IFR Flight & told to circle to land alt RW

[captjak]

Hope someone can point me to a place to gather some knowledge about this happenstance. I have been trying to learn a little about flying IFR and several times have been told upon arrival at the airport to circle to land at a different runway that is not an ILS one. Curious as to why this happens and the proper way to handle it. At times the weather will be pretty bad and much better for IFR than VFR. And then there are times when they want you at the opposite end of the runway that you had planned for an ILS approach, but that was from the other end of the feathers. Can an ILS still be made? Appreciate any help you can extend to me. JJ

[eno]

Aircraft land on the runway that heads the most into the  wind. That's why you will have been directed to the particular runway.

You can still make an ILS approach using the Backcourse button.
I'm sure one of our resident experts will be able to give you more detail on the procedure.

cheers
eno

[commoner]

Eno's correct...if the runway you are given is the oppsite end to the one you have already set up for an AP ILS approach then click the BC button and AP will still lock you onto the localiser for your new approach direction without making any changes,

[beefhole]

Also, try requesting a different runway for landing-just make sure your on that runways approach! (you can request that too) ATC has never asked me to circle to land unless I've requested an approach different than my landng runway.

[wji]

Hal Stoen's site is still the best when it comes to this stuff.
Circle-to-Land

bill

[captjak]

Just wanted to say THANKS to all who have offered help. Sounds like a great group with some really knowledgable people and I'm looking forward to absorbing a good portion of it in time.
JJ

[Nexus]

Just want to add something here. Despite the name "circle to land", it only requires a turn of more than 30 degrees from the final approach course to be called such. So you're not making 180 degrees course reversals all the time when performing those approaches  :)