How to Read an Instrument Approach Chart

The Big Picture

An instrument approach chart (also called an approach plate) packs everything you need to fly an instrument approach onto a single page. That's a lot of data in a tight space, but every chart follows the same structure. Once you learn the layout, you can brief any plate in the system.

This particular chart is worth studying because its title — ILS or LOC RWY 2 — tells you it's actually two approaches in one. The ILS is a precision approach with both lateral and vertical guidance, while the LOC (localizer-only) is a non-precision fallback that provides only lateral guidance. Both use the same course and fixes, but they have different descent profiles, different minimums, and different decision points. As we walk through each section, we'll highlight where these differences show up.

1. Briefing Strip

2. Notes & Requirements

3. ALS & Missed Approach

4. Communications

5. Plan View

6. MSA Circle

7. Profile View

8. Minimums

9. Airport Sketch

10. Time & Speed

Click any section of the chart to jump to its explanation

Every FAA approach plate follows the same top-to-bottom layout. Click any area on the chart above to jump straight to its explanation, or scroll through all ten sections below:

1. Briefing Strip & Identification

The first thing you do with any approach plate is confirm you have the right chart. The procedure name is printed in large type on both the top-right and bottom-right of the page:

ILS or LOC RWY 2 — this tells you two things: the type of approach (ILS with a localizer-only fallback) and the runway (Runway 2). Below that: GLACIER PARK INTL (GPI), the airport name and identifier.

The Briefing Box

The boxed section in the upper left holds the numbers you need to set up for the approach:

Margins & Validity

The vertical margins on the left and right edges show the chart's effective dates. This plate reads NW-1, 19 FEB 2026 to 19 MAR 2026. Always verify your chart is current before flying the approach. Across the top you'll also see AL-887 (FAA), the FAA's internal chart identification number, and 25219, the volume number.

2. Notes, Requirements & Symbols

Directly below the briefing box is a critical strip of information. Read this carefully — it determines whether you're allowed to fly this approach with your aircraft and equipment.

Equipment Requirements

The top line reads: "DME required. RNAV 1-GPS or RADAR required for procedure entry." This means:

• Your aircraft must have Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) or an equivalent (e.g., GPS-derived DME).
• To enter the procedure, you need either RNAV 1-level GPS or radar vectors from ATC. You can't just navigate to an IAF with a VOR alone.

The Symbol Strip

Below the requirements line you'll see three symbols on the left side. Each one is a flag that means something specific:

Symbol	Meaning
	Non-standard takeoff minimums. If you depart from this airport on instruments, don't assume standard takeoff minimums apply. Look up the airport in the FAA's Takeoff Minimums and Departure Procedures section of the Terminal Procedures Publication (TPP).
	Non-standard alternate minimums. If you file GPI as your alternate airport, the usual 600-2 / 800-2 alternate minimums don't apply. Check the TPP for the actual requirements.
	Cold temperature restriction. When the airport temperature drops below -14°C, you must apply cold-temperature altitude corrections to the procedure's altitudes. Cold air is denser and altimeters read higher than true altitude — this correction keeps you safe from terrain.

Inop Table Note

The note "Inop table does not apply to S-LOC 2 Cats C/D" tells you that the standard inoperative-component table (the one that normally adjusts minimums when lighting or other equipment is out of service) doesn't apply to the Straight-In Localizer approach for Category C and D aircraft. Those categories have their minimums set independently.

3. Approach Lighting & Missed Approach

Approach Lighting System (ALS)

In the center of the notes bar you'll see a box labeled MALSR with a small icon showing the light pattern. MALSR stands for Medium Intensity Approach Lighting System with Runway Alignment Indicator Lights. This is what you'll be looking for as you break out of the clouds — a row of sequenced flashing lights leading to the runway threshold. The icon gives you a rough picture of the light configuration so you know what to expect visually.

Beside the MALSR box is a small circled figure labeled A5. This is the approach lighting system configuration code, which corresponds to a specific layout described in the TPP legend.

Missed Approach Procedure

On the right side of this strip, you'll find the full text of the missed approach procedure:

Translated into plain English: if you reach decision altitude and don't have the runway in sight, climb straight ahead to 4,100 feet, then turn left to a heading of 190°. Continue climbing to 12,000 feet while tracking outbound on the FCA VOR radial 238 to the fix KILLY (which is 15.7 DME from FCA). Enter the holding pattern at KILLY and continue climbing in the hold until you reach 12,000 feet.

