Definition
A flight path that is not straight but instead bends at an angle, typically forming two relatively straight legs joined by a turn, so that the path resembles the bent shape of a dog's hind leg. In the context of a power-off accuracy approach, a dog-leg refers to a deliberate angled segment flown on the base or final leg to adjust the airplane's position relative to the intended touchdown point.
Plain English
An approach path with a bend in it. Instead of flying straight to the runway, you fly one direction, turn, and then fly another direction toward the landing point. The two segments together look like a bent leg.
Context Anchor
Seen in power-off accuracy approaches, especially when judging whether the airplane is too high, too low, too close, or too far from the intended landing spot.
Derivation
Borrowed from the everyday image of a dog's hind leg, which bends sharply at the hock rather than running straight. The shape of the angled flight path resembles that bend, which is why pilots and golfers both adopted the term for any path that has one clear kink in it.
Why Pilots Care
It gives the pilot a precise way to lengthen or shorten the glide without adding power, helping reach the desired touchdown point on every practice approach.
Analogy
Like taking a short detour on a straight country road so you arrive at the driveway at exactly the right moment instead of overshooting.
Grounding Statement
Picture turning slightly away from a direct path, flying briefly on that new angle, then turning back so the airplane lines up with the landing area at a better point.
Intuition Check
Dog-leg does not mean an emergency maneuver or an abrupt turn. Here it means a planned bend in the flightpath used to adjust the approach.
Example Sentence 1
Realizing he was a little high on final, the pilot flew a shallow dog-leg to lengthen the path and lose the extra altitude before the touchdown point.
Example Sentence 2
The instructor demonstrated a gentle dog-leg on the base leg so the student could see how it adjusted the glide path without adding power.