Definition
On an instrument approach procedure, the point at which the final approach segment ends and the missed approach segment begins. It is normally the runway threshold, the missed approach point (MAP), or the decision altitude/height (DA/DH), depending on the type of approach.
Plain English
The point on an instrument approach where the pilot must either see the runway and land, or stop descending and fly the missed approach.
Context Anchor
Seen in instrument approach procedure descriptions, especially when discussing how the final approach path is built or coded.
Why Pilots Care
Marks the exact limit where a missed approach must begin if the runway is not in sight or landing is unsafe.
Grounding Statement
Picture the airplane following the published final path to one defined point near the runway; after that point, the pilot either lands if conditions are safe or goes around.
Intuition Check
Do not read “final” here as just the last radio call or the traffic-pattern final leg. In this term, “final end point” means the defined end of the published final approach segment.
Example Sentence 1
At the final end point, the captain didn't have the runway in sight, so he initiated the missed approach.
Example Sentence 2
When the runway environment was not visible at the Final End Point, the pilot immediately began the missed approach.