ATC Basics: Approaches - Types of Approaches

What is a series of predetermined maneuvers for the orderly transfer of an aircraft under instrument flight conditions from the beginning of the initial approach to a landing point/a point from which landing may be made visually? (From en route to approach)

IAP (instrument approach procedure)

What are the 2 things IAPs are designed to do?

1. Provide an IFR descent to a point where a safe landing can be made

2. Guide aircraft through IFR conditions to a point where runway can be seen

Who establishes civil IAPs?

FAA

Who establishes military IAPs?

DOD

What are the 4 parts of an IAP?

1. Initial

2. Intermediate

3. Final

4. Missed

What is the segment between the IAF (initial approach fix) and the IF (intermediate fix) or the point where the aircraft is established on the intermediate course or final approach course?

Initial approach segment

When does the initial approach segment end?

The interception of the inbound approach course

What is the segment between the IF (intermediate fix) and the FAF (final approach fix)?

Intermediate approach segment

What is the segment between the FAF (final approach fix) and the runway, airport, or MAP (missed approach point)?

Final approach segment

What is the segment between the MAP (missed approach point) or the point of arrival at the DA (decision altitude) or DH (decision height) and the missed approach fix at the prescribed altitude?

Missed approach segment

What are the following acronyms from the segment portion:

1. IAF

2. IF

3. FAF

4. MAP

5. DA

6. DH

1. Initial approach fix

2. Intermediate fix

3. Final approach fix

4. Missed approach point

5. Decision altitude

6. Decision height

Under what conditions may an aircraft execute an IAP?

Instrument and visual

What are the 3 primary types of IAPs?

1. Precision (PA)

2. Approach with vertical guidance (APV)

3. Nonprecision (NPA)

What types of support does a PA (precision approach) provide?

Both lateral and vertical guidance

What type of equipment does a PA (precision approach) require?

Ground-based support structure

What type of support does an APV (approach with visual guidance) provide?

Lateral and vertical

What’s the difference between the equipment an APV requires from a PA?

APV doesn’t require ground-based equipment

What type of support does NPAs (nonprecision approaches) provide?

Lateral only

What 3 types of approaches are PAs?

1. ILS (instrument landing system)

2. PAR (precision approach radar)

3. GLS (GBAS landing system)

What 2 types of approaches are APVs?

1. RNAV GPS

2. RNAV RNP (required navigation performance)

What 7 types of approaches are NPs?

1. LOC (localizer)

2. VOR

3. VOR/DME

4. TACAN

5. GPS

6. NDB

7. ASR (airport surveillance radar)

What do the following abbreviations mean:

1. PA

2. APV

3. NP

1. Precision approach

2. Approaches with Vertical Guidance

3. Nonprecision approach

What type of system provides precision navigation guidance for exact alignment and descent of an aircraft on approach to a runway?

ILS

What happens to the type of approach if the glideslope of an ILS is ineffective?

Becomes LOC (localizer approach) & nonprecision

What happens to the type of approach if a localizer is ineffective?

Not usable

What approach provides precision navigation guidance for exact alignment and descent of an aircraft on approach to a runway & provides augmentation to the GNSS?

GBAS Landing System (GLS)

What’s newer: the RNAV GPS approach or the RNAV RNP approach?

RNAV RNP

What are the two GBAS-dependent approaches?

1. RNAV GPS

2. RNAV RNP

Which GBAS-dependent approach uses GPS signals, WAAS, and/or an approach certified Baro-VNAV (barometric vertical navigation) system for guidance by using the barometric altitude information from the plane’s pitot system & the air data computer?

RNAV GPS approach

Which GBAS-dependent approach uses GPS, WAAS/Baro-VNAV & requires onboard navigation performance monitoring & alerting capability to ensure the aircraft stays within a specific containment area?

RNAV RNP

If an RNAV-RNP doesn’t have a straight path, what type of path does it have? (2 names)

1. Curved path

2. RF (radius-to-a-fix) leg

What type of nonprecision approach is more accurate than a VOR approach because it uses the range & distance information provided by the DME?

VOR/DME

What type of an approach uses only the localizer component of an ILS system?

LOC

What type of nonprecision approach provides a radial to be intercepted & tracked, which leads to the airport/a specific runway?

VOR

What type of nonprecision approach is used only by the military & provides azimuth and distance?

TACAN

What type of approach provides a non-directional bearing that a pilot uses to fly to an airport?

NDB

What type of non-precision approach is the least accurate of the instrument approaches?

NDB

What type of approach is conducted with surveillance radar that provides azimuth & range only and requires the approach to be conducted with ATC personnel?

ASR

What are the following abbreviations:

1. WAAS

2. GBAS

3. Baro-VNAV

4. RF

1. Wide Area Augmentation System

2. Ground Based Augmentation System

3. Barometric Vertical Navigation

4. Radius-to-a-fix leg

What is the purpose of an IAP chart?

Portray the aeronautical data that’s required to execute IAPs to airports

What are IAP charts commonly referred to as?

Approach plates

Are all IAPs depicted using the same general format on the chart?

No: the PAR & ASR are different (everything else is the same)

How are IAPs organized in the US Terminal Procedures Charts?

City then state

What are the 7 parts of the IAP chart?

1. Margin

2. Pilot briefing

3. Planview

4. Airport diagram

5. Missed approach icons

6. Profile view

7. Precision minimums section

What does this symbol indicate for an IAP?

Nonstandard IFR takeoff minimums

What does this symbol indicate for an IAP?

Nonstandard IFR alternate minimums