Definition
An instrument approach procedure designed and titled exclusively for use with GPS navigation, where GPS is the sole authorized means of providing course guidance from the initial approach fix through the missed approach. The approach chart carries a title such as 'GPS RWY XX' (older format) or 'RNAV (GPS) RWY XX' (current format), and no underlying ground-based navaid is required to fly it.
Plain English
An approach to a runway that is built only for GPS. You fly it using your GPS receiver, not a ground station, and the approach chart will say 'GPS' or 'RNAV (GPS)' in its title.
Context Anchor
Seen on instrument approach charts and in GPS approach discussions, especially where the procedure is titled as a GPS or RNAV (GPS) approach.
Derivation
Stand-alone' means the approach stands by itself on GPS — it is not an overlay of a VOR, NDB, or localizer procedure. Earlier GPS approaches were often overlays of existing ground-based procedures; a stand-alone approach was designed from scratch for GPS only.
Why Pilots Care
It opens instrument approach capability to airports that lack ILS or VOR equipment, increasing access and safety margins.
Intuition Check
Do not read stand-alone as meaning casual or independent of rules. It means the approach uses GPS as its own approved navigation basis, not that the pilot can make up the path or ignore equipment requirements.
Example Sentence 1
Because the VOR was out of service, the crew briefed the GPS stand-alone approach to Runway 27 instead.
Example Sentence 2
During the briefing the crew confirmed the GPS stand-alone approach provided vertical guidance via SBAS.