Standard terminal arrival route (STAR) is a preplanned IFR arrival procedure published for pilot use in graphic and/or textual form.

• A. A preplanned IFR arrival procedure published for pilot use in graphic and/or textual form.
• B. A departure procedure.
• C. A type of holding pattern.
• D. An instrument approach procedure.

Answer: (A)

STARs are preplanned IFR arrival procedures published for pilot use in graphic and/or textual form. They guide you from the en route airspace into the terminal area and toward the initial approach, providing a standardized route with altitudes and fixes to follow. They are designed to streamline traffic flow into busy airports and to simplify sequencing for both pilots and controllers. They are not departure procedures, not holding patterns, and not the instrument approach itself; rather, they terminate at the point where you begin the initial approach to land. This published arrival route description matches the STAR concept exactly.