Instrument Flight
Glossary
Special Use Airspace: Airspace wherein certain activities must be confined because of their nature and/or
wherein limitations are imposed upon aircraft operations that are not a part of those activities.
Standard Instrument Departure (SID): Preplanned coded air traffic control IFR departure routing,
preprinted for pilot use in graphic and textual or textual form only.
STAR: A STAR is a preplanned instrument flight rule (IFR) air traffic control arrival procedure published
for the pilot’s use in graphical and/or textual form. STARs provide transition from the enroute structure to
an outer fix or an instrument approach fix/arrival waypoint in the terminal area. Its purpose is to simplify
clearance delivery procedures.
Station: A radio navigational aid (See Navigational Aid).
Straight-In Approach: An instrument approach where the final approach is begun without first having
executed a procedure turn. This type of approach is not necessarily completed with a straight-in landing
or made to straight-in landing minimums.
Surveillance Approach (ASR): An instrument approach conducted in accordance with directions issued
by a controller referring only to a surveillance radar display (See GCA).
T
TACAN: Tactical air navigation. A UHF electronic air navigation aid that provides suitably equipped
aircraft a continuous indication of azimuth and distance to the station.
Track: The actual flight path of an aircraft over the ground.
V
Vertigo: The sensation of dizziness and the feeling that oneself or one’s environment is whirling about.
Visual Approach: An approach wherein an aircraft on an IFR flight plan, operating in VFR conditions
under control of an air traffic control facility and having an air traffic control authorization, may proceed to
the airport of destination under VFR conditions.
Visual Descent Point (VDP): A defined point on the final approach course of a non-precision straight-in
approach procedure from which normal descent from the MDA to the runway touchdown point may be
commenced, provided the approach threshold of that runway, the approach lights, or other markings
identifiable with the approach end of that runway are clearly visible to the pilot.
Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC): Basic weather conditions prescribed for flight under visual
flight rules (VFR).
VOR: VHF omnidirectional range, an electronic air navigational aid which transmits 360 degrees of
azimuth, oriented to magnetic north.
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