Definition
The network of federal airways in the United States that exists from 1,200 feet above the surface (in most areas) up to but not including 18,000 feet MSL. These airways are designated as Victor airways and are based on VOR navigation aids.
Plain English
The system of published low-level flight routes between ground level and 18,000 feet, used by aircraft flying below the high-altitude jet routes.
Context Anchor
Seen in en route chart use, route planning, and air traffic control clearances for flights that stay below 18,000 feet.
Why Pilots Care
It provides a structured, safe way to navigate between points without relying solely on visual references.
Intuition Check
Do not read “low altitude” as meaning close to the ground. In this term, it means the airway system used below 18,000 feet mean sea level.
Example Sentence 1
We filed our IFR flight plan along Victor 23, staying within the low altitude airway structure for the entire trip.
Example Sentence 2
Victor airways form the backbone of the low altitude airway structure below flight level 180.