Originally Posted by
sonicbum
I have used the example of Nice because the VOR RIVIERA is not a straight in approach and therefore You must circle to land. If You are flying a straight in approach for a specific runway, like the scenario of VOR 16 in Beirut and if You wish to land on runway 16, You have two options : land out of the VOR approach of fly the visual approach. In my interpretation of the regulations there is no provision to allow You to circle to land for a runway after having flown the associated straight in approach, it is just pure nonsense (in my opinion from a legal point of view).
You are confusing things imho. Most plates for straight in approaches will have circling minimums published as well as straight in minimums. If the angle/steepness are too big there will only be circling minimums, if terrain/regulations forbid circling there will only be straight in minimums.
Off course you cannot circle to land if you fly the straight in approach to straight in minimums, but you can circle if you fly the approach to circling minimums, and you are not in anyway restricted by a general rule from circling back to the straight in runway.
In your example with the following weather:
visibility 3km
no clouds
wind 160/11
The VOR 16 has the following minima:
Straight in 1000'AFE
Circling 1200"AFE
MAPT for both is the VOR on the field.
On the straight in you will need at least 5km visibility (3Mi) to see the runway in time to make an approach and landing using normal stabilized approach criteria, so you will not be able to successfully land straight in, and you cannot accept circling for RWY34 due to the wind. You can however accept the VOR16 circle to land 16. You fly the approach to circling minimums, will see the runway before the missed approach point, circle around, within the protected area to RWY 16 and land RWY16. As long as you are approved for circling, and ATC clears you this is perfectly legal.