Plain English Meaning
A safety boundary the radar controller watches during a PAR approach. If the aircraft strays too far from where it should be, the controller must speak up or send the aircraft around.
Full Definition
A predetermined boundary used during a Precision Approach Radar (PAR) approach beyond which the radar controller must issue a corrective instruction or initiate a missed approach. If the aircraft drifts outside this limit on glidepath, course, or distance from the runway, the controller is required to alert the pilot or direct a go-around to keep the approach safe.
Context Anchor
Encountered during radar monitoring of instrument approaches, especially on final approach when a controller is watching the aircraft’s position on precision approach radar.
Derivation
PAR stands for Precision Approach Radar, a radar system accurate enough to show an aircraft’s position near the runway approach path. Limit comes from an old word meaning a boundary; here it means a boundary the aircraft should not cross during the monitored approach.
Why Pilots Care
Tells the pilot or controller exactly when the approach has become unsafe and a missed approach is required.
Grounding Statement
Picture a narrow protected corridor leading to the runway; the PAR safety limit is the corridor wall the controller does not want the aircraft to cross.
Intuition Check
Do not read safety limit as a casual comfort margin. In this context, it is a defined boundary used by ATC to decide whether the approach can safely continue.
Example Sentence 1
When the aircraft drifted above glidepath and approached the PAR safety limit, the controller called for an immediate correction.
Example Sentence 2
Staying inside the PAR safety limit kept the aircraft aligned for a safe landing under low visibility.