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Nonstandard Alternate Minimums

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Non-standard alternate minimums are published when an approach's "no-light" minimums exceed the standard alternate minimums of 600-2 (precision) or 800-2 (non-precision).
  • These non-standard minimums are determined individually for each approach category by adjusting the highest published minimums for inoperative lighting.
  • A key principle is that alternate minimums will never be lower than the published circling minimums for that specific approach category.
  • The final non-standard values are derived by rounding up the Height-Above-Airport (HAA) and ensuring the visibility meets a minimum of two statute miles.
See a mistake? Contact us.

The article covered how procedures can be unavailable for alternate planning, but what about those that are available, but require non-standard alternate minimums? The standard alternate minimums are simple: 600-2 for precision approaches, and 800-2 for non-precision approaches. But non-standard alternate minimums can seem quite complicated.

Non-standard alternate ceilings and/or visibilities are published for an approach whenever the no-light approach minimums (using the local altimeter setting) exceed the standard alternate minimums. This makes sense—you wouldn’t want the alternate minimums to lure you to an approach that was below its approach minimums.

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