Hi Bob

Can you give me a hand with this one please!
Correct me if I am wrong but the answer to this question I come up with is answer D. "Carry out a missed approach ?" Because VH-OZY breaks out of cloud at 1200 feet AMSL. Therefore, a circuit could not be flown to affect a landing on Runway 36, due to the higher Circling Minima of 1320 feet AMSL / VIS 2.4 KM must be applied?


Revision Exercise 5

Q.40- You are flying the Mangalore runway 18 NDB approach in VH-OZY by Day. You breakout of cloud at 1200 feet with a Visibility of 2.5 km.
The wind sock indicates the surface wind is 025 M at 25 knots. You realise that the wind will not permit a landing on runway 18.
You may continue flying the approach until you are in the circling area and-

a) Join a right downwind for runway 36
b) Join a left downwind for runway 36
c) Join a left downwind for runway 23
d) Carry out a missed approach

Answer is B reference AIP ENR 1.5 para 1.7.3

Regards

The published circling MDA is 300 feet above the HIGHEST obstacle in thee circling area. Because you can see the obstacles by day, if you are visual in the circling area BY DAY, you may circle below the published circling MDA providing you remain in the circling area, with visibility not less than that specified for circling and remain 300 feet above any obstacle you fly over. You do not have to be at the published circling MDA - that only applies at night. See AIP ENR 1.5 para 1.7.6 (e) and Note 1.

Thanks Bob!
Cheer's

Hi Bob,

Following on previous email regarding Revision Exercise 5 Q.40

So now that I am visual in the circling area breaking right and joining left downwind, circling to effect a landing on runway 36. Would I now add the minimum obstacle clearance altitude of 300 feet for category A/B (VH-OZY) to an obstacle (mast) being 820 feet in height AMSL located to the west of the field that I may probably overfly at a height downwind of not less than 1120 feet (say 1200ft) AMSL?

Finally, If I am joining left downwind for runway 36 at 1200 feet AMSL would I fly clear of cloud in this instance?

Regards

No. Nobody has the mental capacity to map read while circling. The whole thing depends on the requirement that you remain visual. That is you have the visibility specified for circling along the intended flight path, can still see the runway threshold or other markings ,such as approach lights, associated with the threshold and remain within the circling area. You simply use your eyeballs to make sure that you maintain 300 feet clearance above any obstacle you fly over. You are required to estimate that height. After all, the requirement for VFR pilots to remain at least 500 feet above terrain is based on their ability to estimate that height. You can't be expected to come up with an ever-changing altitude on your altimeter to satisfy the 500 feet requirement!

Also, the requirement to maintain circling visibility applies to the the whole visual approach. Of course you would have to remain clear of cloud throughout the entire circling approach. If that meant that you could no longer maintain 300 feet clearance above obstacles, then you would have to do a missed approach immediately. Remember this option is not available at night...

Thanks again Bob Cheer's!