Visual Approach Requirements

Question 0

ATC authorisation by night

Answer 0

– the pilot has established and can continue flight to the aerodrome with continuous visual reference to the ground or water; and

– visibility along the flight path is not less than 5000m; and

– the aircraft is within 30 NM of the aerodrome;

OR – receiving an ATS surveillance service, the flight has been assigned the minimum vector altitude (MVA) and given heading or tracking instructions to intercept final or to position the aircraft within the circling area of the aerodrome.

Question 1

ATC authorisation by day

Answer 1

The aircraft is within 30 NM of the aerodrome;

and – the pilot has established and can continue flight to the aerodrome with continuous visual reference to the ground or water;

and – visibility along the flight path is not less than 5000m, or for helicopters 800m,

or the aerodrome is in sight.

Question 2

Tracking requirements by day

Answer 2

Must maintain track/heading on the route progressively authorized by ATC until within 5 NM of the aerodrome

Question 3

Tracking requirements by night

Answer 3

must maintain track/heading on the route progressively authorized by ATC until inside circling area and aerodrome in sight

Question 4

Minimum altitude requirements by day

Answer 4

Remain not less than 500 ft above the lower limit of the CTA

Operate not below the lowest altitude

Question 5

Minimum altitude requirements by night

Answer 5

– maintain an altitude not less than the route segment LSALT/MSA or the appropriate step of the DME/GPS Arrival procedure, or 500 ft above the lower limit of the CTA, if this is higher; or – if receiving an ATS surveillance service, operate not below the last assigned altitude; until the aircraft is:

– within the prescribed circling area for the category of aircraft or a higher category, where the limitations of the higher category are complied with, and the airport is in sight;

or – within 5 NM (7 NM for a runway equipped with an ILS/GLS) of the airport, aligned with the runway centerline and established not below “on slope” on the T-VASIS or PAPI;

or – within 10 NM (14 NM for Runways 16L and 34L at Sydney) of the airport, established not below the ILS/GLS glide path with less than full scale azimuth deflection.