Definition
An electronic device or aircraft system that automatically calculates position, course, and guidance information using inputs such as GPS satellite signals, ground-based radio navigation aids, or onboard sensors, and presents the resulting navigation data to the pilot.
Plain English
A computer-driven tool in the aircraft that figures out where the airplane is, where it is going, and how to get there, then shows that information to the pilot.
Context Anchor
Pilots encounter computerized navigational systems in cockpit displays, flight planning, instrument training, and cross-country navigation.
Derivation
“Navigation” comes from older words connected with directing a ship on a voyage. Aviation kept the same idea: guiding a vehicle safely from one place to another. “Computerized” means the guidance is handled with computer processing instead of only by paper, sight, or manual calculation.
Why Pilots Care
Modern flying relies heavily on these systems for routing, situational awareness, and approach guidance. Knowing how to operate them correctly — and when to cross-check them against other sources — is a core piloting skill.
Intuition Check
A computerized navigational system does not mean the aircraft is automatically navigating correctly. It means a computer is helping provide navigation information, and the pilot must still verify and use that information properly.
Example Sentence 1
The instructor demonstrated how to enter a flight plan into the aircraft's computerized navigational system before departure.
Example Sentence 2
In instrument conditions the computerized navigational system provided continuous updates to the aircraft's position relative to the destination airport.