Yes, Its up to the airlines. 500ft to be stablized is relatively safe. 1000ft is a little safer margin, but not having a stabilized visual approach procedure is

Yes, Its up to the airlines. 500ft to be stablized is relatively safe. 1000ft is a little safer margin, but not having a stabilized visual approach procedure is definitively risky at best, and sometimes fatal. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwest_Airlines_Flight_1455 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwest_Airlines_Flight_1455 is an example of an experienced crew making unstable approach and landed high, then overran the runway and crashed. 500 ft for Southwest pilots to be "in the slot" or go around.