Definition
The compass direction the aircraft has been flying since the last point at which its position was confirmed. Provided by the pilot to ATC during search and rescue communications or when reporting that the aircraft is lost or uncertain of position, so controllers can estimate the aircraft's likely current location.
Plain English
Which way the aircraft has been pointing since the last time the pilot knew exactly where they were.
Context Anchor
Used when a pilot, controller, or search-and-rescue coordinator is trying to rebuild an aircraft’s path after the last confirmed position.
Derivation
Heading comes from head, meaning the front or leading part of something. In aviation, it helps to think of heading as the direction the aircraft’s nose is pointing.
Why Pilots Care
Allows pilots and controllers to estimate current position and provide vectors or search areas based on time and speed flown.
Grounding Statement
If the aircraft was last known over a town and then kept flying east, east is the heading since last known position.
Intuition Check
Do not read this as the aircraft’s exact path over the ground. It means the direction the aircraft was pointed and flying after the last confirmed location; wind or turns may change where it actually went.
Example Sentence 1
Cessna 12345 is uncertain of position; last known position was Bravo VOR at one-five past the hour, heading since last known position zero-niner-zero.
Example Sentence 2
ATC asked for the heading since last known position to help locate the aircraft.