PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Circling approach, what lurks beyond the circling area?
Old 28th May 2021, 11:59
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Miles Magister
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
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Snips makes a very good point. You can always uses a higher circling height. The procedure minimum for your CAT is a minimum, not a target. You can circle at whatever height you like above the minimum, including doing a normal visual circuit if weather permits. Sometimes you need to circle for reasons other than weather. Also you do not need to keep the runway in sight, just the runway environment. If you look at the visibility minima vs the the assumed r values and protected area then you can circle out of visual range of the runway when weather is on or near minima.
Also be aware of the differences between PANSOPS and TERPS as the minima and obstacle clearances are significantly different. Check the approach chart to see which criteria have been used in the procedure design. If you have not done a simple course on the differences then do one.
Those of us who are lucky enough to have been trained in the olden days and flew QGH flame out controlled descents or radar PFLs where you broke cloud at around 500' over the airfield and then flew a glide approach to whichever runway appeared out of the gloom tend to be more comfortable circling. Low level visual flying and turning in bad weather is a very definite skill all of it's own which is just not trained any more, let alone practiced and it does require a high level of skill to do safely.
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