Checkride

What examiners look for

Sometimes the surface wind dictates that you must land on a runway other than the instrument approach runway. So you fly the approach to a specified minimum descent altitude, and if you're then in visual conditions, you circle to land on the runway best aligned with the wind. The instrument rating practical test standards (PTS), in Task E of "Instrument Approach Procedures," asks you, the applicant, to exhibit adequate knowledge of the elements related to a circling approach procedure.

To prepare for any questions the examiner might ask, such as "What exactly is a circle-to-land approach?" it's helpful to study the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) glossary. It defines the "Circle-to-Land Maneuver" as "A maneuver initiated by the pilot to align the aircraft with a runway for landing when a straight-in landing from an instrument approach is not possible or is not desirable. This maneuver is made only after ATC authorization has been obtained and the pilot has established required visual reference to the airport."

Although the glossary holds vital information, it doesn't embrace all knowledge. It's important to know and understand what constitutes a circle-to-land approach, but it's also good to know what a circling approach is not. Because an overhead approach is included with the rest of the instrument approach discussions in the AIM, an applicant might mistakenly cite overhead approach procedures when describing a circling approach. That is a mistake. An overhead approach is a VFR maneuver.

Examiners are interested in your understanding of when circling minimums apply. The examiner may ask you to explain a randomly selected approach plate, with a runway aligned more than 30 degrees from the approach course and only circling minimums published. This is a good place to explain circle-to-land procedures.

A less obvious situation might be an approach that would call for an excessive descent rate from the minimum descent altitude (MDA) to the runway. Should a pilot encountering such circumstance apply circle-to-land techniques? If so, how? Diagrams B and D of figure 12-12 on page 216 of the Instrument Flying Handbook (AC 61-27) render two very useful and rarely practiced circle-to-land maneuvers. Properly flown, either can save time without threatening safety.

Another common examiner question concerns situations where ATC clears you for a "straight-in approach." Can you circle to land if needed? (Yes, you can.) Expect your examiner to ask whether circle-to-land maneuvers have restrictions you must observe. Approach plates are a favorite examiner tool, especially those that prohibit circling on a specific side of the airport. Because such restrictions commonly involve obstructions, they lead to another favorite examiner question - "Does a circling approach guarantee you any obstacle clearance?"

Yes, a circling approach gives you obstacle clearance if you stay within the maximum circling radius. The examiner may then ask about the maximum distance you can be from the runway while circling to land. Here, the examiner is thinking about the circling approach area radii found in AIM figure 5-4-7. These radii are based on an aircraft's approach category, which is a function of approach speed. This leads to a common examiner question - "How do you know the approach category minimums for your particular aircraft?" The examiner expects a brief explanation of what the categories are.

A variation of the above question might be, "What if your airplane has a very low stalling speed, but you normally fly a circling approach at 1.7 (or 1.8, or 1.9) VSO - what minimums do you use?" In this case the examiner expects you to understand that pilots must use the approach category minimums appropriate to the actual approach speed, regardless of the aircraft's stalling speed.

The PTS says that, in the air, "The examiner may not assist the applicant in the management of the aircraft, radio communications, navigational equipment, and/or navigational charts." The examiner may watch for traffic, but you remain in charge of the flight. Be alert.

The PTS also emphasizes the FAA's concern regarding partial-panel skills, which could become extremely important during a tight circle-to-land procedure in the event one re-enters the clouds. It does happen, and transititioning from instrument to visual back to instrument reference again in so short a time can challenge one's disorientation control.

Possibly the most intriguing statement in the PTS concerning circling approaches is that the applicant must "Select and comply with the appropriate circling approach procedure considering turbulence and wind shear, and considering the maneuvering capabilities of the aircraft." The examiner may want to know what the statement means. It means "check the wind."

Examiners want to know that you recognize that circling maneuvers may be made to an airport where VFR flying is in progress. This isn't much of a problem at towered airports, but at nontower airports, standard traffic patterns assume special significance. One technique recommended in the AIM is to overfly a nontower airport on a circling approach to observe wind and turn indicators.

The PTS directs you to confirm the direction of traffic at nontowered airports and to adhere to all restrictions and instructions that ATC or the examiner might issue. The examiner will observe your performance closely.

The PTS requires that an applicant not exceed visibility criteria or descend below the appropriate circling altitude until in a position to make a descent to a normal landing. Some examiners will ask about this requirement in the air. Others, particularly those who conduct the test in actual instrument meteorological conditions, merely observe.

Examiners love to present the following hypothetical scenario regarding circling approaches. You have completed the circling portion of the approach and while maneuvering to land, you inadvertently reenter the clouds. The published missed approach specifies a climbing left turn. What action will you take?

The examiner wants to see evidence that you follow instructions thoughtfully. Because your heading on final is the reverse of the final approach course heading, the direction of your missed approach turn would also be reversed. (AIM figure 5-4-8 depicts and paragraph 5-4-19.c discusses this obstruction clearance scenario.)

IFR circle-to-land procedures present many possibilities. To practice every one is not the goal. The FAA wants instrument-rated pilots to have a studied, progressive, and logical approach to this maneuver so they can deal with the circling approach possibilities safely. Safety stems from forethought and is, as they say, no accident.