Definition
An instrument approach procedure that provides both lateral (left-right) and vertical (up-down) guidance to the runway, but does not meet the stricter accuracy and integrity standards required to be classified as a precision approach. APV procedures include LNAV/VNAV and LPV approaches based on satellite navigation (GPS/WAAS).
Plain English
A type of instrument approach where the pilot gets guidance both to stay lined up with the runway and to follow the correct descent path down to it. It is more capable than an approach that only shows lateral guidance, but it is not officially in the top tier of approach types.
Context Anchor
Seen on instrument approach charts and in instrument flight planning, especially for approaches that include vertical guidance without being precision approaches.
Derivation
The phrase tells you what the procedure offers: an approach that includes vertical guidance. Vertical comes from the Latin vertex, meaning 'top' or 'highest point' — here it refers to descent path information, the up-and-down dimension of the approach.
Why Pilots Care
It lets pilots make stable, guided descents in low visibility without needing a full precision approach installation at the airport, improving safety on many smaller or less-equipped runways.
Intuition Check
Do not assume that any approach with vertical guidance is a precision approach. APV means it has vertical guidance, but it remains a separate approach type with its own published limits.
Example Sentence 1
The pilot briefed an APV approach into the destination, noting the LNAV/VNAV minimums on the chart.
Example Sentence 2
During the preflight briefing the instructor pointed out that the published minimums were lower on the APV procedure than on the non-precision VOR approach.