4. Communications Box

The frequency box lists every radio frequency you'll need, conveniently arranged from left to right in roughly the order you'll contact them during the approach:

5. Plan View (The Map)

The plan view is the largest section of the plate. It's a top-down map showing the approach route, the terrain, navaids, fixes, and obstacles. Think of it as a sectional chart zoomed way in and focused on just this approach.

The Approach Route

The heavy black lines with arrowheads show the approach path. This procedure has multiple entry points, called Initial Approach Fixes (IAFs). You can identify them by the (IAF) label above the fix name. This chart has four:

The label "NoPT" next to a route means No Procedure Turn — if you enter from that IAF on the charted route, you proceed straight in without a course reversal. If you arrive from a direction that isn't one of these charted feeder routes, you'd fly the procedure turn (the barbed racetrack pattern shown near the final approach course).

Altitude Restrictions

Along the feeder routes you'll see altitude numbers with specific formatting:

• Underlined number (e.g., 9000) = fly at or above that altitude.
• Overlined number = fly at or below that altitude.
• Both underlined and overlined = when it's a single value, that's a mandatory altitude — fly at exactly that number. When you see two values both with lines above and below, it defines an altitude window (commonly at a holding pattern) — maintain between those two altitudes.

Fixes and Intersections

Along the final approach course (heading 020°), you'll see several fixes marked as triangles or intersection symbols:

• GOGGS (IF/IAF) — the intermediate fix at 7,300 ft.
• JOLEK INT — an intermediate stepdown fix on the localizer course.
• HOTRU INT — another fix used for the localizer step-down descent.
• WALNU INT — a critical fix used for localizer-only minimums.

The Localizer Course

In the upper-right area of the plan view you'll see a depiction of the localizer antenna at the far end of Runway 2, labeled LOCALIZER 111.5 / I-GPI. The feathered symbol represents the localizer signal fanning out along the 020° course.

Navaids

The plan view shows the Kalispell VOR/DME (FCA) at 113.2 MHz, Channel 79, depicted with the standard VOR compass-rose symbol to the east of the airport.

Terrain and Obstacles

The shaded brown contours represent rising terrain — and there's plenty of it near Kalispell. This is mountainous country in northwest Montana, with elevations reaching well above the approach altitudes to the east.

Missed Approach Route

The dashed line extending from the runway area shows the missed approach path — climbing and turning left to heading 190° then tracking outbound on the FCA R-238 to KILLY at 15.7 DME.

6. Minimum Safe Altitude (MSA)

You'll find the MSA circle tucked into the plan view, usually in the upper-right corner. It gets its own section here because it serves a different purpose from the approach itself — it's your emergency safety net, not part of the normal procedure. This one is labeled MSA FCA 25 NM, meaning the Minimum Safe Altitudes are centered on the FCA VOR and valid within 25 nautical miles.

The circle is divided into four sectors. The degree markings on the diagram show the bearing to the VOR from each sector boundary — use them to determine which sector you're in based on your position relative to the station:

7. Profile View (The Side View)

If the plan view is the map, the profile view is the cross-section. It shows the same approach from the side so you can visualize the descent path and the altitude at each point. Remember — this chart contains two approaches in one. Use the selector below to compare how the profile differs between the ILS and LOC approaches:

ILS + LOC ILS Approach LOC Approach

The profile view as published — both ILS and LOC information overlaid on a single diagram. Toggle between ILS and LOC to see what applies to each approach.

ILS Approach

With the full ILS, you have both lateral guidance (localizer) and vertical guidance (glideslope). The lightning-bolt arrow marks the PFAF — the precision final approach fix — where you intercept the glideslope at the published GS intercept altitude and ride it down in a smooth, continuous descent to decision altitude.

Decision Altitude

3,166 ft

200 ft above touchdown (HAT)

Visibility Required

½ SM

Same for all aircraft categories

Glideslope

3.00°

Standard glidepath angle

Descent Method

Continuous

Follow the glideslope beam down

LOC Approach

Without the glideslope, you have lateral guidance only. The chart shows step-down fixes with minimum altitudes for each segment — but you're not required to descend in a staircase pattern. You can fly a continuous descent as long as you remain at or above the minimum altitude for each segment. Many pilots prefer a stabilized, continuous descent to MDA rather than the "dive and drive" staircase technique, and either method is acceptable.

If you can identify the WALNU intersection using dual VOR cross-radials, the MDA drops significantly — from 4,440 ft down to 3,520 ft. That's a big difference, and a good example of how additional navigation capability can earn you lower minimums on a non-precision approach. Use the toggle below to compare:

With WALNU Without WALNU

MDA

3,520 ft

554 ft HAT

Visibility (Cat A-B / C-D)

½ / 1⅛ SM

Lower vis with WALNU fix

Step-Down Fixes

3

JOLEK → HOTRU → WALNU

Descent Method

Continuous or Staircase

Stay at or above segment minimums

Requires: Dual VOR receivers to identify WALNU intersection via cross-radials.

