Definition
The lowest altitude, expressed in feet above mean sea level, at which an air traffic controller may issue radar vectors to an aircraft within a specific area of the controller's airspace. The MVA provides clearance above terrain and obstacles and meets communication and radar coverage requirements. MVAs are established for each radar sector and are depicted on the controller's radar display, but are not published on charts available to pilots.
Plain English
The lowest altitude a controller is allowed to send you to when they are steering you with radar vectors. It guarantees you stay safely above terrain and obstacles in that piece of airspace.
Context Anchor
Pilots encounter MVA during IFR radar vectoring, especially on departures, arrivals, approaches, and missed approaches when ATC is assigning headings and altitudes.
Derivation
‘Vectoring’ comes from the Latin ‘vector,’ meaning ‘carrier’ or ‘one who conveys.’ In aviation it refers to a controller giving a pilot a heading to steer the aircraft along a specific path. The ‘minimum’ here refers to the floor below which that vectoring service cannot be offered safely.
Why Pilots Care
Keeps aircraft safely above terrain and obstacles when ATC is providing vectors instead of a published route.
Intuition Check
Minimum does not mean a recommended low altitude or the lowest altitude a pilot may choose. Here, it means the lowest altitude ATC may normally assign for radar vectors while still meeting obstacle-clearance requirements.
Example Sentence 1
Approach descended us to 2,500 feet, which was the MVA for that sector, before turning us onto the final approach course.
Example Sentence 2
We requested a lower altitude but were told we could not descend below the published MVA until established on the approach.