A Standard Terminal Arrival Route (STAR) is a published instrument flight procedure used by pilots to navigate from the en route phase of a flight to the arrival phase for landing at an airport. STARs are developed by aviation authorities, such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States or the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in Europe, and are typically designed to provide a safe, efficient, and standardized means of transitioning from the en route phase of flight to the approach phase.
A STAR typically consists of a series of pre-defined waypoints, altitudes, and speed restrictions that pilots follow to navigate their aircraft from the en route phase to the terminal area. The waypoints are often named after a nearby landmark or a navigation aid, and pilots are required to follow the published routing and altitude restrictions unless specifically cleared by air traffic control to deviate from the procedure.
The use of STARs helps to reduce air traffic controller workload, ensure efficient and orderly traffic flow, and enhance safety by providing a standardized means of navigation for all aircraft arriving at a particular airport.