Definition
A map or moving-map display orientation in which true north is fixed at the top of the screen, regardless of the aircraft's heading. The aircraft symbol rotates on the display to show its current direction of travel relative to north.
Plain English
The map is locked so that north is always at the top, like a paper chart laid out on a table. The little airplane on the screen turns to show which way you're actually pointing.
Context Anchor
Seen on cockpit navigation and moving-map displays when selecting how the map is shown.
Derivation
Combines the fixed cardinal direction north with up meaning the top of the display, following the centuries-old cartography convention of placing north at the top of every map.
Why Pilots Care
Allows direct comparison with paper charts and standard navigation references without needing to mentally rotate the display.
Analogy
It is like looking at a road map on a table without rotating it. North stays at the top, and you figure out your direction on the map.
Intuition Check
North up does not mean the aircraft is flying north. It means the display is drawn with north at the top.
Example Sentence 1
She set the GPS to north up so the moving map would match the layout of her sectional chart.
Example Sentence 2
With the display in north up, the aircraft symbol travels across the screen while the pilot reads the heading from the compass rose.