Definition
The pilot task of reading and correctly understanding the routing, altitudes, speeds, transitions, and notes published on a Standard Terminal Arrival (STAR) chart so the aircraft can be flown along the arrival as ATC expects. STAR is the abbreviation for Standard Terminal Arrival, a published procedure that links the en route structure to an approach at a destination airport.
Plain English
Working out what an arrival chart is actually telling you to do — which path to fly, what altitudes and speeds to hit, and where the procedure starts and ends.
Context Anchor
Seen during instrument flight planning, approach briefing, and descent into a busy airport when a STAR has been assigned or expected.
Derivation
Interpret comes from the Latin interpretari, meaning to explain or translate. A STAR chart is a dense mix of symbols, altitudes, speeds, and notes — the pilot's job is to translate that page into a clear picture of how the aircraft will be flown.
Why Pilots Care
Correct interpretation keeps the aircraft on the expected route, maintains proper spacing with other traffic, and avoids altitude or speed deviations that could lead to ATC intervention or unsafe situations.
Intuition Check
Do not read “interpreting” as guessing or choosing your own arrival path. In this context, it means correctly understanding the published STAR and applying the clearance and air traffic control instructions that go with it.
Example Sentence 1
During the arrival briefing, the captain spent a few minutes interpreting the STAR so both pilots agreed on the crossing restrictions and the transition they had been cleared to fly.
Example Sentence 2
After interpreting the STAR the crew briefed the expected crossing restrictions at each waypoint.