Definition
A small inflatable life raft carried aboard an aircraft for use by the crew and passengers if the aircraft is forced down on water.
Plain English
An inflatable raft kept in the aircraft so people have something to climb into if the airplane has to land on water.
Context Anchor
Seen in aircraft survival equipment, overwater flight planning, and emergency procedures for water landings.
Derivation
From the Hindi word dingi, meaning a small boat. The word entered English through British naval use and was later adopted in aviation for small inflatable rafts carried as emergency equipment.
Why Pilots Care
Provides the only means of survival after a water landing until rescue arrives.
Intuition Check
Do not read “dinghy” here as just a casual small boat for recreation. In aircraft use, it means emergency flotation equipment for people after a water landing.
Example Sentence 1
Before the overwater leg, the crew checked that the dinghy was properly stowed and the inflation cartridge was within service life.
Example Sentence 2
After the engine failure the crew inflated the dinghy and climbed aboard as the aircraft settled in the water.