Approach clearances are fundamentally structured by the "PTAC" acronym: Position, Turn, Altitude, and Clearance, each element guided by specific ATC regulations to ensure a safe and stable approach.

Before Electronic Flight Bags (EFBs), pilots relied on paper instrument approach charts from either Jeppesen or National Ocean Service (NOS), each presenting information with distinct layouts and ...

Earning an instrument and a type rating today still demands the applicant successfully fly a circling approach. Despite the FAA’s recent Advisory Circular (AC) 120-123 calling for an increased focus ...

Example circling maneuver at Memphis IAP, Tennessee. Author graphic. I used to think of the circle-to-land maneuver following an instrument approach as a necessary evil. We had a lot of airports to go ...