Definition
Standard instrument approach procedures are published, FAA-approved step-by-step procedures that guide an aircraft from the en route environment down to a position from which the pilot can either land or execute a missed approach, using only cockpit instruments for navigation. Each SIAP specifies the navigation aids or satellite-based guidance used, the routes and altitudes to fly, the minimum altitudes that must be maintained at each segment, the visibility minimums required to land, and the missed approach procedure if the runway environment is not seen.
Plain English
An SIAP is a fixed, written-down recipe for flying down through cloud or low visibility to a runway safely. The pilot follows a published chart that tells them exactly where to fly, how low they can go, and what to do if they cannot see the runway when they get to the bottom.
Context Anchor
Seen during approach planning, on instrument approach charts, and in clearances for arrivals when weather or flight rules require an instrument approach.
Derivation
‘Procedure’ comes from the Latin procedere, ‘to go forward.’ The term is literal: a standard, agreed-upon way of going forward through cloud toward the runway, the same way every time, so that pilots and controllers share a common expectation.
Why Pilots Care
Following the correct SIAP ensures the aircraft remains clear of terrain and obstacles while providing a standardized path that all pilots and controllers expect.
Intuition Check
“Standard” does not mean merely common or usual here. In SIAPs, it means the procedure is officially established, published, and meant to be flown exactly as specified.
Example Sentence 1
Before the descent, the captain briefed the SIAP for Runway 27, including the final approach course, the minimum descent altitude, and the missed approach instructions.
Example Sentence 2
When cleared for the SIAP, the crew configured the aircraft and began tracking the final approach course.