Definition
An instrument approach procedure in which the final approach course is aligned within 30 degrees of the runway centerline, allowing the pilot to land straight ahead from the final approach segment without performing a circling maneuver. The descent is flown to published minimums identified as 'straight-in' (S-) on the approach chart.
Plain English
An instrument approach where the path you fly down lines up closely enough with the runway that you can keep going straight to land, instead of circling around to line up.
Context Anchor
Seen on instrument approach charts and in instrument approach planning, especially when deciding whether a procedure turn or other course reversal is required.
Derivation
“Straight-in” combines “straight,” meaning direct or not bent, with “in,” meaning toward a place. In this aviation use, it points to the idea of joining the final approach path directly instead of using a published turn to reverse direction first.
Why Pilots Care
Saves time and fuel while reducing workload when alignment permits a direct arrival instead of a full course reversal.
Intuition Check
Do not read “straight-in” as meaning “just fly straight to the airport any way you like.” Here it means the published instrument procedure provides a direct path onto final approach without a required course reversal, when entered correctly.
Example Sentence 1
The ILS at our destination authorizes a straight-in procedure, so we briefed straight-in minimums of 200 and a half.
Example Sentence 2
The pilot accepted the straight-in procedure because the aircraft was already on the extended centerline, avoiding the need for a procedure turn.