Prepare for: Circling Approaches
Maneuvering visually from an instrument approach to land on a different runway.
Your CFI's syllabus and your airplane's POH come first. This page is a general study aid to help you show up prepared.
What you'll do
- Know your aircraft approach category and the circling minimums.
- Arrive at the MDA before the missed approach point, holding altitude +100/-0 ft.
- Keep the runway in sight; maneuver to a downwind or base without exceeding 30° bank.
- If you lose sight of the runway, start the missed approach by turning toward the landing runway.
The standard you'll be held to
Quoted from the current FAA Airman Certification Standards for each level that tests this.
Instrument Rating ACS (FAA-S-ACS-8C)Task IR.VI.D · Circling Approach
- Comply with the circling approach procedure considering turbulence, windshear, and the maneuvering capability and approach category of the aircraft.
- Confirm the direction of traffic and adhere to all restrictions and instructions issued by ATC or the evaluator.
- Use single-pilot resource management (SRM) or crew resource management (CRM), as appropriate.
- Establish the approach and landing configuration. Maintain a stabilized approach and a descent rate that ensures arrival at the MDA, or the preselected circling altitude above the MDA, prior to the missed approach point.
- Maintain airspeed ±10 knots, desired heading/track ±10°, and altitude +100/-0 feet until descending below the MDA or the preselected circling altitude above the MDA.
- Visually maneuver to a base or downwind leg appropriate for the landing runway and environmental conditions.
- If a missed approach occurs, turn in the appropriate direction using the correct procedure and appropriately configure the airplane.
- If landing, initiate a stabilized descent. Touch down on the first one-third of the selected runway without excessive maneuvering, without exceeding the normal operating limits of the airplane, and without exceeding 30° of bank.
Read it in the FAA handbooks
The official chapters behind this page. Each link opens the exact chapter, free on faa.gov. See the full Study Library.
Prepare the night before
- Review the circling area for your approach category.
Common mistakes
- Descending below MDA too early.
- Losing sight of the runway in low visibility.
Questions to ask your instructor
- Which runways do we usually circle to here?
Check yourself
Something wrong or out of date? Report an error