Circling, Visual, And Contact Approaches Flashcards
When would you use a circling approach?
•Winds favoring another runway
•Told to do so by ATC
•Circling Only approach into that airport:
•The approach course is not aligned within 30 degrees of the runway
•The final approach segment does not cross the runway threshold or the extended runway centerline
•The final approach segment descent gradient exceeds 400ft/nm
How do you circle?
•Once the airport environment is in sight you may begin the circle
•Which direction should you circle?
•ATC instructions
•Approach plate restrictions – Notes
•VFR traffic pattern direction – Airport Chart Supplement
•How do you position yourself with they runway?
•Fly the lateral dimensions of a traffic pattern
Protected airspace
•Circling area is determined via arcs from runway ends based on approach category
What do you do if you lose sight of the airport?
•Execute a missed approach
•FAR 91.175: A Pilot must execute missed approach procedure when:
•An identifiable part of the airport is not distinctly visible to the pilot during a circling maneuver at or above MDA
•Not applicable if this results from a normal bank of the aircraft during the circling approach
Visual approach
•Most IFR flights end with a visual approach when VFR conditions exists.
•It helps to reduce pilot/controller workload and expedite traffic by shortening flight paths to the airport.
•No need to join a published approach course
•So then, a visual approach is not considered an Instrument Approach Procedure
•All you need is the airport or preceding traffic insight
Contact approach
•Flown the same as a visual approach but you don’t need the airport insight
•An approach procedure may be used by the pilot in lieu of conducting a standard or special IAP to an airport
•Contact Approaches are only requested by the pilot
•You must remain clear of clouds and have 1sm flight visibility
•The airport must have a published instrument approach.
