Definition
In aviation, coupled describes a flight control or navigation system where the autopilot is electronically linked to a navigation source (such as an ILS, VOR, GPS, or flight director) so that the aircraft automatically follows the guidance signal without the pilot manually flying the inputs. A coupled approach, for example, is one flown with the autopilot tracking the localizer and glideslope.
Plain English
The autopilot is hooked up to the navigation signal and is flying the path itself, instead of the pilot hand-flying it.
Context Anchor
Seen in aviation abbreviation lists, short notices, equipment descriptions, and flight guidance discussions where space is limited.
Derivation
From the Latin copula, meaning 'a link or bond.' In aviation, it carries that same idea: two systems linked together so one drives the other — the navigation signal is bonded to the autopilot.
Why Pilots Care
Allows hands-off flying on precision approaches, reducing pilot workload and improving accuracy.
Intuition Check
Coupled does not always mean physically bolted together. In aviation, it often means functionally linked, so one system can use or follow another system’s input.
Example Sentence 1
The crew flew a coupled ILS approach down to minimums, with the autopilot tracking both the localizer and the glideslope.
Example Sentence 2
With the autopilot coupled, the aircraft maintained the GPS track without further input.