Definition
The act of planning, monitoring, and controlling the movement of an aircraft from one geographic point to another, using references such as charts, instruments, electronic aids, or visible landmarks to determine position, track, and progress along an intended route.
Plain English
Figuring out where you are, where you're going, and how to get there as you fly.
Context Anchor
Seen in flight training whenever a student is planning a route, following it in the air, or finding the way back to an airport.
Derivation
From the Latin 'navigare', meaning 'to sail a ship' (from 'navis', ship, and 'agere', to drive). Originally a maritime term, it carried over into aviation with the same core idea: directing a vehicle along a planned course using available references.
Why Pilots Care
Accurate navigation keeps the flight on course, prevents fuel exhaustion, and ensures safe arrival at the intended airport.
Intuition Check
Do not read navigating as simply traveling or pointing toward a destination. In flying, it means actively keeping track of position and route while the flight is happening.
Example Sentence 1
The student practiced navigating from the home airport to a nearby field using a sectional chart and visible landmarks.
Example Sentence 2
Using the GPS receiver, the pilot began navigating directly toward the destination airport.