For aircraft operating under
instrument flight rules (IFR), an
instrument approach or
instrument approach procedure (
IAP) is a series of predetermined maneuvers for the orderly transfer of an aircraft under
instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) from the beginning of the initial approach to a landing, or to a point from which a landing may be made visually. The concept was also commonly known as a
blind landing or
blind approach when first introduced, although these terms are no longer common.