Definition
Published instrument approach procedures designed and approved by the FAA that prescribe a specific sequence of headings, altitudes, and navigation steps for arriving at a runway when flying solely by reference to instruments. Each procedure is depicted on an FAA-published instrument approach chart and includes defined minimums for visibility and decision or minimum descent altitude.
Plain English
Official, published step-by-step routes for landing in poor visibility, where the pilot follows a printed chart that tells them exactly which way to fly, how low to descend, and when they must see the runway to land.
Context Anchor
Seen in instrument procedure charts and in takeoff minimums or departure planning when deciding what options exist if the weather is low.
Derivation
"Standard" here means officially established and uniform across the system -- every pilot flying that approach uses the same chart, the same altitudes, and the same minimums. It does not mean ordinary or basic.
Why Pilots Care
Availability of these approaches directly determines the weather minimums a pilot must meet to legally depart an airport.
Grounding Statement
Picture a cloudy departure airport: a Standard Instrument Approach is the published path that can guide the aircraft back down toward the runway if outside view is limited.
Intuition Check
Do not read standard as merely easy or ordinary, and do not read approach as any arrival toward an airport. Here it means an official published instrument procedure with specific paths and limits.
Example Sentence 1
The crew briefed the standard instrument approach for Runway 27 before beginning their descent into the cloud layer.
Example Sentence 2
The briefing showed three standard instrument approaches at the alternate, satisfying the alternate airport requirement.