airports have non-standard traffic pattern altitudes (lower, in my experience) that are not due to airspace considerations. For example, KACQ has a TPA of 800 AGL, despite Class E starting at 700 above the airfield and continuing up to the floor of A. $\endgroup$
    – J W
    Commented Feb 11, 2016 at 16:06
  • $\begingroup$ See also KMCW, KOWA, and KAEL. $\endgroup$
    – J W
    Commented Feb 11, 2016 at 16:28
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    $\begingroup$ Oh, I agree! I just think there is more to this question than airspace. I don't know what it is, but you have covered the airspace part of the answer. Airspace also seems a non-issue in the case of KGXY from the question. $\endgroup$
    – J W
    Commented Feb 11, 2016 at 16:54
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    $\begingroup$ I just talked to the airport manager at ACQ, and he says he has no idea, just the way it is. "Some airports have 800 foot patterns, some 1000." $\endgroup$
    – J W
    Commented Feb 11, 2016 at 17:08
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    $\begingroup$ @JonathanWalters, this answer mentions the default used to be 800 and then it was changed to 1000. $\endgroup$
    – Jan Hudec
    Commented Feb 11, 2016 at 22:07

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