circle to land-which way do i turn?

[Da Vinci]

i've seen this question in the interview boards....you are briefing a jepps approach and they've got you on the localizer to 10 with a circle to land on 28...which way do you turn. let's say you are unfamiliar w/ this airport, there is no obsticles on either side - what is the secret here???? i would say to the left as that is standard...but is there a secret to answering this question correct every time?? i guess i should know for my own good also..however in 1000TT and 100 actual...i've never even done a cirlce to land....almost the other day but just opted for the straight in w/ tail wind.

 

[CA1900]

Absent any other instructions or notes on the plate that circling is prohibited in one direction or another, I'd turn so the airport is on the flying pilot's side, and thus easier for him to see.

 

[flyalot]

As stated above, Consider the wind also. You would like to make the base to final turning into the wind.

 

[nosehair]

i guess i should know for my own good also..however in 1000TT and 100 actual...i've never even done a cirlce to land....

Sorry to see you were short-changed in your training and checkride, since it is a PTS requirement to obtain the instrument rating....Oh, wait a minute, did you mean in your actual experience, since your training?...yeah, those are like engine cuts after training, you should do one once in a while, just like landings to stay proficient.
As is suggested, when there are no restrictive notes, and all things are equal, keeping the runway on your side (left or right) is the best way to maneuver. however, there are lots of times when you just can't do that. The side you want to be on may be covered in cloud/fog/whatever, so you have to keep an open mind about which way you're gong to turn. It takes a lot of situational awareness at the moment you break out or get the runway and surrounding environment in sight. Keep in mind, the left turn is standard for non-towered airports in normal vfr operations. Your dirction of turn on an instrument approach circle-to-land maneuver is strictly up to you considering restrictions on the approach plate, and considering that if you are in IFR conditions, there should be no other traffic to consider.

This is one of the most fun maneuvers to do when training for the ifr rating.
Sorry you missed it. Go get some.

 

[avbug]

Perhaps the single most hazardous aspect of instrument flight is the transition from instruments to visual, or visa versa. A circling approach, especially one at minimums with a low ceiling and reduced visibility, puts you maneuvering close to the ground (or relatively so) in the transition. You're half-in, half-out of the transition (and the cockpit). The circling maneuver may be one of the most potentially hazardous of any instrument maneuver, and accordingly, is prohibited for many certificate holders and corporate departments. Especially circling at night.

As other posters indicated, absent any particular direction, circle the shortest and easiest way to the landing runway. Keeping the runway in sight on your side of the aircraft (bearing in mind that if you're in the right seat, that's right turns) makes it easier, but coordinating cross-cockpit is also doable.

Try to think of the circling maneuver as a normal pattern entry. It may be a little lower, and it may begin from some point within the airport area rather than outside...but try to imagine yourself just switching runways, because that's all you're doing. A circle doesn't need to be a 180 degree turn; it may be as simple as a 30 degree turn right or left to land on the runway of choice or to align with the approach runway. Under visual conditions you'd swing out a little and give yourself some space to get established on final...so long as you don't violate the circling radius for your category in doing so, you can do exactly the same thing.

Remember that while you're circling in reduced visibility, everything looks farther away than it is. You can easily get fooled into thinking you're higher above terrain and obstacles than you really are, especially if you're naturally using your perepherial vision for your depth perception. Your depth perception is almost subconscious, and if you're not actively thinking about the illousion, you can be fooled without even realizing it. This means that during the circling, it's easy to descend out of your MDA and hit something. The temptation to start down early is always there. Conversely, trying to stay high too long and start down rapidly means you may have an instrument reading of excess descent rate, but may not feel or see it as you focus on the runway. The approach has become destabilized, and the hazard has become a risk.

A lot of folks feel that going around, especially if it means going back into the weather as part of the missed approach, should only occur if you lose sight of the landing runway. However, an unstabilized approach, excess descent, long landing, excess airspeed, etc, all may be perfectly good reasons for executing a missed. Recognize it as early as you can, because you're always safer and better off starting that missed higher than low...especially when circling.

 

[Way2Broke]

The examiner I used for my ATP checkride almost busted me when on the cirle I entered right traffic, at a left traffic airport. I knew I was right, so I just bit my lip and nodded. I could see how it could be a hazard if the weather was VFR and there were alot of other planes using left traffic, but we are talking about a IFR procedure here.

 

[woutlaw]

... snip

Try to think of the circling maneuver as a normal pattern entry. It may be a little lower, and it may begin from some point within the airport area rather than outside...but try to imagine yourself just switching runways, because that's all you're doing. A circle doesn't need to be a 180 degree turn; it may be as simple as a 30 degree turn right or left to land on the runway of choice or to align with the approach runway. Under visual conditions you'd swing out a little and give yourself some space to get established on final...so long as you don't violate the circling radius for your category in doing so, you can do exactly the same thing.

Agree 100%, particularly regarding the hazards.

One tip that helped me while I was doing my instrument rating was that at "typical" circling minimums you're essentially at the altitude where you'd be on the base-to-final turn on a standard VFR traffic pattern.

I had a real bugger of time not descending early when circling to land until my instructor mentioned it, after that circling was a piece of cake. Just flew a normal pattern at the circling MDA until I was turning final and bingo, a cake approach to land from there.

Y'all probably already knew that and much more, but it was a revelation for my instrument student brain.

In real-world operations, increasing circling minimums by 500 or even 1,000 feet - particularly at night (if you don't ban the maneuver outright) - is not a bad practice for longevity.

I think a Mesaba 340 FO was telling me that their normal ops regarding circling approaches called for fairly high minimums, certainly well above basic VFR. 2,000 and 5 comes to mind, but I don't recall the specifics.

 

[Sig]

I think a Mesaba 340 FO was telling me that their normal ops regarding circling approaches called for fairly high minimums, certainly well above basic VFR. 2,000 and 5 comes to mind, but I don't recall the specifics.

That would be called a "visual approach," young jedi.

 

[drinkduff77]

That would be called a "visual approach," young jedi.

Not all airports use visual approaches when it's VFR. Try getting a visual into TEB when it's busy and they're doing the VOR/DME-A circle 19. Sure, the whole procedure might be done in visual conditions but if your ops specs authorize "no circling approaches", you won't be able to do it.

-'duff

 

[minitour]

Not all airports use visual approaches when it's VFR. Try getting a visual into TEB when it's busy and they're doing the VOR/DME-A circle 19. Sure, the whole procedure might be done in visual conditions but if your ops specs authorize "no circling approaches", you won't be able to do it.

-'duff

I've never understood that. Going into most of the busier airports (in my limited experience), the ATIS is always broadcasting the ILS or some instrument approach even if the wx is clear and 10. Then, thinking "hey...maybe this will help", I report the airport in sight and instead of getting the visual, I'm going in for the ILS anyway.

Wouldn't it be more efficient to clear anyone for the visual that can accept it, or is it easier for the approach controllers to "know" where everyone will turn final at and sequence everyone together that way?

...just a curiosity. I'm sure there's an operator out there that doesn't allow visual approaches, so I know for them it wouldn't work, but for the 91 folks it seems senseless to fly 6 miles past the airport for the runway that I can see 1/2 mile from my aircraft.

-mini