Definition
A civil flight information publication, formerly issued by the FAA, that listed detailed operational data for airports, seaplane bases, heliports, navigation aids, communication frequencies, and air traffic services within a given U.S. region. The A/FD has since been renamed and reissued as the Chart Supplement U.S., but pilots and source documents still commonly use the older A/FD name.
Plain English
A reference book pilots use to look up the specific details of an airport — things like runway lengths, radio frequencies, services available, and any special procedures or notes for that field.
Context Anchor
You may see A/FD mentioned in FAA handbooks, older training material, instrument flying references, and flight planning discussions. Today, the same kind of information is usually found in the Chart Supplement.
Derivation
The name is literal: a directory of airports and their associated facilities. Knowing this helps pilots understand it is a reference listing, not a chart or a regulation.
Why Pilots Care
Supplies essential airport information when electronic systems are inoperative, supporting safe navigation and landing decisions.
Intuition Check
Do not think of an A/FD as just a simple list of airports. In FAA use, it is an official flight information source with practical details pilots may need to operate safely.
Example Sentence 1
Before her cross-country flight, she checked the A/FD for the destination airport’s runway lengths and tower frequency.
Example Sentence 2
Before departure the instructor and student reviewed the A/FD to confirm fuel availability and CTAF frequency at the practice airport.