Approach
Also: final approach, instrument approach, glide path
The phase of flight in which the aircraft lines up with the runway and descends along a defined path to the point where the crew decides to land or go around.
What it is
The approach takes the aircraft from the terminal area to the runway along a published procedure. Precision approaches such as ILS guide it both laterally and vertically; others rely on satellite navigation (RNP) or on radio aids such as VOR. The usual glide path is about 3 degrees, or roughly 300 feet of descent per nautical mile.
During the approach the crew extends flaps and slats in stages, lowers the landing gear and slows down. Many airlines require the aircraft to be stabilised, meaning on the path, at the target speed and configured for landing, by 1,000 feet (300 metres) above the runway in instrument conditions; if it is not, the crew goes around.
Each procedure sets a minimum height; on precision approaches it is the decision height or altitude: if the pilot cannot see the required visual references by then, the approach must be abandoned. For a Category I ILS approach that height can be no lower than 200 feet (60 metres) above the runway.
Related terms
Cite
To cite this page in academic work, an article or Wikipedia, choose the style and copy the reference. The access date is today.
This page was last updated on October 9, 2026
APA
Vuelopedia. (2026, October 9). Approach. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://vuelopedia.org/en/glossary/approach
MLA
“Approach.” Vuelopedia, Fundación Poderia, 9 Oct. 2026, vuelopedia.org/en/glossary/approach. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.
Chicago
Vuelopedia. “Approach.” Fundación Poderia. Last modified October 9, 2026. https://vuelopedia.org/en/glossary/approach.
Harvard
Vuelopedia (2026) Approach. Available at: https://vuelopedia.org/en/glossary/approach (Accessed: 17 October 2026).
BibTeX
@misc{vuelopedia_en_glossary_approach,
author = {{Vuelopedia}},
title = {{Approach}},
publisher = {Fundación Poderia},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-10-09},
url = {https://vuelopedia.org/en/glossary/approach},
howpublished = {\url{https://vuelopedia.org/en/glossary/approach}},
urldate = {2026-10-17},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17}
}Wikipedia
{{cite web |url=https://vuelopedia.org/en/glossary/approach |title=Approach |website=Vuelopedia |publisher=Fundación Poderia |date=2026-10-09 |access-date=2026-10-17 |language=en}}