Pilot Institute

FEBRUARY 15, 2025

What Are RNAV Approaches? Area Navigation (RNAV) is a way for pilots to know where they’re going without needing help from the ground. Before RNAV, pilots had to rely on radios (NAVAIDs) and antennas on the ground such as VORs (Very High-Frequency Omnidirectional Range) and NDBs (Non-Directional Beacons).

Approach 52

Approach Pilot Descent Airplanes 52

Plane and Pilot

SEPTEMBER 7, 2024

GPS is everywhere, from our wristwatches and cell phones to the complete selection of RNAV departures, approaches and T routes that comprise the majority of the under-12,500-foot airspace system. The Instrument Landing System (ILS) seems safe for now, but LPV approaches are cheap, accurate, and are everywhere.

Cockpit 106

Cockpit Instrument Landing System Approach Pilot 106

Pilot Institute

OCTOBER 17, 2024

VASI is also common at flight training schools since its straightforward approach helps student pilots learn visual landings easily. Airports like JFK or LAX, which handle heavy jets and require greater precision, use PAPI to give pilots detailed visual feedback during their approach. Safe landings!

Runway 98

Runway Approach Threshold Clearance 98

Pilot Institute

NOVEMBER 19, 2024

This type of approach is a non-precision instrument procedure that uses ground-based radio signals to guide you safely to a waypoint or the runway, even when visibility is poor. A VOR approach gives you accurate guidance by following specific VOR radials. Sometimes, pilots tend to depend too much on their GPS displays.

VOR 52

VOR Approach Descent Final Approach 52

Pilot Institute

SEPTEMBER 24, 2024

Sometimes, it seems like the pilots can’t see anything all the way down to the ground. The ILS approach has revolutionized aviation and the types of weather we can fly in. Including how it became the most reliable approach for pilots in aviation history. The ILS is a type of approach pilots use to land.

Approach 52

Approach Knot Runway Distance Measuring Equipment 52

Aerotime

JULY 26, 2024

The incident occurred while the crew was conducting a low-visibility approach through dense fog. During the final approach, the pilot reduced engine throttles to manage airspeed and align with the Instrument Landing System glideslope. The estimated damage totals $456,248,485.

Wind Shear 265

Wind Shear Instrument Landing System Final Approach Runway 265

Aerotime

NOVEMBER 25, 2024

2024, a Boeing 737-400 freighter operated by Swift Air of Spain on behalf of global logistics giant DHL crashed on final approach into Vilnius Airport (VNO) in Lithuania, the aircraft’s intended destination. However, while ATC had transmitted a landing clearance to the crew of BCS18D, no meaningful response was received.

Final Approach 330

Final Approach Approach Instrument Landing System Runway 330