When beginning an approach, which is controlling: the ceiling, the visibility, or both?

The correct answer is that both ceiling and visibility must meet minimums when beginning an approach. In aviation, maintaining safe operation while approaching for landing is critical. Each airport has specific minimum visibility and ceiling requirements that must be adhered to in order to ensure a safe approach and landing.

Ceiling refers to the height of the lowest layer of clouds or other obscuring phenomena over the airport, effectively indicating how high a pilot needs to be able to see the runway or surrounding terrain. Visibility, on the other hand, refers to the distance that a pilot can clearly see. Both factors are crucial as they impact the pilot's ability to navigate and land the aircraft safely. If either the ceiling or visibility falls below the established minimums, the safety of the approach is compromised, thus both must be within the limits to proceed safely.

In contrast, stating that only one of the conditions is controlling ignores the importance of the other and does not reflect the comprehensive safety standards expected during the approach phase of flight. Additionally, asserting that weather conditions do not affect approaches overlooks crucial aspects of flight safety and operational protocols set by aviation authorities.