MDA

4,440 ft

1,474 ft HAT

Visibility (Cat A/B/C-D)

¾ / 1 / 3 SM

Higher vis without WALNU

Step-Down Fixes

2

JOLEK → HOTRU

Descent Method

Continuous or Staircase

Stay at or above segment minimums

920 ft higher MDA and significantly more visibility required compared to the WALNU minimums.

Reading Left to Right

Now let's walk through the profile view itself. It reads left to right, starting from the missed approach holding pattern and ending at the runway. Here's every fix and altitude you'll encounter along the way:

Glideslope Information

In the lower left of the profile view you'll see:

• GS 3.00° — the glideslope angle is 3.0 degrees, which is standard.
• TCH 51 — the Threshold Crossing Height is 51 feet.

FAF Symbology

The profile view uses two different symbols for the Final Approach Fix:

• The lightning-bolt (jagged) arrow marks the precision FAF (PFAF) for ILS approaches — it indicates both the final approach fix and the glideslope (GS) intercept altitude. This is where you should be established on the glideslope for your descent.
• The Maltese cross marks the FAF for non-precision approaches (LOC) — where you begin your descent to MDA.

Segment Distances

Along the bottom of the profile view, distance markers show the length of each segment: 6 NM → 6.3 NM → 4.3 NM → 4.5 NM.

Missed Approach Icons

Above the profile view, a boxed inset shows the missed approach as a series of icons — a quick visual reference for the text in the briefing strip.

8. Landing Minimums

This is the section that answers the most important question: how low can I descend, and how much visibility do I need? You saw the key numbers in the profile view comparison above — now let's look at how to read the minimums table itself, including the notation and what changes by aircraft category.

Aircraft Categories

S-ILS 2 (Straight-In ILS to Runway 2)

The minimums read: 3166-½   200 (200-½)

• 3166 — Decision Altitude (DA) in feet MSL.
• ½ — Required visibility: ½ statute mile.
• 200 — Height Above Touchdown (HAT). You'll be 200 feet above the runway at DA.
• (200-½) — The numbers in parentheses are for military operations.

S-LOC 2 (Straight-In Localizer to Runway 2)

CIRCLING

Note that circling minimums use HAA (Height Above Airport) instead of HAT, since you're not lined up with a specific touchdown zone.

WALNU Fix Minimums

Below the main minimums table, there's a separate set of lower minimums labeled "WALNU FIX MINIMUMS (DUAL VOR RECEIVERS REQUIRED)." If you can identify WALNU intersection (which requires two VOR receivers), you get significantly lower localizer minimums — an MDA of 3,520 ft instead of 4,440 ft. That's nearly a 1,000-foot improvement.

9. Airport Sketch

The airport sketch in the lower-right corner gives you a bird's-eye view of the airport layout:

• D symbol — the D at the top of the sketch indicates that declared distances are available for this airport in the Airport/Facility Directory (AF/D). Declared distances (TORA, TODA, ASDA, LDA) represent the maximum distances available and suitable for meeting takeoff and landing distance performance requirements.
• Runway 2/20 — the primary runway, 9,007 × 150 feet.
• Runway 12/30 — a crossing runway, 3,510 × 75 feet.
• ELEV 2977 — airport elevation.
• TDZE 2966 — touchdown zone elevation for Runway 2.

Runway Lighting

• REIL Rwy 20 — Runway End Identifier Lights on Runway 20.
• MIRL Rwy 12-30 — Medium Intensity Runway Lights on the crossing runway.
• HIRL Rwy 2-20 — High Intensity Runway Lights on the primary runway.

The L symbols indicate that pilot-controlled lighting is available.

10. Time & Speed Table

At the very bottom you'll find a small table showing the time from the Final Approach Fix (FAF) to the Missed Approach Point (MAP). The distance is 8.8 NM:

This table is primarily useful for the localizer approach, where timing from the FAF is your backup method for identifying the Missed Approach Point. On the ILS, the MAP is the decision altitude — you go missed when you reach DA without the runway in sight. On the LOC, if you don't have DME or GPS to identify the MAP fix, you start your timer crossing the FAF and go missed when the time expires at your groundspeed.

11. Putting It All Together

You've now worked through every section of the approach plate. The real test is whether you can pull it all together into a coherent approach brief — the kind you'd give before starting the approach. Here's how that sounds for this chart: