Definition
An instrument approach procedure that provides both lateral (left-right) course guidance and vertical (up-down) glidepath guidance to the runway, but does not meet the precision standards of an ILS or other precision approach. Commonly abbreviated APV (Approach with Vertical Guidance), it includes approaches such as LNAV/VNAV and LPV that use satellite or barometric inputs to generate a descent path.
Plain English
An instrument approach that tells the pilot both where to go side-to-side and how steeply to descend, but is not classified as a fully precision approach.
Context Anchor
Seen on instrument approach charts, avionics approach selections, and discussions of GPS-based approaches that provide a descent path.
Derivation
“Instrument” means the flight is guided by cockpit instruments instead of outside visual references. “Vertical guidance” means guidance in the up-and-down direction, especially during descent. The phrase points to the key idea: the procedure guides both position across the ground and descent toward the runway.
Why Pilots Care
Reduces the risk of controlled flight into terrain during instrument approaches by providing altitude information.
Analogy
It is like a road map that not only shows which road to take, but also shows the safe downhill path to follow as you approach the destination.
Intuition Check
Do not assume “with vertical guidance” automatically means the procedure is a precision approach or that you may descend below published minimums. It means the procedure provides an approved descent path to follow within the published limits.
Example Sentence 1
The pilot briefed an LPV approach, an instrument procedure with vertical guidance, which allowed a stabilized descent down to the published minimums.
Example Sentence 2
RNAV approaches with LPV minima qualify as instrument procedures with vertical guidance.