Definition
The act of physically flying the aircraft — controlling its attitude, altitude, airspeed, and flight path. In the pilot priority phrase 'aviate, navigate, communicate,' aviating is the first and highest priority: keep the aircraft under control before doing anything else.
Plain English
Flying the airplane. Keeping it right-side up, going where you want it to go, at the speed and height you want — before worrying about anything else.
Context Anchor
Often encountered in the priority phrase aviate, navigate, communicate, especially when the pilot is busy, distracted, or handling a problem.
Derivation
From the Latin avis, meaning bird. 'Aviate' was coined to describe the act of flying like a bird, and 'aviating' is its present-tense form. The word reminds pilots that their first job, like a bird's, is simply to stay in the air under control.
Why Pilots Care
Prioritizing aviating prevents loss of control by ensuring the aircraft remains stable before navigation or communication demands are addressed.
Intuition Check
Aviating does not mean simply being in an aircraft or studying aviation. Here it means the active job of keeping the aircraft safely flying.
Example Sentence 1
When the alternator warning light came on, the instructor reminded the student to keep aviating while she pulled out the checklist.
Example Sentence 2
During an engine failure, the first step is always aviating to maintain a safe glide.