Definition
Specialized flight operations conducted by the FAA, or aircraft and crews acting on its behalf, to check and verify the accuracy, signal quality, and operational performance of ground-based navigation aids, instrument approach procedures, communications systems, and airspace structures. These inspections confirm that the facility or procedure meets published tolerances and is safe for use in the National Airspace System.
Plain English
Special flights flown by the FAA to test navigation aids, approach procedures, and other equipment from the air, making sure they work correctly and are safe for pilots to rely on.
Context Anchor
In this chapter, you see it when a substitute airway or route must be checked before pilots are expected to use it.
Why Pilots Care
They confirm that navigation aids and routes meet required standards so pilots can fly instrument procedures safely without unexpected signal errors.
Grounding Statement
A crew flies the route or procedure and checks whether the guidance works as intended from the aircraft.
Intuition Check
Do not read this as a routine preflight inspection of an airplane. Here, the flight is the method of checking the route, signal, or procedure from the air.
Example Sentence 1
The VOR was returned to service after flight inspection services confirmed the signal was within tolerance.
Example Sentence 2
New instrument approaches remain unpublished until flight inspection services complete their verification flights.