"Hilton" wrote in message
ink.net...
John Clonts wrote:
I'm inbound on the final approach segment of the VOR-A approach at T82
(Fredericksburg Texas):

http://www.myairplane.com/databases/.../T82_vd_gA.pdf

At about 3 miles east of the airport I'm at the MDA of 2460 MSL ("766
AGL"),

This was (one of) your (almost) fatal mistake. At 2460' and 3 miles out,
you probably were not at 766 AGL. The 766 you see is NOT AGL as you would
first think. The 766' is the altitude above the airport elevation (for a
circling approach). Note that 1694 + 766 = 2460.


I did realize this. In fact that's why I put quotation marks around the
"766 AGL". Maybe I should have written it: 766 "AGL".

Thanks for your reply though.

The gist of my question involves either or both of these aspects:

1) Does "having the runway environment in sight...make a normal landing"
in 91.175 mean its ok to descend below MDA, fly a couple more miles to the
airport and then fly the pattern (circle to land), as long as the runway is
still in sight.

2) Once I get to class G airspace on my approach and am clear of clouds in
1 mi vis, can I then descend below MDA by doing something like declaring
myself visual, contact, or canceled IFR.

Cheers,
John Clonts
Temple, Texas
N7NZ