Do captain minimum adjustments apply to flight alternates?

• A. Yes
• B. No
• C. Only for long hauls
• D. Only for domestic flights

Answer: (B)

Captain minimums are adjustments a captain may apply to the published landing minimums for a specific approach, based on qualifications and equipment. These adjustments affect the destination landing decision, not the process of choosing an alternate. When planning an alternate, you must rely on the alternate’s published minimums; the forecast must meet or exceed those minima to designate it as a viable alternate. If the destination doesn’t meet its landing minimums, you can’t substitute a captain’s lower minima to justify an alternate—you’d need an alternate that does meet its own minima and enough fuel to reach it. This is why captain minimum adjustments do not apply to flight alternates.