Definition
A runway equipped with an instrument approach procedure that provides horizontal (lateral) guidance to the runway but does not provide electronic vertical (glide path) guidance. Pilots use it during approaches that rely on lateral navigation aids such as VOR, NDB, LOC, or LNAV, where descent is managed by stepping down to published minimum altitudes rather than following an electronic glide slope.
Plain English
A runway with an instrument approach that tells you where to line up left-to-right, but not how steeply to come down. You handle the descent yourself using published altitudes at certain points along the approach.
Context Anchor
Seen in airport lighting, runway marking, and instrument approach discussions, especially when comparing runway systems used in poor weather.
Derivation
‘Nonprecision’ means ‘without precision,’ where ‘precision’ in instrument flying refers specifically to approaches that include electronic vertical guidance (like an ILS glide slope). So a nonprecision runway supports approaches that lack that vertical guidance — not approaches that are sloppy or imprecise in everyday terms.
Why Pilots Care
Determines available approach options and applicable weather minimums for landing under instrument conditions.
Grounding Statement
Picture arriving in low visibility: this runway can help you get lined up with the runway, but it does not give you a certified electronic path all the way down.
Intuition Check
Do not read “nonprecision” as sloppy or unreliable. Here it means the runway is served by an instrument approach without approved vertical glidepath guidance.
Example Sentence 1
Because Runway 27 is a nonprecision instrument runway, the approach gave us course guidance to the field but no electronic glide path to follow down.
Example Sentence 2
Runway 09 is listed as a nonprecision instrument runway because it has approach lights but no glide slope.