Category I ILS approaches, long our low-weather mainstay, offer us minimums as low as 200 feet above the touchdown zone with RVR 1800 feet or higher. That’s low, but as it develops, not as low as you can go. CAT II approach approval opens about 160 public CAT II approaches to GA, easing access to bigger airports. Descents can be as low as 100 feet HAT/ DH with RVR 1200 or more. Approach category A aircraft flying approach speeds of 90 knots or less are eligible, including helicopters. In the past, CAT II operations were individually authorized by waiver under legal exemptions dating back to 1989. Those casual days are over. Since regulators are supposed to regulate, in January 2020, the FAA announced a formal CAT II approval process to its cadre of Flight Standards inspectors. Here’s a summary of navigating the approval process.
The Backstory
Also in the past, the FAA decided it could lower height above touchdown (HAT) and visibility values for Category A aircraft operators based on demonstrated pilot skill and the precision of aircraft and ground-based navigation equipment. To this end, the FAA approved by waiver reduced ILS CAT I minimums for individual operators flying designated approaches.
