You are allowed 1.3 nm from the threshold, use it.
You’re given a distance based on the required turn radius of an aircraft at the maximum speed for the category of the approach. The category of approach is determined by your Vref speed or 1.3x Vs0 speed, in the case of 1.3NM we’re talking a Cat B approach with a Vref of less than 121 kias.
If you’re using all 1.3 NM and flying at a speed well under 121kias you are not only flying a significantly wider pattern than you need to/should but are going to have a heck of a time transitioning to anything faster especially if you intend to remain in the same category.
Of course there are other problems with the way they determine the radius...
The turn radius is based on Vref or Vs0 which is an indicated speed and does not account for winds or pressure altitude (important more at higher altitude airports on Cat C/D approaches where the error is more significant) which can increase your turn radius.
Also, the minimums are often less than the radius often by a rather significant margin (1SM=0.87NM so radius is 50% wider than visibility) which means at certain speeds, especially near the maximum for the category, it may not be possible to complete the approach as you are unable to turn in a smaller radius and you’ll lose visibility of the runway in the turn.
Stop and think about this. A difference between a straight in approach course and the extended runway centerline can be 30 degrees. The reg says you may descend below the MDA when you have the visual approach indicator.
Approach indicators are usually around 1,150 ft down the runway (top of the 1000’ markers). Approach indicators permit you to descend below 100’ AGL (measured from TDZE) to land but there are several other indicators that you can also use to descend to land such as REIL lights that will come into view much earlier.
To descend to 100’ AGL from TDZE you need only have the runway environment in sight, which is most often the approach lighting but could also be the runway.
If you wait to have the Approach Indicator lights in sight to descend from MDA at visibility minimums of 1SM on an approach such as the one in to KPSP, you could descend at 900fpm at 60kts (an unstable approach and 9 degree glide slope) and you would land with less than 1000’ remaining of a 9000’ runway.
5,280’ visibility - 1250’ approach indicator displacement = start of descent 4030’ before runway.
4000’ + 9000’ length of runway = 13,030 ft available for descent.
12,152 ft = 2 NM. 1825 ft AGL / 2NM = 912 feet per nautical mile and 60 kts is 1 nm/min meaning 912 fpm to land with 848’ left.
That’s at 60kts. At 120 for Cat B, you’re talking 1800fpm and decelerating from 120 to 0 in 8 seconds experiencing -0.68g. Above 120? Pretty sure you’re bracing for an overrun
I’d advise you begin your descent below MDA before the visual approach indicators come into sight as this still ignores the fact that you might not have the approach indicators for another 320ft if flight visibility is 1SM (slant distance vs horizontal) and the response delay both human and mechanical from acquiring the approach indicators to actually descending.
