Definition
An instrument approach procedure that provides lateral guidance (course alignment to the runway) but does not provide vertical glidepath guidance to the runway. The pilot descends in steps to a published Minimum Descent Altitude (MDA) and continues to that altitude until either acquiring the required visual references for landing or reaching the missed approach point.
Plain English
An instrument approach that tells you which direction to fly toward the runway, but does not give you an electronic glide path down. You step the airplane down to a minimum altitude, then look for the runway. If you don't see it by the time you reach the missed approach point, you go around.
Context Anchor
Seen on instrument approach charts and in IFR alternate planning, especially when deciding which weather minimums apply at an alternate airport.
Derivation
"Precision" in aviation means an approach with electronic vertical guidance accurate enough to fly all the way down a glidepath. "Non-precision" simply means that vertical guidance is not provided to that standard — lateral guidance is, but the pilot manages the descent.
Why Pilots Care
Sets higher minimum descent altitudes and visibility requirements than precision approaches, directly affecting landing decisions and missed-approach planning.
Grounding Statement
On a non-precision approach, the course guidance can point you toward the runway, but you are responsible for managing the descent path within the published limits.
Intuition Check
Do not read non-precision as sloppy or unreliable. Here it means the approach does not provide approved vertical glidepath guidance, even though its lateral guidance may still be accurate.
Example Sentence 1
Because the destination only had a non-precision approach available, the pilot checked the higher alternate weather minimums before departure.
Example Sentence 2
On the non-precision approach they started timing at the final approach fix to reach the missed approach point at the correct altitude.