Definition
The final phase of flight in which the airplane is configured, slowed, and descended along a planned path toward the runway in preparation for touchdown. It typically begins when the airplane is established on the final segment toward the runway and continues until the flare and landing.
Plain English
The descent and setup the pilot flies toward the runway, getting the airplane lined up, slowed down, and ready to land.
Context Anchor
In this chapter, the term appears during power-off stall practice, which simulates getting too slow while approaching to land.
Derivation
“Landing” comes from “land,” meaning to come down onto the ground. “Approach” comes from an older word meaning “to come nearer.” Together, they point to the planned way an airplane comes nearer to the ground for landing—not just any movement toward a runway.
Why Pilots Care
A properly flown landing approach places the aircraft at the correct speed, altitude, and position for a safe touchdown; errors here are a common cause of runway excursions or go-arounds.
Intuition Check
Do not read “landing approach” as simply being near an airport. In flying, it means the controlled final path and setup used to get the airplane safely to touchdown.
Example Sentence 1
On the landing approach, the pilot extended the flaps, reduced power, and trimmed for the target airspeed.
Example Sentence 2
During the landing approach the instructor called for a go-around because the airplane was too high and fast.