Runway 20L Voluntary Traffic Pattern KSNA local VFR procedures
Not for navigation. Verify against the official sources linked below before flight.
vfr departure Airport sponsor published verified 2026-08-28 (51 d ago)
Published by the airport sponsor; voluntary unless ATC assigns it. If ATC assigns this route to you in Class B, C or D airspace, that assignment is an ATC instruction and compliance is required (14 CFR 91.123) — and “unable” remains available to the pilot in command.
Turn left crosswind at or before Highway 73 to keep off the residential area south of the highway and away from the Newport Back Bay communities.
The route
- On departure, turn 15° left at the departure end of the runway to avoid aircraft departing the larger runway
- Once on the 15° offset upwind — unless below 500 ft AGL or instructed otherwise by ATC — turn left crosswind before reaching Highway 73, to avoid overflying the residential area south of the highway
- Pilots are encouraged to voluntarily turn left at or before Highway 73 to help minimize noise impacts over the Newport Back Bay communities
Where it actually is
North up. The sponsor names these landmarks and publishes no coordinate for any of them — everything positioned here is derived, and each coordinate's provenance is listed with its point below. Dashed markers are depicted: this site's reading of the written route, not published fixes.
- Depart RWY 20L, 15 degrees left at the departure end RWY 20L threshold (north end) North end of 2R/20L. A runway 20L departure turns LEFT 15 degrees at the departure end, and a 20L arrival flies final at 15 degrees to the runway — both to avoid overflying the big runway alongside. satellite Apple Maps coordinate: FAA airport record (NASR), surveyed runway threshold
- Turn left crosswind BEFORE reaching Highway 73 Highway 73 The San Joaquin Hills corridor, crossing 1.0 NM south of the field on the runway 20L upwind. Pilots are asked to turn left crosswind AT OR BEFORE it, to keep off the residential area south of the highway and the Back Bay communities. A line, not a point. Unless below 500 AGL or told otherwise. Pilots are encouraged to turn at or before it. satellite Apple Maps street view coordinate: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) (nearest point on CA 73 to the extended RWY 20L centreline)
- The Back Bay communities are what the early turn protects Newport Back Bay Upper Newport Bay, the broad tidal estuary 2.1 NM southwest of the field. The communities around it are what the early crosswind turn protects. satellite Apple Maps street view coordinate: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
This entry describes several named routes, so the landmarks are plotted and no single track is drawn. Bearings are magnetic, converted from true at each leg's midpoint through the WMM 2025 model this site ships (11.2°E here). Shoreline, water, highways and runways © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Class B/C/D boundaries: FAA Aeronautical Information Services.
Put it in the GPS
Landmarks only: this entry covers several named routes, so the files carry the points and no route.
- GPX route
ForeFlight (GPX 1.1
rte), most tablet apps - user_waypoints.csv ForeFlight user waypoints — this procedure only
- Garmin FPL
Garmin Pilot, or the
\FPLfolder of a GTN/GNS card - KML Google Earth
- All KSNA landmarks every curated point at this field, in one ForeFlight file
When it applies
- Departing 20L — south flow Titled "...VFR Pattern Procedure for Runway 20L"
Source text, verbatim
KSNA General Aviation Voluntary Noise Abatement VFR Pattern Procedure for Runway 20L Pilots flying KSNA's Runway 20L traffic pattern are encouraged to voluntarily turn left at or before Highway 73 to help minimize noise impacts over the Newport Back Bay communities. For Aircraft Departing Runway 20L: On Departure: Turn 15o left at departure end of runway to avoid the aircraft departing the larger runway. Once on the 15o offset upwind, unless an aircraft has not reached 500' AGL, or received Air Traffic Control instructions to the contrary, turn left crosswind before reaching Highway 73 to avoid overflying residential area south of the highway (highlighted in orange). This noise abatement procedure should be used only when consistent with the safe operation of aircraft
The text above is the published source wording and is authoritative over any summary on this page.
Sources
- John Wayne Airport — General Aviation Voluntary Traffic Pattern Procedure (April 2022) County of Orange / John Wayne Airport · retrieved 2026-08-28