A Visual in IMC

Let's consider a situation. We are flying over the Florida Everglades in low IMC. Our alternator just died, which clearly counts as an emergency in IMC. So, we must land. Now! Wind is blowing from the west at 25 knots and we are close to Dade-Collier Transition and Training Airport (KTNT). Although it used to have three approaches to Runway 9-an ILS, an NDB and an RNAV-the only one now available is the RNAV (GPS) RWY 9 approach. With that wind, we certainly will not be landing on Runway 9, even though the runway is 10,500-feet long.

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Tuesday, September 03, 2019 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Circling approaches are high-risk and their availability is being reduced by the FAA, creating challenges for pilots needing to land in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC), particularly during emergencies where conventional instrument approaches are unsuitable.
"G-Visuals" (Garmin Visuals) offer GPS-based lateral and vertical guidance to many runways, intended for VFR use, but are presented as a controversial last-resort option for an emergency landing in IMC.
Using a G-Visual in IMC is not a legal instrument procedure and mandates declaring an emergency (under Part 91.3(b)) because its glideslope is not surveyed for obstacle clearance.
Although not a legal or surveyed instrument approach, a G-Visual can be a critical "better than blind flying" option when an emergency necessitates an immediate landing in IMC and all safer, legal alternatives are unavailable or too risky.

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As you probably know, there have been two powerful forces that address the possibility of reducing but not eliminating circling approaches. First, that’s a good thing because circling approaches in low IMC are much higher risk than landing straight in. One force is the proliferation of straight-in RNAV (GPS) approaches to many runway thresholds, many of which can be flown to Localizer Performance with Vertical Guidance (LPV) ceiling and visibility minimums.

Secondly, there is a draft FAA policy issued on June 28, 2018, to reduce the number of standalone circling approaches and eliminate circling minimums on some straight-in approaches, particularly ILS and RNAV LPV approaches. The draft FAA policy makes it clear that the reduction of circling approaches is not part of the VOR minimum operating network (MON) initiative.