Approach Categories

Jaybird180

Jaybird180

Final Approach
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How many of you that fly (faster) bugsmashers choose to fly Category B Minimums even though you could fly Cat A speeds if you wanted?

Some example airframes come to mind:
Mooney
Cirrus
Bonanza
Piper 260's
 
The American Bonanza Society's "by the numbers" recommended approach speed is 105-110 for all Bonanzas, putting them squarely in Cat B, even though they could fly final at 90 kts or below.

I also recommend about that approach speed for flying the PA-32, because a slower speed results in much less forward visibility due to the big nose.

Generally, a vertically-guided approach will have the same minimums for all categories.

For a non-vertically guided approach, Cat A and B will often be the same even if Cats C and D are higher.
 
Last edited:
Jaybird180 said:
How many of you that fly (faster) bugsmashers choose to fly Category B Minimums even though you could fly Cat A speeds if you wanted?

Some example airframes come to mind:
Mooney
Cirrus
Bonanza
Piper 260's
Click to expand...

I fly the Cat B category, but the airports I fly into, the A and B mins are close to the same or exactly the same.
 
Done it but only during circling maneuvers to give me more room to work with.
 
Usually the B minimums but pretty much all the airports I've been to have the same minimums for A and B besides circle to land.
 
Category for circling is one thing.. We all know you can fly 1.3 Vso, or a faster speed. The fastest speed dictates, generally because of the radius on a circle.

But be careful on the rare occasion there are cats for a straight in. Many make the mistake that's a speed for final, when in reality it's a speed for the missed. A turn on the missed will also have a greater radius / speed ratio.
 
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