Definition
The current operational condition of a navigational aid (such as a VOR, ILS, or NDB), indicating whether it is in service, out of service, operating with restrictions, or undergoing maintenance or flight check. NAVAID status is published through NOTAMs, ATIS broadcasts, and controller advisories, and directly affects whether a pilot may legally and safely use that facility for navigation or instrument approach.
Plain English
Whether a ground-based navigation aid is working normally, partially working, or not usable right now. Pilots check this before relying on it for navigation or an approach.
Context Anchor
Seen when reviewing airport or instrument procedure information, especially when deciding whether an airport or procedure is usable during an abnormal or emergency situation.
Derivation
NAVAID is a contraction of 'navigational aid.' 'Status' comes from Latin status, meaning 'state' or 'condition.' Together: the present condition of a navigation aid.
Why Pilots Care
Knowing the status prevents attempting an approach to an airport whose navigation aids cannot be relied upon.
Intuition Check
Do not read “status” as just a general note or label. Here it means the actual current condition of the navigation aid: usable, not usable, or usable only with limits.
Example Sentence 1
During preflight, the pilot reviewed NOTAMs and noted the NAVAID status showed the ILS at the destination was out of service for maintenance.
Example Sentence 2
A temporary outage changed the NAVAID status and forced a different routing.