Prayers to the family members of the deceased. No amount of fact or rumor will lessen their grief.
Correct me if I'm wrong (as if I really need to write that...
) but the 2.3nm TERPS number being bantered about is an obstacle clearance zone, not an approach vis. The minimums Dvv posted in #215 show 2sm for Cat D mins. Circling at 2sm obviously is within the obstacle clearance protection provided for by TERPS. A circle conducted at 3sm from the runway would be outside this protection and it would fall upon the crew to see and avoid obstacles.
Here in the USA, circling approaches are checked in the sim at airports the FAA has determined meet the requirement of maintaining visual contact with the airport; KJFK, KMEM and KPDX seem to be the normal ones. It is made clear during training that we may not begin the circle until we are within the TERPS obstacle clearance zone, even if we have the airport in sight sooner.
7 miles - statue or nautical - seems awful far from the airport for a circling approach...
