Plain English Meaning

An instrument approach that tells you where to fly left and right, but not a continuous up-and-down path down to the runway. You step down to set altitudes on your own and look for the runway by a certain point. If you see it, you land. If not, you go missed.

Full Definition

A published instrument approach procedure that provides lateral (side-to-side) course guidance to a runway or airport, but does not provide electronic vertical (glidepath) guidance certified to precision standards. The pilot descends in steps to published minimum altitudes until reaching the missed approach point, where the runway environment must be in sight to land. Examples include VOR, NDB, (-only), and many older () .