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17 votes
Accepted

What happened to Widereøe flight WF0597?

Your screenshot shows the path for flight WF9480. Flightradar24 shows 2 occurrences of such flight one on the 5th August and one on the 6th August, both are training flights for landing practice. From ...
Federico's user avatar
  • 32.7k
11 votes
Accepted

Does the pilot have to fly the entire published missed approach procedure if the circling approach is abandoned just prior to touchdown?

Assuming that you're asking about the US, then according to the Instrument Procedures Handbook p.4-41 (emphasis mine): If the aircraft initiates a missed approach at a point other than the missed ...
Pondlife's user avatar
  • 72k
9 votes
Accepted

Why do VOR A, B charts only have circle-to-land minimums, while VOR X,Y,Z charts have straight approach minimums too?

Yes, that is the difference. From the FAA's Instrument Procedures Handbook, Chapter 4: Straight-In Procedures When two or more straight-in approaches with the same type of guidance exist for a runway,...
randomhead's user avatar
8 votes
Accepted

Although there are straight and circling minimums in the VOR Z chart, why separate VOR A chart created containing only the circle-to-land minimum?

The only relevant difference I can see is DME required. for the VOR Z approach. The VOR A does not have such a requirement. This allows aircraft without DME to fly the VOR approach. Note how the ...
Bianfable's user avatar
  • 58.3k
8 votes

Is it allowed to fly a right traffic pattern when a left traffic pattern is published (IFR)?

This is a somewhat tricky situation. The FAA has issued multiple legal interpretations that IFR traffic are bound by the same rules for traffic pattern direction as VFR traffic, even when circling: ...
NathanG's user avatar
  • 6,195
7 votes
Accepted

How to communicate a circling approach over CTAF?

"Overflying the field at [whatever] MSL to enter the left downwind for runway 18" is what I would call at a nontowered field. It's also the phraseology that tower controllers have used when ...
Steve V.'s user avatar
  • 23.3k
7 votes
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Does a circling approach require "one continuous descent to land"?

The wording you quoted from the AIM, "until continuously in a position," does not make sense to me. It is ungrammatical and therefore unintelligible. The wording at 91.175 is better: no ...
randomhead's user avatar
7 votes

I live near an airport and this morning a plane was circling the town 6 times

Sounds like someone was doing a touch-and-go landing. This is usually done when learning to fly an aircraft, to be able to practice a number of landings in a short time window. If there is a flight ...
dunni's user avatar
  • 171
5 votes

Does a circling approach require "one continuous descent to land"?

I don't see how to even make it a continuous descent in many cases. Say you are flying ILS runway 36 circle to land runway 18, with minima 700 ft and you break out of clouds at 800 ft. So now you have ...
Jan Hudec's user avatar
  • 56.5k
5 votes

Is it allowed to fly a right traffic pattern when a left traffic pattern is published (IFR)?

Yes, it is legal to circle north under IFR using "right" hand traffic and land on Runway 25. "Left traffic" refers to VFR traffic. Traffic patterns are generally flown at 1000' AGL. IFR aircraft don'...
Mike Sowsun's user avatar
  • 37.9k
5 votes

How is the VOR-A approach at KVCB meant to be flown?

IFR flying can be quite dangerous, particularly when transitioning from the airport to the enroute structure and vice-versa. This "answer" should be taken as a discussion more than a ...
randomhead's user avatar
4 votes

Does the pilot have to fly the entire published missed approach procedure if the circling approach is abandoned just prior to touchdown?

In the Center environment, when I clear you for an instrument approach, I'm protecting the missed approach, and I expect you to fly it if you cannot land safely, whatever your reason. Realistically, ...
atc_ceedee's user avatar
  • 1,832
3 votes
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Why are there no straight-in landing minimums (only circle-to-land) for this VOR approach at Adana?

I believe it is because there is a 591ft obstacle between MAPt and threshold. I have quoted the MOC from ICAO DOC 8168 Volume II for each of the different segments of the approach. Initial segment (...
icarus's user avatar
  • 46
3 votes

Which US airport has the lowest circling MDH?

I'm going to partially answer this question. According to TERPS Section 2-7-1(b), the minimum ROC in the circling approach OEA is 300 feet. Adjustments must be applied as specified in paragraph 3-2-2....
Devil07's user avatar
  • 8,624
2 votes

Why is a straight-in approach not allowed to RWY 07 at Cluj (LRCL)?

What is shown on that approach isn't that a straight-in approach to the runway isn't allowed, but rather that there are no straight-in minimums published for that approach. Why they didn't publish ...
Ralph J's user avatar
  • 53.7k
2 votes
Accepted

What are the specific side step minimums for an approach?

KSFO has sidestep minima for ILS/LOC 28R to 28L but not from ILS/LOC 28L to 28R. It also has a sidestep from ILS/LOC 19L to 19R but no ILS at all for 19R itself. The latter is probably the more ...
StephenS's user avatar
  • 27.9k
2 votes

How is the VOR-A approach at KVCB meant to be flown?

CFR 91.126 is a general rule that establishes the default of left turns in the VFR traffic pattern, unless right turns are specified. It is intended to provide safety and consistency in the flow of ...
Michael Hall's user avatar
  • 27.3k
1 vote

Can you explain what the 2nd caution on the LTAF VOR A chart means?

It means plainly what it says. A right turn is when you turn to the right. If you are going to make a right turn, you need to tell ATC as soon as possible that you are planning to do that. Since you ...
Chris's user avatar
  • 18.2k
1 vote

What is meant by the sentence, "It relates to aircraft handling speeds and circling area development."?

"Handling speeds" relates to the speed range airplanes can use when maneuvering around the airport to land on a given runway in the circling configuration (usually gear down and partial flap)...
John K's user avatar
  • 136k
1 vote

What are "CIRCLING CATS"?

A circling approach is one where you line up on one runway for the approach through the clouds, but once you break out of the clouds you circle around and land on a different runway due to winds. ...
Michael Hall's user avatar
  • 27.3k
1 vote

What's the most commonly used circling approach procedure in the US National Airspace System?

This is not information you are likely to find anywhere mostly because its not really recorded by anyone but individual pilots and there is no regulation (that I know of) to report these statistics ...
Dave's user avatar
  • 102k
1 vote

Wind correction on downwind during circling

Yes, they need to be corrected, mainly for two reasons: 1) Legally, the horizontal criteria for circling is the distance from the threshold of each usable runway (search for TERPS circling criteria ...
Waked's user avatar
  • 3,030
1 vote

Why is the VFR traffic pattern area at some airports different from its IFR circling approach area?

I live in Moss Beach next to KHAF. Specifically, they want the VFR traffic over land because of the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve to the NW of 30. There's a huge pack of seals w/ cubs on the beach, so ...
Stabby Pete's user avatar

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