Plain English Meaning
A spot where two or more airways come together. Think of it like a place where several highways meet at one junction.
Full Definition
A point where two or more Federal airways meet, cross, or join together along their published routes. On en route charts, these junctions are shown by the airway centerlines converging at a navigation aid or intersection.
Context Anchor
Seen on instrument en route charts and in discussions of Federal airways, especially where a route changes from one airway to another.
Derivation
Confluence comes from the Latin confluere, meaning 'to flow together' (con- 'together' + fluere 'to flow'). It originally described rivers joining. Here, the airways are the 'rivers' that flow together at a single point.
Why Pilots Care
These points often involve higher traffic and may require or .