Circling approaches are designed for which two conditions?

• A. Final approach course is more than 30 degrees off of the runway heading and a descent of more than 400 ft/NM after the FAF
• B. Final approach course is more than 30 degrees off of the runway heading
• C. Descent after the FAF is shallower than 400 ft/NM
• D. Circling is used whenever visibility is above minimum

Answer: (B)

Circling approaches are used when a straight-in landing isn’t feasible because the final approach course isn’t lined up with the runway. The key factor is how far the final approach course is offset from the runway heading: if the alignment is more than 30 degrees off, a straight-in landing isn’t authorized, so a circle to land on the chosen runway is planned. This angle criterion is why the correct choice points to the final approach course being more than 30 degrees off the runway heading. Descent rate after the FAF or simply having visibility above minimum doesn’t determine whether circling is required—the maneuver is dictated by runway alignment relative to the approach course, with additional circling minimums and airspeed considerations applied after you initiate the circle.