Definition
The portion of an instrument approach procedure that connects the initial approach segment to the final approach segment. It begins at the intermediate fix (or intermediate point) and ends at the final approach fix or point. Its purpose is to position the aircraft for the final descent: aligning it with the final approach course, adjusting speed, and completing the landing configuration.
Plain English
The middle leg of an instrument approach. After lining up roughly toward the runway, this is where the pilot gets straight, slows down, and gets ready to start the final descent.
Context Anchor
You will see this term in instrument approach procedure discussions, especially when learning how an approach is divided into named parts from the first setup portion through the final descent toward the runway.
Derivation
Intermediate' comes from Latin 'inter' (between) and 'medius' (middle). It is literally the 'in-between' segment — between the initial setup and the final descent to the runway.
Why Pilots Care
This is the point where speed, flaps, and heading must be set correctly to create a stable path to the runway, directly affecting landing safety.
Intuition Check
Do not read “intermediate” as meaning medium difficulty. Here it means the middle section of a published instrument approach procedure.
Example Sentence 1
Crossing the intermediate fix, the pilot reduced speed and extended the flaps to the approach setting.
Example Sentence 2
The aircraft remained aligned on the localizer throughout the intermediate approach segment while descending to the final approach altitude.