Can pilots fly circling approaches at non-towered airports?

Question

So the answer in my mind is "of course pilots can fly circling approaches at non-towered airports" (seriously, I could swear that I've done it before, but then again I can't think of any specific examples....).

That is, until I ran across this little tidbit in the Air Traffic Control Order while researching another question:

4-8-6. CIRCLING APPROACH

a. Circling approach instructions may only be given for aircraft landing at airports with operational control towers.

So then the question becomes, why do they have circling minimums at non-towered airports??

• No tower here.
• ATC can't clear me to circle.
• Why do we have circling minimums??

Answer 1

The way I understand that ATC order is that it is about "circling approach instructions" which is different than "(circling) approach clearance". They cannot tell you to enter a left downwind, do a right 360, or follow some other specific path to the runway. If they clear you to execute a circling approach to a given runway at a non-towered airport, then the path to the runway is for the pilot to determine, as necessary to separate yourself from other aircraft in the terminal area and land safely.

Answer 2

I've done quite a number of circling approaches at non-towered airports. ATC clears one for the approach by type (VOR 4, VOR-A, GPS 32, etc). There's no mention of how it is executed or terminates (other than missed approach instructions). Want to fly the RNAV/GPS by the LNAV minimums, fine. LPV, sure, go ahead, want to circle from 32 around to 4, they don't know how you're doing it. They just know that the airspace around the airport is clear for you to execute and approach (and go missed). Once you switch to CTAF, you're otherwise on your own. There's nobody to give you a landing clearance either, but that doesn't mean you're not allowed to land! :-)

Answer 3

ATC-issued circling instructions are, by definition, instructions to land on a certain runway. At untowered airports ATC does not issue landing clearances, or indeed any instructions related to any runway, so obviously they cannot issue circling instructions. See the Pilot/Controller Glossary term and phraseology (emphasis in paragraph mine):

CIRCLE-TO-LAND MANEUVER- A maneuver initiated by the pilot to align the aircraft with a runway for landing when a straight-in landing from an instrument approach is not possible or is not desirable. At tower controlled airports, this maneuver is made only after ATC authorization has been obtained and the pilot has established required visual reference to the airport.

CIRCLE TO RUNWAY (RUNWAY NUMBER)- Used by ATC to inform the pilot that he/she must circle to land because the runway in use is other than the runway aligned with the instrument approach procedure.

There is no specific "runway in use" at untowered airports—all runways are equally "active" unless they are closed by the airport authority. The fact that ATC issues a specific approach clearance to an untowered airport does not relieve the pilot of their responsibility to maneuver as necessary to join any VFR traffic using the airport, and does not limit their ability to maneuver to a different runway better aligned with the wind; the pilot may:

• land straight-in
• circle-to-land on a different (or the same!) runway than the one aligned with the instrument approach
• enter the VFR traffic pattern for any given runway, or
• go around and fly the published missed approach.

ATC will neither approve nor disapprove such runway-related operations.

Answer 4

As I understand 5-4-20 circling minima provide obstacle clearance within a lateral distance of the runway. In certain circumstances it may be necessary to overfly the landing environment to establish winds, etc. This should only be done when the pattern is in VFR conditions. 4-8-6 applies to clearances given not necessarily all safe operations.

Answer 5

ATC cannot give circling instructions at a non-towered airport. For instance, they can’t say “cleared RNAV 2 Circle 20”. They just clear you for the approach, and you decide if you want/need to circle. All runways are “active”.

When there is an (operating) tower, they decide which runways are “active” vs not, and Approach either clears you for an approach to a specific active runway (possibly including circling instructions) or, if you request an inactive runway for some reason, must coordinate with Tower to make sure that’s safe.

Either way, both Tower and Approach need to make sure your circle isn’t going to conflict with other departing or arriving IFR aircraft, especially if they’re using auto-release, which isn’t an issue at non-towered fields due to the one-in/one-out rule.

Answer 6

The definition of a circling approach read as follows: "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. (JAR-OPS 1.435 (a) (1))"

Now, if a non-towered airport has an instrument approach and at the end of that approach you see the runway then you circle around and land. So the answer would be yes, you can circle to land at a non-towered airport.

Answer 7

If approaching an uncontrolled field at altitude a pilot can over fly the airport in order to determine wind direction and traffic in the pattern. The pilot can then begin circling while descending to pattern altitude and enter the pattern merging with other traffic. General aviation airports are not usually located where there are obstacles that have to be avoided during the approach unless there are mountains nearby that prevent a straight in final approach.