Definition
An FAA program that allows operators of high-altitude IFR flights within the contiguous United States and Canada to file user-preferred routes between specified entry and exit points (or fixes), rather than being restricted to published airways. Eligible flights must operate at or above FL290 for a defined portion of the route and meet specific filing requirements set by the FAA.
Plain English
A program that lets pilots of high-altitude flights pick their own route across the country instead of having to follow the standard published highways in the sky.
Context Anchor
You may see this term when planning or reading about instrument flight routes, especially routes that are not simply filed along standard airways.
Why Pilots Care
It allows more efficient, fuel-saving flight paths for equipped aircraft while maintaining safety through ATC oversight.
Intuition Check
NRP is not one specific route. It is a program that allows certain flights to request flexible routes under published rules.
Example Sentence 1
The dispatcher filed the cross-country flight under the NRP to take advantage of favorable winds at FL360.
Example Sentence 2
Controllers cleared the aircraft on the North American Route Program track after verifying navigation capability.