Plain English Meaning

A five-letter name given to a point in the sky that pilots and controllers use for navigation. The letters are picked so the name can be said out loud easily, like a real word.

Full Definition

A five-letter pronounceable name code assigned to a fix or waypoint used in air navigation. The five characters are unique within a region, contain only letters (no numbers), and are designed to be pronounceable so they can be spoken clearly over the radio. Examples include CEDAR, BOOTS, and HAYNI.

Context Anchor

Seen in instrument procedure naming, chart labels, and route points loaded into cockpit navigation equipment.

Derivation

Identifier comes from identify, meaning to recognize or exactly what something is. In , an identifier is a short code used to point to one exact item or location.