An instrument approach chart looks intimidating mostly because of density, not complexity: every chart is built from the same handful of sections, arranged the same way, every time, regardless of airport or approach type. Learn the sections once, in order, and any new chart becomes a matter of finding familiar pieces rather than decoding something unfamiliar.
Every instrument approach chart, regardless of publisher or approach type, is built from the same four blocks of information, arranged top to bottom: a header/briefing strip summarizing key facts, a plan view showing the approach from above, a profile view showing it from the side, and a minimums section listing the lowest altitudes and visibilities allowed for each category of aircraft. Learning to move through those four sections in order is the entire skill of reading a new chart.
The top of the chart identifies the airport, the specific approach (e.g. "ILS or LOC RWY 27"), and the chart's effective and revision dates. The briefing strip beneath it condenses the operationally critical numbers into one glance: the primary approach frequency, the final approach course, the airport and touchdown zone elevations, and often the missed approach point and initial missed approach instructions in abbreviated form.
The plan view is a bird's-eye-view map of the approach: the initial approach fixes, the routing that connects them to the final approach course, minimum safe altitudes for each segment, and any stepdown fixes along the way. It's functionally similar to a sectional chart's information but scoped specifically to what's relevant for flying this one approach, plus a minimum safe altitude circle (typically a 25 nm ring around a reference navaid) guaranteeing terrain and obstruction clearance in an emergency, not for normal navigation.
The profile view shows the approach from the side: the descent path's angle, the altitudes at each fix along the final approach course, and the missed approach point. It's where you find the specific altitude to descend to at each named fix, and the glidepath angle (typically close to 3°) for approaches that provide vertical guidance.
| Type | Guidance provided | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Precision | Both lateral and vertical guidance | ILS |
| APV (Approach with Vertical guidance) | Lateral and computed/augmented vertical guidance, not a full precision approach | LPV, LNAV/VNAV |
| Non-precision | Lateral guidance only, vertical guidance flown via stepdown altitudes | LNAV, VOR, NDB |
A precision approach's minimums are expressed as a Decision Altitude/Height (DA/DH), since continuous vertical guidance lets a pilot make a real-time go/no-go decision while still descending. A non-precision approach's minimums are expressed as a Minimum Descent Altitude (MDA), a hard floor you level off at and cannot descend below until the runway environment is in sight.
Minimums define the lowest altitude and the least visibility under which the approach may legally be continued to landing. Reaching the minimum altitude without the required visual references in sight means one thing: execute the missed approach, immediately, no negotiation or "just a little further."
Minimums are organized by aircraft approach category (A through E, based on approach speed, faster aircraft need more room and therefore have higher minimums) and often by specific equipment or procedure available (e.g. with or without DME, straight-in versus circling). Reading a row: the DA/MDA is listed first, then the required visibility (in statute miles or as Runway Visual Range in feet), and for non-precision approaches, a height above touchdown or height above airport figure alongside the altitude.
Every approach chart specifies exact missed approach instructions, printed in the profile view and often depicted with a dashed track in the plan view: a climb to a specific altitude, then typically a course or navigation instruction to a holding fix. These instructions must be briefed and understood before starting the approach, since executing them correctly, promptly, and without hesitation is exactly what a missed approach at minimums demands.
Most approach charts include a small airport diagram, showing runway layout, lighting systems, and sometimes a note on the touchdown zone elevation versus the field elevation (they can differ meaningfully on a sloped runway). It's a reference for the landing environment, not a substitute for a dedicated taxi diagram at larger, more complex airports.
Approach titles follow a fixed pattern: the approach type, then "RWY" and the runway number for a straight- in approach (e.g. "ILS RWY 27"), or a letter suffix (e.g. "VOR-A") for a circling-only approach not aligned with a specific runway. Multiple approaches of the same type to the same runway, using different equipment or procedures, are distinguished with a "Z," "Y," or similar suffix (e.g. "RNAV (GPS) Z RWY 27").
Briefing an "ILS or LOC RWY 27" approach: note the localizer frequency and final approach course from the briefing strip; trace the plan view from the initial approach fix through any intermediate fixes to the final approach course; check the profile view for the glideslope intercept altitude and the decision altitude; read the minimums section for your aircraft's approach category, noting the DA and required visibility; and finally review the missed approach instructions, a climb to a specified altitude followed by a course to a named holding fix, before ever starting the approach.
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This guide is intended for educational and training purposes only. It is not a substitute for official FAA publications, an authorized ground school, or qualified flight instruction, and should not be used as a sole source for real-world flight planning, dispatch, or operational decisions.