Definition
An instrument arrival, departure, or approach procedure that is designed to be flown using a Flight Management System (FMS), where the aircraft's onboard computer navigates along a programmed sequence of waypoints rather than by reference to ground-based navigation aids.
Plain English
A published flight path that is flown by following the route stored in the aircraft's flight computer, instead of by tuning into ground radio stations.
Context Anchor
Pilots encounter this when loading a departure, arrival, or approach into the flight management system before or during flight.
Derivation
From 'flight management system,' the onboard computer that manages navigation, performance, and flight planning. The procedure is named after the equipment required to fly it.
Why Pilots Care
Allows precise, workload-reduced adherence to ATC clearances and published procedures in complex airspace.
Intuition Check
Do not read “procedure” here as just a general habit or checklist. In this term, it means a specific navigation path or sequence that the flight management system can store and guide.
Example Sentence 1
Before starting the descent, the crew loaded the FMS arrival procedure and confirmed each waypoint matched the chart.
Example Sentence 2
Once cleared for the approach, the crew selected the Flight Management System Procedure to follow the vertical path to the runway.