Plain English Meaning
Two or more aircraft flying instrument approaches at the same time to runways that sit side by side at the same airport. Each aircraft stays on its own approach path, and controllers keep them safely apart from each other.
Full Definition
Instrument approaches conducted simultaneously to two or more parallel runways at the same airport, with each aircraft tracking its own final approach course while ATC ensures lateral separation between adjacent traffic. Depending on runway centerline spacing and available equipment, parallel approaches are categorized as dependent (staggered, with diagonal separation required), independent (simultaneous, with no required staggering), or simultaneous close parallel (using precision monitoring of a defined between ).