What does STAR stand for in arrival procedures?

• A. Standard Arrival Route.
• B. Systematic Approach Route.
• C. Specific Arrival Route.
• D. Standard Airway Route.

Answer: (A)

STAR in arrival procedures refers to a published path that guides aircraft from the en-route airspace into the terminal area, helping ATC sequence and separate arriving airplanes for the approach. The standard expansion is Standard Terminal Arrival Route, because the word Terminal specifies that the route feeds into the airport’s terminal area and links with the initial approach procedures. The option without the word Terminal would describe a more generic concept and is not the official expansion for STAR.