Circuit spacing and the active runway

Spacing (either aerodrome): leave enough room behind the aircraft ahead to land and taxi clear of the runway.

• Don't cut off the aircraft ahead by turning onto base or final out of sequence.
• Judgement call: widen/narrow the circuit, speed up/slow down.
• Too close: may force a go-around.
• Too much room in a busy circuit: inconveniences aircraft behind.

Active runway: the one other aircraft are using or intend to use, not necessarily the into-wind one.

• Different runway: coordinate between pilots (and ground station, if any) to stay conflict-free.
• Commercial IFR or larger aircraft at an uncontrolled aerodrome: courtesy some pilots extend, no actual priority over VFR traffic.

Trap: turning onto base or final out of sequence, cutting off the aircraft ahead.

Practice