Definition
The phase of flight that begins when the airplane leaves the traffic pattern or final approach fix and continues until the airplane crosses the runway threshold to begin the landing flare. It involves configuring the airplane (flaps, landing gear, airspeed) and establishing a stabilized descent path aligned with the intended runway.
Plain English
The part of the flight where the pilot sets the airplane up to land — slowing down, lowering the gear and flaps, and flying a steady descent toward the runway, right up to the point where the actual touchdown begins.
Context Anchor
Used in landing training when discussing how the pilot enters the landing area, lines up with the runway, controls speed, and decides whether to continue the landing or climb away and try again.
Derivation
‘Approach’ comes from the Latin ‘appropiare’, meaning ‘to draw near.’ In aviation it kept that literal sense — drawing near to the runway in a controlled, deliberate way before landing.
Why Pilots Care
A properly executed approach to landing keeps the aircraft stabilized, which directly reduces the chance of hard landings, runway overruns, or loss of control.
Intuition Check
Do not read approach as just “getting close.” In flying, an approach to landing is an organized part of the flight with specific control of path, speed, descent, and airplane setup.
Example Sentence 1
On the approach to landing, the pilot extended the flaps, lowered the gear, and stabilized the airspeed at the recommended final approach speed.
Example Sentence 2
On short final the aircraft was fully configured and on glide path for the approach to landing.