Originally Posted by
FlightDetent
Could be, against EASA rules. Which BTW prescribe an immediate G/A upon reaching what the US calls DDA.
Yes and another point that renders the original scenario moot for operators under EU-OPS. But still not a general prohibition under ICAO.
Sorry to muddy the waters a bit more even: the does the "runway environment" in circle-to-land EASA frame, have a definition? I seem to remember it actually does, and "inside airport fence" I just wrote above does not suffice.
According to PANSOPS
The runway environment includes features such as the runway threshold or approach lighting aids or other markings identifiable with the runway.
Also, back in the day when my source documents were JSP318 and The Flight Planning Doc there was another phrase, words to the effect 'or for a circling approach any other feature that positively fixes the aircraft's position relative to the runway'. I think if ICAO did not want a pilot to circle back to the straight-in runway they would simply say as much.
Circling approaches such as this tell me that the FAA at least think you can maintain the runway environment in sight whilst putting your tail to the runway.