Safe and stable flight paths

Instrument approaches are designed to provide a structured and reliable method for aircraft to fly a precise flight path to a landing runway, even in adverse weather conditions. Instrument approaches rely on ground- or satellite-based navigation aids and on-board navigation systems, and provide a clear and consistent set of procedures for the pilot to follow.

A Visual Approach or Circling Approach is a type of flight procedure that allows a pilot to transition from flying an instrument approach to visual flight manoeuvres. This type of procedure can be used when the pilot has adequate visibility to see the airport and its features, such as the runway, taxiways, and buildings. This allows the possibility to fly visually to the runway.

However, pilots only rely on visual cues and basic instrument information to fly a stabilised and safe approach towards the runway. This is especially challenging during more complex visual manoeuvres such as circling approaches, or approaches in areas with complex terrain and obstacles, or when there are other aircraft operating in the vicinity

As a result, visual approaches generally have a higher incident rate compared to instrument approaches, especially in challenging weather conditions. To reduce this risk, adequate FMS coding will enable safe and stable flight paths