Definition
A prominent, easily identifiable geographic feature or landmark used by a pilot during visual navigation to confirm position, track, groundspeed, or estimated time of arrival along a planned route.
Plain English
A clear landmark on the ground — like a town, river bend, lake, or highway intersection — that a pilot uses to check they are still on course and on schedule.
Context Anchor
Used during cross-country planning and in flight when comparing what you see outside with your planned route.
Derivation
From 'check' (to verify) plus 'point' (a specific location). The aviation use carries the everyday meaning straight across: a point at which you check your progress.
Why Pilots Care
Pilots use checkpoints to confirm they are on course and to update estimates for fuel and arrival time.
Intuition Check
A checkpoint is not just a stop or inspection place. In navigation, it is a known place used to confirm position and progress.
Example Sentence 1
The pilot picked a distinctive river bend as her first checkpoint about ten miles out from the departure airport.
Example Sentence 2
Marking three checkpoints on the route helped the student pilot stay on course during the solo cross-country.