Flight Instructor for Airplane Category › II. Technical Subject Areas › Task B. Visual Scanning and Collision Avoidance

AI.II.B.K4

Knowledge

Visual scanning procedure and the importance of peripheral vision.

Study note

Get a short, cited explanation of this element written from the FAA handbooks: the core idea, the numbers that matter, common test traps, and a quick self-check.

From the FAA library

Aeronautical Information Manual p. 4-4-12
Chapter 4. Air Traffic Control › Section 4. ATC Clearances and Aircraft Separation › 4-4-15. Use of Visual Clearing Procedures and Scanning Techniques
threat increases directly as more time is spent looking outside the aircraft. One must use timesharing techniques to effectively scan the surrounding airspace while monitoring instruments as well. d. Since the eye can focus only on a narrow viewing area ... effective scanning is accomplished with a series of short, regularly spaced eye movements that bring successive areas of the sky into the central visual field. Each movement should not exceed ten degrees, and each area should be observed…
Airplane Flying Handbook p. 1-11
Chapter 1: Introduction to Flight Training › Safety Considerations › Collision Avoidance
thus it is easily degraded by psychological and physiological conditions such as fatigue, boredom, illness, anxiety, or preoccupation. Effective scanning is accomplished with a series of short, regularly-spaced eye movements that bring successive areas of the sky into ... central visual field. Each movement should not exceed 10 degrees, and each area should be observed for at least 1 second to enable detection. Although horizontal back-and-forth eye movements seem preferred by most pilots, each pilot should develop…
Aeronautical Information Manual p. 5-4-22
Chapter 5. Air Traffic Procedures › Section 4. Arrival Procedures › 5-4-5. Instrument Approach Procedure (IAP) Charts
Example of a Chart Note 4. A straight-in aligned procedure may be restricted to circling only minimums when an excessive descent gradient necessitates. The descent angle between the FAF/stepdown fix and the Circling MDA must not exceed the maximum ... descent angle allowed by TERPS criteria. A published VDA on these procedures does not imply that landing straight ahead is recommended or even possible. The descent rate based on the VDA may exceed the capabilities of the aircraft…
Aeronautical Information Manual p. 5-4-65
Chapter 5. Air Traffic Procedures › Section 4. Arrival Procedures › 5-4-23. Visual Approach
Visual Approach a. A visual approach is conducted on an IFR flight plan and authorizes a pilot to proceed visually and clear of clouds to the airport. The pilot must have either the airport or the preceding identified aircraft ... visibility 3 miles or greater. ATC may authorize this type of approach when it will be operationally beneficial. Visual approaches are an IFR procedure conducted under IFR in visual meteorological conditions. Cloud clearance requirements of 14 CFR section…
FAA Aeronautical Chart Users' Guide p. 126
U.S. TERMINAL PROCEDURES PUBLICATION › CHARTED VISUAL FLIGHT PROCEDURE (CVFP) CHARTS
CHARTED VISUAL FLIGHT PROCEDURE (CVFP) CHARTS CVFPs are charted visual approaches established for environmental/noise considerations, and/or when necessary for the safety and efficiency of air traffic operations. The approach charts depict prominent landmarks, courses, and recommend ed altitudes to specific ... have missed approach segments. CVFPs are named for the primary landmark and the specific runway for which the procedure is developed, such as: RIVER VISUAL RWY 18, STADIUM VISUAL RWY 24. The CVFP charts are divided into planview and notes…