What does 'at pilot's discretion' mean when cleared for the approach?

• A. Descend at any rate and level off at any intermediate altitude; cannot return to a vacated altitude without clearance
• B. Descend only when instructed to do so
• C. Must follow published altitudes exactly
• D. Pilot may cancel the approach at any time

Answer: (A)

When you’re cleared for the approach with “at pilot’s discretion,” you control the descent from that point. You may choose the rate of descent and level off at an intermediate altitude as you see fit, rather than having ATC tell you every altitude step. This freedom lasts as long as you stay within the approach’s published restrictions and maintain obstacle clearance.

You can descend to a chosen intermediate altitude and hold there if that works for the flight, but you cannot climb back up to a higher altitude you have left without explicit clearance. This combination—deciding how fast to descend and where to level off, while still obeying the approach’s minimums—best matches the meaning of the phrase.