Lear 60 approach category?

[RVflyer]

Is the Lear 60 a category C or D airplane? Would a straight in approach or circling approach change the approach category? Does the AFM list the approach category or where can I find this info?

Thanks,

RVflyer

 

[Bandit60]

Just look at the approach speed at max gross weight for a straight in appoach. That will tell you the approach cat for the airplane. If it is below 141 then you are a cat c if at any time you must configure the airplane so that the approach speed is faster say with flaps 20 then you must raise your catagory to the the next higher cat.
I hope that helped.

 

[gslippett]

Approach category is based on 1.3xVso for an aircraft at max landing weight in landing configuration for straight in minimums....This never changes....If you are manuevering..... for example circling..... then your category is predicated upon indicated airspeed therefore your category can change.Manuals may recommend category minimums for circling but again it is based on KIAS.

 

[CAVOK69]

121-140 for straight in so cat C for circling you are D at high landing weights if you are using the correct min manuever speed. In the lear 60 if my memory is correct, we used landing flaps for circling approaches to keep us in cat D, that way we didnt have to use cat E mins.

A -90
B 91-120
C 121-140
D 141-165
E above 165

 

[RVflyer]

Hey guys,

Thank you for your helpful responses, so here is another question.

The LJ60 has a Vref of 139KIAS @ the max ldg. weight of 19,500lbs. If we fly a straight in approach at Vref + 10 (149KIAS) we would have to use Cat. D minimums. So can a LJ60 get into an airport like Rifle, Colorado (RIL) that has no Cat. D minimums by flying the ILS at Vref down to Cat C minimums. I believe most of us fly at Vref + 10. And it looks like Aspen would be a no go in the LJ60 unless it is VFR all the way down from the MEA.

 

[vixin]

FlexJet uses CAT C at all times in the 60. Not being able to get into ASE unless it is VFR in a 60...Now thats funny. We go into RIL all the time also.

 

[CAVOK69]

I would suggest using the cat. that applies to your ref. If you fly a portion of the approach at ref +10, then .....well, just fly it at ref unless it is gusty.

 

[ultrarunner]

Hey guys,

Thank you for your helpful responses, so here is another question.

The LJ60 has a Vref of 139KIAS @ the max ldg. weight of 19,500lbs. If we fly a straight in approach at Vref + 10 (149KIAS) we would have to use Cat. D minimums. So can a LJ60 get into an airport like Rifle, Colorado (RIL) that has no Cat. D minimums by flying the ILS at Vref down to Cat C minimums. I believe most of us fly at Vref + 10. And it looks like Aspen would be a no go in the LJ60 unless it is VFR all the way down from the MEA.

RV, see gslippett response. Category is a "certification issue". Simple as that.

The folks that "certified" the aircraft for a particular category have NO control over how you "fly" the plane.

Because you, or anyone else, decides to fly a 'straight-in' at 900 kts does NOT change the fact that the plane was certified to fly a straight-in approach, in landing config, at Cat C speeds.

Got it?

 

[MNR]

Shooting that approach into Aspen in a 60 is tight. I'm sure vixin and flexjet can do it all day, good for them, but I would think twice about shooting those approaches into ASE. Its not just circling radius you have to think about its also the decent rate. At the 60s Ref speeds you are looking at 2000+ fpm down. I don't know if that would be considered normal or very comfortable for the passengers. I use Cat D min for the 60 when circling.

 

[Viffer]

Shooting that approach into Aspen in a 60 is tight. I'm sure vixin and flexjet can do it all day, good for them, but I would think twice about shooting those approaches into ASE. Its not just circling radius you have to think about its also the decent rate. At the 60s Ref speeds you are looking at 2000+ fpm down. I don't know if that would be considered normal or very comfortable for the passengers. I use Cat D min for the 60 when circling.

Turning radius can be the biggest factor there in my view. If you ever had to do a low altitude go around there you are going to need every bit of turn you can get, and a Lear 60 would be the last choice of airplane I would want to be in. I've had to go missed due to a small Cessna the tower forced in front of us at a mile from the runway. Making that low altitude climbing turn down in the valley is an eye opener, and a low turn radius is essential. A 60 would need to go to very high bank angles to keep the granite out of the windshield, and yes I have flown a 60 for a year. The guys that never consider this kind of maneuver, or have never had to do one, wouldn't see any issue with the 60 in ASE and probably would think less of the pilots who choose not to put their plane into those airports. Approach category is not a certification only issue, if you're going fast you better use the correct minimums or you don't have obstacle clearance. Simple enough.