Definition
A formal exercise in which a facility, system, or unit shows that it can perform its intended functions safely and effectively under realistic operating conditions before being approved for full use.
Plain English
A practical test that proves something is ready to be used for real. Equipment, procedures, and people are run through a realistic trial to confirm everything works as it should before going live.
Context Anchor
Seen in FAA acronym lists, notices, and planning material when a new or changed aviation service, facility, or procedure is being tested before regular use.
Why Pilots Care
Pilots benefit indirectly: an ORD is one of the steps that ensures a new tower, radar system, or navigation aid is fully tested before pilots rely on it in the air.
Intuition Check
Do not read “operational readiness” as just someone saying, “It should be ready.” In this FAA use, it means readiness is being formally demonstrated or tested.
Example Sentence 1
The new control tower completed its operational readiness demonstration last week and is now handling live traffic.
Example Sentence 2
After the software update, the operator ran an ORD to verify that all flight controls responded within specifications.