Definition
A continuously computed, high-accuracy determination of the aircraft's position, track, and altitude, derived from GPS or other approved navigation sources with sufficient integrity to support precision flight operations such as Synthetic Vision System (SVS) display and instrument approaches.
Plain English
A very accurate, constantly updated answer to the question: where exactly is this aircraft right now, and where is it going? The avionics need this answer to be trustworthy enough to draw a realistic 3D picture of the world outside or to fly a precise approach.
Context Anchor
Seen in synthetic vision system discussions, where the display depends on accurate aircraft location data to draw terrain, obstacles, and runways correctly.
Derivation
"Precise" comes from the Latin praecisus, meaning "cut short" or "exact." In navigation, it points to a position fix with very small error. "Solution" here is used in its mathematical sense -- the answer the navigation computer calculates by combining inputs (GPS satellites, inertial reference, etc.) to produce one unified position.
Why Pilots Care
Allows the synthetic vision picture to match the real world so the pilot can trust the display for terrain avoidance and course guidance in instrument conditions.
Analogy
It is like the blue dot on a moving map. If the blue dot is in the wrong place, the map around it may look convincing but still lead you to the wrong conclusion.
Grounding Statement
For synthetic vision to be useful, the computer-drawn runway and terrain must match where the aircraft actually is, not where the system only roughly thinks it is.
Intuition Check
Precise does not mean perfect here; it means accurate enough for the system’s intended use. Solution does not mean a written answer; it means the avionics system’s computed estimate of the aircraft’s present location and movement.
Example Sentence 1
The Synthetic Vision display went blank on climbout because the system lost its precise navigation solution after a GPS signal interruption.
Example Sentence 2
Without a precise navigation solution the guidance symbology on the primary flight display may not line up with the actual flight path.