Definition
An airport identified before or during flight as a suitable landing site if the planned destination becomes unreachable due to an in-flight emergency, system failure, weather deterioration, or other unforeseen condition. The airport is selected based on factors such as runway length, available approaches, fuel and maintenance services, weather, and proximity to the route of flight.
Plain English
An airport you have picked out as a backup place to land if something goes wrong and you can't make it to where you were planning to go.
Context Anchor
Seen in instrument procedure and chart discussions when planning what options exist if the flight cannot safely continue as planned.
Why Pilots Care
Provides a pre-considered landing option that can prevent an off-airport landing during an in-flight emergency.
Grounding Statement
It is a nearby landing option to consider when the safest choice is no longer to keep flying the original plan.
Intuition Check
Do not assume “emergency airport” means the airport is specially equipped for every emergency. It means the airport has been identified as a possible emergency landing option, but the pilot still must judge whether it is usable for the situation.
Example Sentence 1
While planning the cross-country, she noted two emergency airports along the route in case of engine trouble over the mountains.
Example Sentence 2
The pilot reviewed emergency airports along the route before departure in case weather closed the destination.