[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 14, Volume 2]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 14CFR97.3]
[Page 292-294]
TITLE 14--AERONAUTICSAND SPACE
CHAPTER I--FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
(CONTINUED)
PART 97--STANDARD INSTRUMENT APPROACH PROCEDURES--Table of Contents
Subpart A--General
Sec. 97.3 Symbols and terms used in procedures.
As used in the standard terminal instrument procedures prescribed in
this part--
(a) A means alternate airport weather minimum.
(b) Aircraft approach category means a grouping of aircraft based on
a speed of VREF, if specified, or if VREF is not
specified, 1.3 VS0 at the maximum certificated landing
weight. VREF, VS0, and the maximum certificated
landing weight are those values as established for the aircraft by the
certification authority of the country of registry. The categories are
as follows:
(1) Category A: Speed less than 91 knots.
(2) Category B: Speed 91 knots or more but less than 121 knots.
(3) Category C: Speed 121 knots or more but less than 141 knots.
(4) Category D: Speed 141 knots or more but less than 166 knots.
(5) Category E: Speed 166 knots or more.
(c) Approach procedure segments for which altitudes (all altitudes
prescribed are minimum altitudes unless otherwise specified) or courses,
or both, are prescribed in procedures, are as follows:
(1) Initial approach is the segment between the intial approach fix
and the intermediate fix or the point where the
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aircraft is established on the intermediate course or final approach
course.
(2) Initial approach altitude means the altitude (or altitudes, in
High Altitude Procedures) prescribed for the initial approach segment of
an instrument approach.
(3) Intermediate approach is the segment between the intermediate
fix or point and the final approach fix.
(4) Final approach is the segment between the final approach fix or
point and the runway, airport, or missed-approach point.
(5) Missed approach is the segment between the missed-approach
point, or point of arrival at decision height, and the missed-approach
fix at the prescribed altitude.
(d) C means circling landing minimum, a statement of ceiling and
visibility values, or minimum descent altitude and visibility, required
for the circle-to-land maneuver.
(d-1) Copter procedures means helicopter procedures, with applicable
minimums as prescribed in Sec. 97.35 of this part. Helicopters may also
use other procedures prescribed in Subpart C of this part and may use
the Category A minimum descent altitude (MDA) or decision height (DH).
The required visibility minimum may be reduced to one-half the published
visibility minimum for Category A aircraft, but in no case may it be
reduced to less than one-quarter mile or 1,200 feet RVR.
(e) Ceiling minimum means the minimum ceiling, expressed in feet
above the surface of the airport, required for takeoff or required for
designating an airport as an alternate airport.
(f) D means day.
(g) FAF means final approach fix.
(h) HAA means height above airport.
(h-1) HAL means height above a designated helicopter landing area
used for helicopter instrument approach procedures.
(i) HAT means height above touchdown.
(j) MAP means missed approach point.
(k) More than 65 knots means an aircraft that has a stalling speed
of more than 65 knots (as established in an approved flight manual) at
maximum certificated landing weight with full flaps, landing gear
extended, and power off.
(l) MSA means minimum safe altitude, an emergency altitude expressed
in feet above mean sea level, which provides 1,000 feet clearance over
all obstructions in that sector within 25 miles of the facility on which
the procedure is based (LOM in ILS procedures).
(m) N means night.
(n) NA means not authorized.
(o) NOPT means no procedure turn required (altitude prescribed
applies only if procedure turn is not executed).
(o-1) Point in space approach means a helicopter instrument approach
procedure to a missed approach point that is more than 2,600 feet from
an associated helicopter landing area.
(p) Procedure turn means the maneuver prescribed when it is
necessary to reverse direction to establish the aircraft on an
intermediate or final approach course. The outbound course, direction of
turn, distance within which the turn must be completed, and minimum
altitude are specified in the procedure. However, the point at which the
turn may be commenced, and the type and rate of turn, is left to the
discretion of the pilot.
(q) RA means radio altimeter setting height.
(r) RVV means runway visibility value.
(s) S means straight-in landing minimum, a statement of ceiling and
visibility, minimum descent altitude and visibility, or decision height
and visibility, required for a straight-in landing on a specified
runway. The number appearing with the S indicates the runway to which
the minimum applies. If a straight-in minimum is not prescribed in the
procedure, the circling minimum specified applies to a straight-in
landing.
(t) Shuttle means a shuttle, or race-track-type, pattern with 2-
minute legs prescribed in lieu of a procedure turn.
(u) 65 knots or less means an aircraft that has a stalling speed of
65 knots or less (as established in an approved flight manual) at
maximum certificated landing weight with full flaps, landing gear
extended, and power off.
(v) T means takeoff minimum.
(w) TDZ means touchdown zone.
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(x) Visibility minimum means the minimum visibility specified for
approach, or landing, or takeoff, expressed in statute miles, or in feet
where RVR is reported.
(Secs. 307(c), 313(a), 601, Federal Aviation Act of 1958, as amended (49
U.S.C. 1348(c), 1354(a), 1421); sec. 6(c), Department of Transportation
Act (49 U.S.C. 1655(c)))
[Doc. No. 8130, 32 FR 13911, Oct. 6, 1967, as amended by Amdt. 97-803,
37 FR 6287, Mar. 28, 1972; Amdt. 97-1133, 44 FR 15659, Mar. 15, 1979;
Amdt. 97-1333, 67 FR 70828, Nov. 26, 2002]