INSTRUMENT

APPROACHES
An instrument approach or instrument approach procedure (IAP) is a series of
predetermined maneuvers for the orderly transfer of an aircraft
under instrument flight conditions from the beginning of the initial approach
to a landing or to a point from which a landing may be made visually.
There are three categories of instrument approach procedures: precision
approach (PA), approach with vertical guidance (APV), and non-precision
approach (NPA). A precision approach uses a navigation system that provides
course and glidepath guidance. Examples include precision approach
radar (PAR), instrument landing system (ILS), and GBAS landing
system (GLS). An approach with vertical guidance also uses a navigation
system for course and glidepath deviation, just not to the same standards as a
PA. Examples include baro-VNAV, localizer type directional aid (LDA) with
glidepath, LNAV/VNAV and LPV. A non-precision approach uses a navigation
system for course deviation but does not provide glidepath information. These
approaches include VOR, NDB and LNAV. PAs and APVs are flown to a
decision height/altitude (DH/DA), while non-precision approaches are flown
to a minimum descent altitude (MDA).
TYPES OF
APPROACHES
VISUAL APPROACH

 A visual approach is an ATC authorization for an

aircraft on an IFR flight plan to proceed visually
to the airport of intended landing (it is not an
instrument approach procedure).A visual
approach may be requested by the pilot or
offered by ATC. Visual approaches are possible
when weather conditions permit continuous
visual contact with the destination airport. They
are issued in such weather conditions in order
to expedite handling of IFR traffic. The ceiling
must be reported or expected to be at least
1000 feet AGL and the visibility is at least 5 Km.
CHARTED VISUAL FLIGHT
PROCEDURE (CVFP)
• A visual approach that has a specified route the aircraft is
to follow to the airport. Pilots must have a charted visual
landmark or a preceding aircraft in sight, and weather must
be at or above the published minimums. Pilots are
responsible for maintaining a safe approach interval and wake
turbulence separation.
RNAV APPROACH
• These approaches include both ground-based and satellite-based system and
include criteria for terminal areas (TAAs), basic approach criteria, and final
approach criteria. The TAA is a transition from the en route structure to the
terminal environment which provides minimum altitudes for obstacle
clearance.
• The TAA is a "T" or "basic T" design with left and right base leg IAFs on initial
approach segments perpendicular to the intermediate approach segment where
there is a dual purpose IF/IAF for a straight-in procedure (no procedure turn), or
hold-in-lieu-of procedure-turn (HILO) course reversal. The base leg IAFs is 3 to 6
NM from the IF/IAF.
• The basic-T is aligned with the runway centerline, with the IF 5 NM from the
FAF, and the FAF is 5 NM from the threshold.
• The RNAV approach chart should have four lines of approach minimums
corresponding to LPV, LNAV/VNAV, LNAV, and circling. This allows GPS or WAAS
equipped aircraft to use the LNAV MDA using GPS only, if WAAS becomes
unavailable.
 These are the most precise and accurate approaches. A
runway with an ILS can accommodate 29 arrivals per
hour. ILS systems on two or three runways increase
capacity with parallel (dependent) ILS, simultaneous
parallel (independent) ILS, precision runway
monitor (PRM), and converging ILS approaches.
• ILS approaches have three classifications, CAT I,
CAT II, and CAT III. CAT II and CAT III require additional
certification for operators, pilots, aircraft and equipment,
with CAT III used mainly by air carriers and the military.
Simultaneous parallel approaches require runway
centerlines to be between 4,300 and 9,000 feet apart,
plus a "dedicated final monitor controller" to monitor
aircraft separation.
• Simultaneous close parallel (independent) PRM
approaches must have runways separation to be
between 3,400 and 4,300 feet. Simultaneous offset
instrument approaches (SOIAs) apply to runways
separated by 750–3,000 feet. A SOIA uses an ILS/PRM on
one runway and an LDA/PRM with glideslope for the
other.

ILS APPROACH
 • These approaches use VOR
facilities on and off the airport
and may be supplemented
with DME and TACAN.

VOR APPROACH
NDB APPROACH

• These approaches use NDB facilities on and

off the airport and may be supplemented with a
DME. These approaches are gradually being
phased out.
RADAR APPROACH
• This will be either a precision
approach radar (PAR) or
an airport surveillance
radar (ASR) approach.
Information is published in
tabular form. The PAR provides
vertical and lateral guidance
plus range. The ASR only
provides heading and range
information.
LOCALIZER APPROACH

• These approaches include

a localizer approach, localizer/DME
approach, localizer back course
approach, and a localizer-type
directional aid (LDA). In cases
where an ILS is installed, a back
course may be available in
conjunction with the localizer.
Reverse sensing occurs on the back
course using standard VOR
equipment. With a horizontal
situation indicator (HSI) system,
reverse sensing is eliminated if it is
set appropriately to the front
course.
 SIMPLIFIED DIRECTIONAL FACILITY (SDF) APPROACH
LOCALIZER-TYPE DIRECTIONAL AID (LDA) APPROACH
These types of approaches are similar to the ILS localizer approach, but with less precise guidance.
NAVAIDS