This is very true...what I meant was that 121 is so very regulated, there are very few operators out there willing to spend the time and money...121!

As opposed to circling to land IMC? How does that work? Not cutting on you, just wondering about the verbage written on the back of my certificate.

Some circling minimums are BELOW VFR criteria. If the airline trained as well as is authorized to circle that type of aircraft at minimums that are below VFR, there would be no restriction on the type rating.

At my previous company, we trained to circle at the circling mins, later this was changed to "VMC only". You didn't get a new certificate changing your type, but per the FOM is was no longer allowed to perform a circle below VFR WX criteria.

Depends are where you might consider going. If it involves many of the Asian (especially the JCAB), and some European operators, they SPECIFICALLY require a type rating with "command endorsement", "command privileges", or "command qualified".

Also, in some places the circling restriction can be a showstopper.

I think what he is saying is that all circle to land maneuvers are done in "VMC" and so therefore why have a limitation on your certificate stating to do the maneuver in VMC as opposed to IMC as if that was a possibility. Or in other words, how do you do a circle to land in IMC since presumably if there is a limitation to "VMC ONLY" then it infers that you can do it in IMC.

Sorry for the thread creep, but I still don't get it. I would think "below VFR criteria" means IMC. In any case, obviously I wouldn't want to circle if I can't maintain visual contact with the runway I'm circling to. Our minimums are 1000-3 or published minimums, whichever is higher.

I confess I circle about three times a year in VMC to some runway in Latin America...

No, you only get the SIC type if you're PDX based seeing that we used to fly to Canada from SEA and we might start doing it again with Horizontal dropping their Q2's.

Guess it depends on how you are reading it. Yes, a circle has to be done VMC since you ACTUALLY have to be able to see the runway to do it. But like I said, some circling approaches have mins below what is defined as "VFR". So if you are circling on an approach that has an 800' MDA, and the ceiling is 900', you are BELOW VFR mins. And like I said, not ALL airlines train to fly the maneuver at the ACTUAL circling minima, only at what's "VFR" weather conditions, therefore the "VMC ONLY" stipulation.

Well, when you did your circle training was it at the circling mins or the 1000/3 you mentioned? I'm guess the latter, hence the restriction. Maybe the FAA should change the wording they use on our certificates.

SIC type is just for legalities to enter Cananda.

Yeah, but there is a difference between VFR and VMC. That is my point. It should really say VFR ONLY so as to no insinuate that you can circle in IMC and hence the "VMC ONLY" limitation.