Am I dreaming or have I seen all this before ?

[Captain Custard]

CCY SAM,

You have been able to since 18Oct2000. Read CAO 40.2.1 Section 13a. You just have to have a jet that can do it. Of course, the current GPS NPAs are actually almost more difficult to do than a VOR/DME. The Foxtrot waypoint totally messes up would otherwise be a beautiful way of getting on the ground (oops runway).

Another thought: Given that the 14 VOR/DME starts from the north (obviously)/goes over the top to the north (17 track miles, 3 minutes at $100 a minute...), a far more commercially viable option (if coming from the south) is to do a 32 VOR/DME (or DME Arrival) then circle from the minima onto 14. Much less track miles! Especially if the wx isn't too bad...

So now we have command/crew judgment having to decide the relative merits of each option. I hope nobody will support "requiring" 10 mile finals for all approaches, but then again, the troops have to make the right call about the relative risk of circling, at night.

Also "Terminator" Winstun's idea of lead-in lights is a good one.