Definition
A method of drawing a three-dimensional object on a flat page by showing two or more separate flat views of it, each viewed straight-on from a different direction (typically front, top, and side). The views are arranged in a fixed layout so a reader can mentally reconstruct the full shape of the part.
Plain English
A way of drawing an object by showing it from a few straight-on angles — like front, top, and side — instead of trying to draw it in 3D. Each view is flat, and together they describe the whole part.
Context Anchor
Seen in aircraft maintenance drawings, part diagrams, and blueprint-style illustrations where a technician needs exact views of a part or structure.
Derivation
From Greek 'orthos' meaning 'straight' or 'right-angled,' and Latin 'projectio' meaning 'a throwing forward.' The idea is that the object is 'projected' onto the page along lines that are perfectly straight and at right angles to it — so each view is undistorted.
Why Pilots Care
Mechanics rely on these drawings to identify parts, understand how components fit together, and follow assembly or repair instructions accurately. Misreading a view can mean installing something backwards or in the wrong location.
Analogy
Think of looking straight at the front, top, and side of a box and drawing each face separately. You are not drawing how the box looks in perspective; you are recording each side square-on so its shape and size are clear.
Intuition Check
Projection does not mean a movie image or a guess about the future here. It means a controlled way of transferring the shape of an object onto a flat drawing.
Example Sentence 1
The maintenance manual used orthographic projection to show the bracket from the front, top, and side, making it easy to see exactly where the mounting holes were located.
Example Sentence 2
Each view in the orthographic projection showed the part without distortion so measurements could be taken directly.