Peter wrote:
There might not be a rule but IFR inbounds must get priority over circuit traffic otherwise the system will collapse.In the UK, if there is ATC (and there must be for IAPs to be permitted by the CAA, like it or not) the ATC will tell circuit traffic to orbit as required until the IFR inbound lands.
We’re talking about uncontrolled airports – thus no ATC. The rule that traffic on final has right of way will do nicely, won’t it?
On final, sure, but how long is the “final” to be?
In ~OVC005 conditions, this is not an issue since there is “obvious” no circuit traffic, but even though that’s “obvious” you can’t use it as a defence against the French law which appears to stipulate circling ex IAP regardless of cloudbase but which doesn’t say that circling with published IFR circling minima must be employed if there is no tower service.
In ~OVC020 conditions, there could be circuit traffic, and then you have the other problem: a bizjet cannot merge into a visual circuit. How is this handled in France?
Hence I started this thread to get more input 
@Peter I am not quite sure of the point you are making. At LFFK where they are in the process of trying to set up a GNSS approach OVC 005 would be 600 ft QNH. There is no ATS, I don’t know what the circling to land minima will be. However it is perfectly possible that someone is practicing low level VFR circuits which here take place “usually” at 500ft QNH
OK; if people really fly circuits at 500ft AAL, then that’s a different proposition 
Can I just point it the obvious lunacy to do any circling at 500ft when lined up with the runway?
@Cobalt why is it ‘obvious lunacy’ isn’t the circuit a base hauteur ‘low level circuits’ part of ppl training in the UK? Perhaps I’m reading your comment wrongly.
If you mean descending to 500’ on runway heading before making a circuit to land I might siggest it is lunacy not to.
The aircraft comes down the approach to the runway appropriate for the wind, nice and stable.
It breaks out of cloud at, say, 600ft, about two miles from the runway with the runway in sight.
Should it now
(a) continue the stable approach straight in
(b) circle around to the other runway end and land with a tailwind
(c) break off the approach somehow, and fly at 500ft and rejoin the circuit?
How does one even fly a cricle-to-land to the runway when already on final?
The intent of the rule is actually clear and not bad at all. It basically say “if there is no ATC, you cannot force your right of way because you are on final, you should break off and join the circuit visually as if you came in VFR”. This works as long as you are out of cloud when well outside the circuit.
As soon as the cloud base is much below 1000ft, this makes no longer sense.
You break out of cloud at 600 ft or whatever the circle to land minima
Question 1 can you see the runway?
Q2 What runway is in use?
Q3 Is there anyone or any other obstacle on the runway
Q4 If the reciprocal runway is in use how many seconds do you have between the time you have seen an aircraft which is just starting a take off roll and you realising you need to break right or left to avoid him remember he is in the right.
Q5 where is the wind and how strong is it at ground level?
Q6 Is there anyone obeying the regulation who might suddenly appear to join final at the altitude just below that which you are going to be on your straight in final, remember he will be slightly lower as he probably going to be descending on the base leg before turning final.
Q7 is there anyone else, a ULM, a student, a glider in the circuit?
Remember we are talking here of an instrument approach to an unmanned (ATS wise) airfield.There are likely to be people who are not giving exact position reports. There may be people who have chosen the wrong runway, and there you will be with your eyes glued to your instruments until you lift your head just before minima and try to refocus on the runway.
Finally these are the rules, if they do not suit you use an airfield when there is an ATS on station.
The intent of the rule is actually clear and not bad at all. It basically say “if there is no ATC, you cannot force your right of way because you are on final, you should break off and join the circuit visually as if you came in VFR”. This works as long as you are out of cloud when well outside the circuit.
No, AFAICS, this (the right of way thing) is not the intent of the rule. Remember the rule (i.e. that you first have to go overhead and then enter the circuit) is valid both for VFR and IFR, when there is no ATS. The rule is more about appreciation of the surface wind and runway condition before actually landing.
Cobalt wrote:
How does one even fly a cricle-to-land to the runway when already on final?
Assuming a left-hand circuit, I would break right and fly on the “dead” side of the runway, checking the runway status, windsock etc. Then enter a normal circuit on crosswind.
