What is the primary purpose of an instrument approach?

The primary purpose of an instrument approach is to provide guidance in low visibility conditions. Instrument approaches are designed to help pilots safely navigate and land an aircraft when visual references are limited, such as in fog, rain, or at night. These approaches utilize navigational aids and procedures to guide the aircraft to a safe landing, ensuring that the pilot can manage the descent and approach phase effectively, even when they cannot see the runway or surrounding terrain clearly.

This is particularly important for maintaining safety and reducing the risk of accidents during critical phases of flight when visual cues are insufficient. Navigational aids like Instrument Landing Systems (ILS) or Global Positioning System (GPS) procedures allow pilots to rely on instruments to execute the approach and landing accurately.