"John Clonts" wrote in message .. .
1) Does "having the runway environment in sight...make a normal landing"
in 91.175 mean its ok to descend below MDA, fly a couple more miles to the
airport and then fly the pattern (circle to land), as long as the runway is
still in sight.

FWIW, that's my understanding. If you have the vis and you have the
runway environment clearly in sight. Just realize that circling is
tricky, and descending then circling doesn't make it less tricky.
Also, if the cloud deck is ragged and you lose the airport, what's
your plan for how low you will go to stay visual? The "MDA"
gives you a firm floor until you have the airport and the vis.
Once you start your descent, if you're far enough from the airport
that you might realistically lose it if conditions change a mite,
what's your personal "floor" and how did you choose it?

2) Once I get to class G airspace on my approach and am clear of clouds in
1 mi vis, can I then descend below MDA by doing something like declaring
myself visual, contact, or canceled IFR.

Personally, if you have to descend below MDA to stay visual I
think I would vote for "none of the above". What if the cloud
deck is ragged and something rolls in, you have to go missed?
What if there's someone else waiting for the same approach? Or
another IFR waiting to be released?

I don't see what a contact approach gains you.

For visual approach you need 3 miles vis.

FWIW,
Sydney