Definition
An air traffic control instruction issued to a pilot conducting an instrument approach, directing the pilot to fly a visual circling maneuver around the airport in order to land on a runway other than the one aligned with the instrument approach being flown. The instruction is given when the active landing runway is different from the runway served by the instrument approach procedure, and it is followed by the runway number to be used for landing.
Plain English
After flying an instrument approach toward the airport, ATC tells you to fly a visual loop around the airport and land on a different runway than the one you were lined up with. The clearance names which runway to land on.
Context Anchor
Heard on an approach clearance or landing instruction when the approach path does not line up with the runway ATC wants you to use.
Derivation
‘Circle’ refers to the visual maneuver flown in the airport traffic pattern to align with the desired runway. The phrase reflects the action: you finish the instrument approach, then circle the airport to land on a different runway.
Why Pilots Care
It allows a safe landing on the best runway when the instrument approach ends on a different one, while keeping the aircraft inside obstacle-protected airspace.
Grounding Statement
You fly the approach toward the airport, then maneuver visually to point the airplane at the runway ATC assigned.
Intuition Check
Do not read “circle” as a required 360-degree turn around the airport. Here it means a visual maneuver near the airport to line up with a different runway.
Example Sentence 1
Cleared ILS Runway 27 approach, circle to Runway 18.
Example Sentence 2
The approach listed higher minima for a circle to runway 22 when the pilot needed the longer runway.