AMC4 CAT.OP.MPA.110 Aerodrome operating minima

CAA ORS9 Decision No. 47

Text in magenta in force from 30 October 2025

CRITERIA FOR ESTABLISHING RVR/CMV

(a) Aeroplanes

The following criteria for establishing RVR/CMV should apply:

    (1) In order to qualify for the lowest allowable values of RVR/CMV specified in Table 6.A, the instrument approach should meet at least the following facility specifications and associated conditions:

      (i) Instrument approaches with designated vertical profile up to and including 4.5° for category A and B aeroplanes, or 3.77° for category C and D aeroplanes where the facilities are:

        (A) ILS/microwave landing system (MLS)/GBAS landing system (GLS)/precision approach radar (PAR); or

        (B) APV; and where the final approach track is offset by not more than 15° for category A and B aeroplanes or by not more than 5° for category C and D aeroplanes.

      (ii) Instrument approach operations flown using the CDFA technique with a nominal vertical profile, up to and including 4.5° for category A and B aeroplanes, or 3.77° for category C and D aeroplanes, where the facilities are NDB, NDB/DME, VOR, VOR/DME, LOC, LOC/DME, VDF, SRA or GNSS/LNAV, with a final approach segment of at least 3 NM, which also fulfil the following criteria:

      (A) the final approach track is offset by not more than 15° for category A and B aeroplanes or by not more than 5° for category C and D aeroplanes;

      (B) the final approach fix (FAF) or another appropriate fix where descent is initiated is available, or distance to threshold (THR) is available by flight management system/GNSS (FMS/GNSS) or DME; and

      (C) if the missed approach point (MAPt) is determined by timing, the distance from FAF or another appropriate fix to THR is ≤ 8 NM.

(iii) Instrument approaches where the facilities are NDB, NDB/DME, VOR, VOR/DME, LOC, LOC/DME, VDF, SRA or GNSS/LNAV, not fulfilling the criteria in (a)(1)(ii), or with an MDH ≥ 1 200 ft.

    (2) The missed approach operation, after an approach operation has been flown using the CDFA technique, should be executed when reaching the DA/H or the MAPt, whichever occurs first. The lateral part of the missed approach procedure should be flown via the MAPt unless otherwise stated on the approach chart.

The text below will replace the text above on 30 October 2025:

DETERMINATION OF DH/MDH FOR INSTRUMENT APPROACH OPERATIONS — HELICOPTERS

  1. The DH or MDH to be used for a 3D or a 2D approach operation should not be lower than the highest of:

    1. the OCH for the category of aircraft;

    2. the published approach procedure DH or MDH where applicable;

    3. the system minima specified in Table 6;

    4. the minimum DH permitted for the runway/FATO specified in Table 7, if applicable; or

    5. the minimum DH specified in the AFM or equivalent document, if stated.

Table 6

System minima — helicopters

Facility

Lowest DH/MDH (ft)

ILS/MLS/GLS

200

GNSS/SBAS (LPV)*

200
Precision approach radar (PAR) 200
GNSS/SBAS (LP) 250

GNSS (LNAV)

250

GNSS/Baro VNAV (LNAV / VNAV)

250
Helicopter PinS approach 250**

LOC with or without DME

250

SRA (terminating at ½ NM)

250

SRA (terminating at 1 NM)

300

SRA (terminating at 2 NM or more)

350

VOR

300

VOR/DME

250

NDB

350

NDB/DME

300

VDF

350

* For LPV, a DH of 200 ft may be used only if the published FAS datablock sets a vertical alert limit not exceeding 35 m. Otherwise, the DH should not be lower than 250 ft.

** For PinS approaches with instructions to ‘proceed VFR’ to an undefined or virtual destination, the DH or MDH should be with reference to the ground below the missed approach point (MAPt).

Table 7

Type of runway / FATO versus lowest DH/MDH — helicopters

Type of runway / FATO Lowest DH/MDH (ft)

Precision approach (PA) runway, category I

200

Non-precision approach (NPA) runway

200
Non-instrument runway 200

Instrument FATO

 200
FATO 250

Table 7 does not apply to helicopter PinS approaches with instructions to ‘proceed VFR’.