givenupp said:
Visual runway is just that, ie no instrument strip or transitional slopes, no need for papi's or runway lighting, different runway markings.
I have now had a look at Edinburgh's 12/30. The AIP does describe it as a 'visual only' runway. It does have good runway lighting, TDZ marks, approach lighting and PAPIs. So the reason it is visual only is not to do with these matters.
It may be to do with the runway strip, since 12/30 does have buildings significantly closer to it than the main runway 06/24. Perhaps this is the answer, although its length is substantially shorter than 06/24, which would reduce the size of the strip, wouldn't it?
The MDH for SRAs to both ends of the runway are above the circling minima (at least to the north), so this may also be the reason.
However, I've also taken a look at an airfield with only one runway with approaches, Cambridge. Cambridge has an ILS and two NDB approaches and also SRAs to the same runway. In this case, the SRA can terminate at 0.5nm. The SRA MDH is lower than the circling minimum, so I do not think that the idea that an SRA is a 'visual' approach applies because the SRA MDA is the same or higher than the circling altitude.
My brain is now hurting, so I'll give up, unless anybody really knows the answer.
AA.