Originally Posted by
Cash Machine
are vmc maneuver and circling approach the same thing ? if not then why ?
If, by "vmc maneuver", you mean "Visual Manoeuvring (Circling)" as mentioned in
CAP493 (MATS Part 1), Section 1 Chapter 6 (page 3) ...
7 Procedures at Aerodromes
7.4 Visual Manoeuvring (Circling)7.4.1 If an aircraft makes an instrument approach that is to be followed by a visual manoeuvre (circling) to land on another runway, as appropriate, the QFE aerodrome or QFE threshold is to be given.
... then, IMHO, this is the same as a "circling approach".
An IFR Approach to Visual Circling limits is (as
goatface describes) an instrument approach to one runway, followed by a break-off at or above Visual Circling limits to enable a fully visual approach to another (usually into wind) runway.
An example would be to use an ILS or VOR/DME approach to R/W 31 at Seychelles (SEZ) as a cloudbreak procedure in a tailwind, followed by a break-off to a visual approach to land into wind on R/W 13.
JD