What is procedure turns?

A procedure turn is a maneuver used in instrument flight rules (IFR) flying to reverse the course and gain the desired altitude while flying an approach. It is sometimes referred to as a "course reversal."

The procedure turn is a 180-degree turn, which usually proceeds outbound on the final approach course to a specified distance where you start a 45-degree turn to the right or left. After turning 180 degrees, you then fly inbound towards the final approach course to intercept it at the desired angle.

There are two types of procedure turns; standard and non-standard. Standard procedure turns involve making a 45-degree turn onto the outbound heading and flying for a specific distance or time, after which you make a second 45-degree turn to return to the inbound course. Non-standard procedure turns may require a different angle of turn or a completely different entry.

Procedure turns are commonly used when flying non-precision approaches where the pilot must descend to a specific altitude and follow a specific path to the runway. They are also used when the aircraft cannot achieve the necessary descent rate or speed to complete an approach without additional maneuvering.