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Glite Dictionary
instrument landing

instrument landing

1 6.2
To land a plane using only instruments when the pilot cannot see the runway
  • noun
  • /ˈɪnstrəmənt ˈlændɪŋ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : aterrizaje por instrumentos
  • Instrument landing system is down.
  • instrument landing system

Examples

  • The aircraft completed its instrument landing using only its onboard instruments.

  • During poor weather conditions, pilots rely on instrument landing techniques to ensure a safe arrival.

  • Training for instrument landing is crucial for pilots who may need to navigate without visual cues.

Synonyms

blind landing
vsinstrument landing
  • Archaic
1 7.0

A plane landing using only instruments because the pilot cannot see outside

is the same procedure regardless of weather or visibility conditions

Surface Forms

instrument landing singular
instrument landings plural

Morphology

instrument + landing

The meaning is directly derivable from combining 'instrument' (a technical device used for navigation/control) and 'landing' (the act of descending onto a surface); together they naturally imply a landing performed using instruments. Although somewhat technical, this noun–noun composition is regular and mirrored in many languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would likely infer the intended meaning.

Etymology

The term instrument landing comes from pilots using the plane's instruments, the dials and radio signals they watch, to guide a safe landing when they cannot see the runway. So it means 'to land using only the plane's instruments', without seeing the runway.