Minima are specified under each airlines' respective Operations Specifications Part "C" Paragraph E... reference below.
E. Provisions for Part 121 Certificate Holders to Perform Circle-to-Land Maneuvers. Part 121 certificate holders may conduct circle-to-land maneuvers under two separate provisions within OpSpec C075.
1) Part 121 Operations with Flight Training and Flight Checking. Part 121 certificate holders whose pilots have been trained and checked for the circling maneuver in accordance with part 121 appendices E and F, or in accordance with an Advanced Qualification Program (AQP), may conduct a circle-to-land maneuver:
· At the published circling landing minimums for the instrument approach to be used; or
· At the minimums specified in the chart contained within the OpSpec paragraph, whichever is higher.
a) Appendix E does not require a part 121 certificate holder to train a second in command (SIC) in the circling maneuver if the certificate holder prohibits the SIC from performing/conducting (acting as PF) a circling maneuver. However, an SIC must be trained and can be checked in those functions specific to the circle-to-land maneuver that the SIC is required to perform while acting as pilot-not-flying (PNF).
b) Any pilot who possesses a pilot certificate restricting circling approaches to visual meteorological conditions (VMC) is not eligible to conduct circle-to-land maneuvers, except as provided in subparagraph E.
2) Part 121 Operations Without Flight Training and Flight Checking. Certificate holders conducting circle-to-land maneuvers without training and checking must use a minimum descent altitude (MDA) of 1,000 feet height above airport (HAA) or the MDA of the published circling landing minimums for the instrument approach to be used, whichever is higher. Certificate holders that conduct a circle-to-land maneuver under this provision remain under an IFR clearance and must comply with those procedures otherwise required for circle-to-land maneuvers. Certificate holders must ensure that pilots are familiar with those procedures. Part 121 pilots who have not been trained and checked for the circling maneuver in accordance with part 121 appendices E and F, or in accordance with an AQP, may conduct a circle-to-land maneuver when:
· The reported ceiling is at least 1,000 feet and the visibility is at least 3 statute miles (see part 121 appendices E and F); or
· The reported weather is at least equal to the published circling landing minimums for the instrument approach to be used, whichever is higher.
Last edited by captjns; 10th Dec 2011 at 07:52.