CIRCLE‐TO‐LAND MANEUVER
Pilot/Controller Glossary with JO 7110.65BB, Change 3, effective July 9, 2026 · Official text on faa.gov
A maneuver initiated by the pilot to align the aircraft with a runway for landing when a straight‐in landing from an instrument approach is not possible or is not desirable. At tower controlled airports, this maneuver is made only after ATC authorization has been obtained and the pilot has established required visual reference to the airport.
See CIRCLE TO RUNWAY (RUNWAY NUMBER); LANDING MINIMUMS.
Refer to AIM.