What does "Contact Approach" mean?

The concept of a "Contact Approach" refers to a specific type of approach wherein an aircraft, under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR), requests and receives authorization from Air Traffic Control (ATC) to proceed visually to the airport when the pilot has adequate visibility conditions. This means that the pilot can navigate to the runway using visual references rather than relying solely on instruments.

In this scenario, the pilot must still maintain IFR flight standards until the contact approach is initiated. The ATC will typically allow for this type of approach when the weather conditions are clear enough, enabling the pilot to safely transition from instrument navigation to visual navigation. The emphasis here is on the visual approach to the destination airport rather than other aspects such as contacting ATC for guidance or having a predetermined IFR clearance. Therefore, the answer accurately captures the essence of what a contact approach entails.