Definition
The navigation database installed in the GPS receiver that is within its published effective dates (the 28-day AIRAC cycle) and contains the most recently issued waypoints, airways, procedures, and frequencies required for IFR flight.
Plain English
An up-to-date set of navigation information loaded into the GPS that has not yet expired. For IFR flying, the data must still be inside its validity period — not from a previous cycle.
Context Anchor
Seen when checking an IFR-approved GPS before loading routes or instrument procedures.
Derivation
‘Current’ comes from the Latin currere, meaning ‘to run’ — the same root as ‘currency.’ Something ‘current’ is still running, still in effect. A current database is one whose validity is still ‘running’ and has not expired.
Why Pilots Care
An out-of-date database can display incorrect or missing navigation data, creating a serious safety risk during IFR operations.
Intuition Check
Do not read current as electrical current or as a moving flow of air or water. Here, current means valid and up to date for the date of the flight.
Example Sentence 1
Before filing IFR, the pilot confirmed the GPS had a current database by checking the effective and expiration dates on the startup screen.
Example Sentence 2
The system will not allow an IFR flight plan to be activated if the database is not current.