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2 Answers

Circling Approach & Landing

Asked by: 1215 views FAA Regulations, Instrument Rating

Hello, I have a question about circling landing procedure.

I'm wonder how to find out which side of downwind I can use when you decide to proceed Circling landing in airport where there is no procedure for circling approach.

Does ATC give me an advice?

Thank you.

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2 Answers



  1. Mark Kolber on May 15, 2022

    I don’t understand your question. So, multiple answers based on guessing what you mean.

    If you are talking about an instrument approach that has no circling minimums – that means IFR circling is not authorized.

    If you are talking about a non-towered airport, there are regulations about the direction of turns in the pattern and ATC won’t tell you what you do.

    If you are talking about a towered airport, the tower will give instructions on which way to enter the pattern and, if it includes a downwind, whether to use a left or right pattern.

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  2. Skycatcher06 on May 23, 2022

    Depends. Typically if you are not on a specific approach then you can ask for a right or left traffic pattern. If you are at a busy airport then you will likely get denied and told which pattern will work best for traffic. But note from experience flying into class G and E airports if they aren\\\’t a official approach then you need to plan to make a few approaches. Like for a example a airport I fly in and out of a lot has runway 6 and runway 24. So I created a right and left traffic pattern for both runways and then announce my approach. My radio transmission would sound like NTB doing a right traffic pattern for runway 24 I am at say 1,000ft about blank distance to the blank of the airport.

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