Chair flying / Circling Approach

Circling Approach

Circle to land from an instrument approach — protected-area awareness, visual maneuvering at circling MDA, and the circling miss.

ATIS/AWOS — weather, runway in use, expect which approach
Altimeter — set current setting; cross-check altimeters
Avionics — tune and IDENTIFY navaids, set courses, load the procedure
Confirm the correct approach is loaded and the sequence matches the chart — waypoints, courses, altitudes.
Approach briefing — brief the chart aloud
Approach name and runway, final approach course, FAF and glidepath intercept altitude, DA or MDA, required visibility, missed approach point and first two steps of the miss, notes and lighting.
Aircraft — descent/approach checklist complete, fuel pump and mixture per checklist

Setup

Brief circling minimums for your category and the direction of the circle
Category by 1.3 Vso at max gross unless circling faster — then use the higher category's minima. Note any "circling NA" sectors on the chart.
90 KIAS, approach configuration — protected area is smallest for Category A

Fly the approach to circling MDA — level +100/−0 ft, airspeed ±10 kt“Circling minimums”
Runway environment in sight — keep it in sight, maneuver visually to downwind or base
Stay at or above circling MDA until continuously in a position for a normal descent to the landing runway. Confirm the traffic direction and any ATC restrictions.
Heading/track ±10° while maneuvering — no steep, low reversals
Descend from MDA only on a normal stabilized final; land in the first third

If visual is lost: climbing turn TOWARD the landing runway, then fly the published miss
The initial turn toward the runway keeps you inside the protected circling area while you re-establish on the missed approach procedure.
Report the miss with intentions