Approach category lesson

[Clandestino]

This post should serve as a warning to think before posting

1. it doesn't
2. it can't
3. (s)he can try. Luckilly, most procedures are cat D capable so not much harm can be done. But on the odd day, at the odd airport by using higher cathegory speed with lower category minima/procedure, (s)he will bust his/her obstacle clearance and than the day will be saved by the (E)GPWS. Or it won't.
Your approach category is based on what speed you can safely maintain for your given weight and your given configuration. E.g. empty 747 (min fuel and no payload) has Vat lesser than 120 kt, so it can use cat B minima but loaded it will have to go into cat D. ATRs I've flown were cat B with two exceptions: cat C minima were to be used for circling as our minimum circling speed was set to 140 kt by our SOPs (above 135 for cat B) and at MLW in icing conditions, Vat was 122kt, busting max B speed by 2 kt.
A320 with landing conf 3 or 4 is generally cat C compliant. 321 might go over threshold faster than 140 kt so it will be cat D. And with flaps and slats stuck retracted, it can easily slip into cat E, right along F-104s and MiG-21s.
However, in the world of 3000m or longer ILS equipped runways and no significant obstacles around airport, approach categories are of academic interest only. This might explain some explanations around.