Definition
AeroNav, formally the National Aeronautical Navigation Services, is the FAA office responsible for producing and publishing the official aeronautical charts and flight information products used in U.S. civil aviation. Its outputs include VFR sectional charts, terminal area charts, IFR enroute charts, instrument approach procedure charts (Terminal Procedures Publications), the Chart Supplement, and related digital products. AeroNav now operates under the FAA's Aeronautical Information Services (AIS) within Mission Support Services.
Plain English
AeroNav is the FAA group that makes the official paper and digital charts pilots use to fly — sectionals, approach plates, and the Chart Supplement.
Context Anchor
You may see AeroNav named in FAA handbook material, chart references, and flight-planning discussions when the source of official navigation information is being identified.
Derivation
AeroNav is a shortened form of 'Aeronautical Navigation.' 'Aeronautical' comes from the Greek 'aer' (air) plus 'nautikos' (relating to sailing), so literally 'sailing through the air' — a reminder that aviation borrowed much of its vocabulary from the sea.
Why Pilots Care
Provides the accurate, current charts and data required for safe flight planning and navigation.
Intuition Check
AeroNav is not a cockpit navigation device. In this context, it refers to an FAA source for official navigation charts and publications.
Example Sentence 1
The sectional chart you're using was produced by AeroNav and is updated on a fixed publication cycle.
Example Sentence 2
AeroNav updates ensure runway and airspace changes appear correctly on approach plates.