Where are the circling minimums?
Circling Area Dimensions
| Circling MDA in feet MSL | Approach Category and Circling Radius (NM) | |
|---|---|---|
| CAT A | CAT B | |
| 1001-3000 | 1.3 | 1.8 |
| 3001-5000 | 1.3 | 1.8 |
| 5001-7000 | 1.3 | 1.9 |
What is the circling area?
A circling approach is designed to keep you above all obstacles within a specified area, the circling approach area. The distance is based on your approach category true airspeed, altitude, bank angle, and the intent of the approach designers.
What constitutes a circling approach?
A circling approach is the visual phase of an instrument approach to bring an aircraft into position for landing on a runway which is not suitably located for a straight-in approach. (
Where can I go missing on the circling approach?
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.
Why do you need protected areas on a circling approach?
The protected areas for circling approaches now use a connection of arcs from the end of each runway, as opposed to the fixed-radius distances that were used before. And the protected areas now account for the impact of wind on a circle, bank angle limits, and higher true airspeeds at high altitude airports.
How do you identify a circling approach area?
Circling approach protected areas developed prior to late 2012 used fixed radius distances, dependent on aircraft approach category, as shown in the table on page B2 of the U.S. TPP. The approaches using standard circling approach areas can be identified by the absence of the “negative C” symbol on the circling line of minima.
How is protected airspace for a circle to land approach defined?
The protected airspace for a circle-to-land approach is defined by arcs of a specific radius based on the aircraft approach category defined in 14 CFR Part-97.
How much obstacle clearance do you need for a circle to land approach?
Fortunately, things have changed for the better. On any circling approach, you’re guaranteed at least 300 feet of obstacle clearance within the protected area. And with approaches developed or revised after 2012, the protected area has been expanded. Here’s what the protected area looks like for new or revised approaches: