Definition
Aircraft that pass through an airport's airspace or surface area without landing at or departing from that airport. In the context of ATC towers, overflights are aircraft transiting the tower's Class B, C, D, or E surface area while continuing on to a different destination.
Plain English
Aircraft that fly through an airport's controlled airspace without stopping there. They are just passing through on their way somewhere else.
Context Anchor
Seen in ATC tower discussions when a control tower handles aircraft arriving, departing, or passing through the airport area.
Derivation
From 'over' (above) + 'flight'. Literally an aircraft flying over an area without landing. The 'over' here means 'across' or 'through,' not just 'directly above.'
Why Pilots Care
If you're transiting another airport's controlled airspace, you're an overflight from that tower's perspective. You still need the appropriate clearance or two-way radio contact to enter their airspace, even though you're not landing there.
Intuition Check
Do not read “overflights” as only flights high above the airport. Here it means aircraft passing through the tower’s area without using that airport as their destination.
Example Sentence 1
The tower handled two arrivals, one departure, and an overflight transiting the Class D airspace at 2,500 feet.
Example Sentence 2
Approach advised the tower of several overflights expected in the next thirty minutes.