Visual circling maneuver
- Pilot should maintain circling MDA or higher until in a position to commence descent
- Wind direction and speed usually determine the runway that should be used for landing
- Descent below MDA should not be made until:
- visual reference with the airport environment is established
- the landing threshold is in sight
- the required obstacle clearance can be maintained on the approach
Circle to land
- if the instrument approach does not align the aircraft within 30 degrees, then it technically is no longer a straight in procedure
- visual maneuvering (possibly part of a traffic pattern) will have to be executed
- circling to land is a visual phase of flight
- most commonly used when it is necessary to make an instrument approach to one runway, but u wish to land on another
- after becoming visual you must maneuver the aircraft for a landing using normal maneuvers to get to the runway
- cat A aircraft must circle within 1.3 miles of the end of the runway
- circling minimums will be published if:
Runway is more than 30 degrees out of alignment with the final approach path, or
Descent gradient from FAF to the runway is excessive requiring a high rate of descent for straight in landing
Sectorized visual maneuvering (circling) areas
- the FAA can exclude an area a sector that contains a particularly high and restrictive obstacle
- this keeps the circling minimums low as long as the pilot does not enter the sector that has been excluded
Missed approach when circling
- if visual reference is lost when circling, the pilot should execute a missed approach procedure
- if you are in an awkward position to make the published missed approach, the pilot should make an initial climbing turn toward the landing runway to track overhead the airport
Other approaches 3 types
- Contact
- Visual
- Wake turbulence on approach
Contact approach
May be used by IFR pilot with authorization from ATC in lieu of SIAP
Pilot must request ATC cannot offer it to pilot
Special VFR conditions that must be met:
- remain clear of clouds
- at least 1 SM visibility
- and a reasonable expectation that these conditions will continue
Pilot is responsible for obstruction clearance and separation from VFR traffic
Visual approach
ATC may issue with or without pilot request provided VFR conditions exist
Prior to accepting a visual approach pilot must:
- have the airport in sight or
- have the preceding aircraft in sight and identified
At an airport without a control tower, ATC will only authorize a visual approach if you advise them descent and landing can be made in VFR conditions
Wake turbulence on approach
Caused by wingtip vortices from all aircraft
- worst when large, heavy, clean (high angle of attack do to lift for takeoff), and slow
These vortices will drift toward the ground and downwind
If you are approaching to land behind a large aircraft, try and stay above its flight path and land beyond its touchdown point
