Definition
A landing approach flown at a slow airspeed on the back side of the power curve, where engine power -- not pitch -- is the primary control of descent rate. The aircraft is held at a high angle of attack near minimum controllable airspeed, and the pilot adjusts the throttle to manage glide path while using pitch to hold the target airspeed.
Plain English
A slow, nose-high approach where you control how fast you come down with the throttle instead of with the elevator. Add power to descend less; reduce power to descend more.
Context Anchor
Seen in landing, slow-flight, and region-of-reversed-command discussions, where the airplane is close to the runway and flying at a relatively low airspeed.
Derivation
Approach comes from an older word meaning “to come nearer.” In aviation, it means the part of flight where the airplane is coming nearer to the runway for landing. Power points out that engine power is still being used during that approach.
Why Pilots Care
On a normal approach, pulling the nose up reduces descent. On a power approach, the airplane is already so slow that pulling the nose up further only increases drag and makes it sink faster. Pilots who don't recognise they are on the back side of the power curve can crash short of the runway by trying to stretch the glide with pitch instead of adding power.
Intuition Check
A power approach does not mean an aggressive or high-speed approach. It means an approach flown with some engine power still applied.
Example Sentence 1
For the short-field landing, the instructor demonstrated a power approach, holding 60 knots and using small throttle adjustments to stay on the glide path.
Example Sentence 2
The instructor demonstrated that a power approach in the region of reversed command keeps airspeed stable when the airplane is already slow.