FAA Instrument Rating Airplane (IRA)IFR Procedures and ChartsHard
A pilot's aircraft has an actual approach speed placing it in Category B, but the pilot is flying an ILS approach to a runway where the chart lists circle-to-land minimums for Category C. According to the Instrument Procedures Handbook and 14 CFR guidance, which minimums and protected circling area should the pilot use?
- AThe higher of Category B or Category C minimums, whichever provides the larger safety margin
- BCategory B minimums and protected radius, based on the aircraft's actual approach speed
- CCategory C minimums, because that is the category associated with the runway being flown
- DCategory A minimums, since the pilot may choose to slow the aircraft further during the circle
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. Category B minimums and protected radius, based on the aircraft's actual approach speed
Approach category is based on the aircraft's actual approach speed (1.3 Vso), not the runway or procedure identifier. If the aircraft's true category is B, the pilot must use Category B minimums and stay within Category B protected circling airspace; using a faster category's minimums when unnecessary is not required, and using a slower category than actual speed permits is not authorized.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. There is no rule requiring use of the higher of two categories when actual speed fits a lower one.
- C. The runway's published category letter does not override the pilot's actual computed approach category.
- D. The pilot cannot arbitrarily choose a slower category than their actual approach speed supports.
Approach Category Selection
Aircraft approach category is based on 1.3 times stall speed in landing configuration (Vso), and the corresponding category's minimums and protected circling area must be used.
- Category determined by actual approach speed, not aircraft type alone
- Must use next higher category if maneuvering faster than category limits
- Circling protected area size varies by category
Memory trick: Speed sets the seat: category follows Vso