(Refer to FAA-CT-8080-2G, Figure 26, area 2.) While monitoring the Cooperstown CTAF you hear an aircraft announce that they are midfield left downwind to RWY 13. Where would the aircraft be relative to the runway?
A) The aircraft is East.
B) The aircraft is South.
C) The aircraft is West.

The answer to this question is A.

You don’t need to reference the chart to answer this question. It’s a red herring and meant to throw you off!

Runway 13 is positioned toward 130 degrees, or southeast. This means airplanes will be taking off and landing toward the southeast. The aircraft is coming from northwest at 310 degrees, and the nose of the aircraft is pointing toward 130 degrees as it moves southeast.

In a normal left-hand traffic pattern, aircraft move in a counterclockwise pattern around the airport. So, when the aircraft turns ‘left,’ it is from the pilot’s perspective, not from your perspective.

If a plane is midfield left downwind RWY 13, it means that the plane is flying parallel to the runway, in the opposite direction (downwind) of the runway, so in this case 310 degrees, or northwest. If the plane is “left downwind” it means that the runway is to the plane’s left. So knowing all of this, if you chart / sketch it out, the plane is to the east of the runway.