Table of Contents
What is a circle to land maneuver?
Circle-to-land approaches are a misnomer. They can be rectangles, squares or trapezoids. The common denominator is that they all require the pilot on an instrument approach to do some serious maneuvering after clearing the clouds, sometimes with that cloud cover just over-head.
Is there a way to circle to land straight-in?
Not all circling approaches are to a different runway, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you can fly a straight-in approach to land. In fact, from WAKOR to the runway, you need to descend on a 7.75 degree glide path to make it down. That’s more than twice the normal glide path of 3 degrees for most approaches.
What are circling minimums?
A “circling” approach is a term used to describe the circling minima you will find on an ILS, RNAV, VOR, LOC, BC or GPS approach. Circling approaches always have higher minimums than any other approach because the pilot must maintain visual contact with the runway throughout the entire maneuver.
When should you start a circle to land?
The Instrument Procedures Handbook explains the reasons for building circle to land only approaches:
- The final approach course alignment with the runway centerline exceeds 30°.
- The descent gradient is greater than 400 feet per nautical mile from the FAF to the threshold crossing height.
What is considered a circling approach?
How do you go missing on a circling approach?
There’s no rush to contact ATC. Your primary focus should be flying the airplane. Power up, climb, turn towards the airport, reconfigure your airplane, and establish yourself on the missed approach course. Once all of that is done, call ATC and let them know you’ve gone missed.
Where does the circle start on an ILS 25L?
ATC clears him for the ILS 25L approach, circle south of the runway for a right downwind to runway 7R (7110.65, 4-8-6.b). Looking back at the chart for ILS or LOC 25L, the circle should begin upon completion of the approach, which should be at the FAF for that approach.
Is it dangerous to circle to land approach?
Circle-to-land approaches get a bad rap. Granted, they earned it by breaking a bunch of aircraft, and they can lure the unprepared out of bounds in an eye-blink. Yet to say, “I never circle-to-land …” can be just as dangerous as going cavalier because circling approaches aren’t one-size-fits-all.
Do you need to circle to land from an instrument approach?
If there isn’t an approach for the runway you’re planning to land on, or if the approach you’re shooting only has circling minimums, you’re going to need to do some maneuvering to get down. If you’re maneuvering to a different runway, the safest way to get yourself there is by keeping your maneuvers as standard as possible.
Where to land on ILS approach to runway?
You’re on an ILS approach to runway 02 but the winds are out of the south at 15 knots. Only a fool would land with a 15-knot tailwind, so instead of landing on runway 02 you enter an extended left downwind and land on runway 18.