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. It is prescribed and approved for a specific airport by competent authority. U.S. civil standard instrument approach procedures are approved by the FAA as prescribed under 14 CFR part 97 and are available for public use. U.S. military standard instrument approach procedures are approved and published by the Department of Defense. Special instrument approach procedures are approved by the FAA for individual operators but are not published in 14 CFR part 97 for public use.

Listed in the Pilot/Controller Glossary as a cross-reference to INSTRUMENT APPROACH PROCEDURE, whose text is shown above.

Source FAA Pilot/Controller Glossary↗ · checked 2026-08-25