Definition
The lowest mean sea level (MSL) altitude at which an air traffic controller (ATC) may issue radar vectors to an aircraft, except as authorized for radar approaches, departures, and missed approaches. The altitude meets IFR obstacle clearance criteria and may be lower than published minimum en route altitudes (MEA), minimum obstruction clearance altitudes (MOCA), or other published minimums because it accounts for known obstacles and terrain within each defined sector of a controller's airspace.
Plain English
The lowest altitude ATC is allowed to send you to when they're guiding you with radar vectors. It's set sector by sector to keep you safely above terrain and obstacles in that specific patch of airspace.
Context Anchor
Seen in IFR and ATC radar-control discussions, especially when a controller assigns an altitude while vectoring an aircraft.
Derivation
Minimum (lowest) Vectoring (the act of giving headings to steer the aircraft) Altitude. The word vector comes from the Latin vehere, meaning to carry or convey — in radar work it refers to the heading the controller gives to carry the aircraft along a chosen path.
Why Pilots Care
Keeps you clear of terrain and obstacles when ATC takes you off a published route or approach.
Grounding Statement
If ATC is vectoring you near rising terrain, the MVA helps set the lowest altitude the controller can safely assign in that area.
Intuition Check
Do not read “minimum” as a preferred or normal altitude. Here it means the lowest altitude allowed for safety and rule compliance in that situation.
Example Sentence 1
Approach descended us to 3,000 feet, which was the MVA for that sector north of the airport.
Example Sentence 2
We remained at or above the MIA until cleared for the approach.