Definition
Step-by-step taxi directions issued by ATC to a pilot, given one instruction at a time as the aircraft moves across the airport surface, rather than a complete route delivered all at once. Pilots may request progressive taxi when unfamiliar with the airport, when visibility is poor, or any time they are unsure of the route to their destination on the field.
Plain English
Instead of giving you the whole taxi route in one go, the controller walks you through it turn by turn as you go. You request this when you don't know the airport well or can't see clearly where you're meant to go.
Context Anchor
Pilots encounter this when talking to ground control at an airport, especially at a large or unfamiliar airport.
Derivation
Progressive comes from Latin progredi, meaning to go forward step by step. The instructions are progressive because they unfold as the aircraft moves, one segment at a time.
Why Pilots Care
Reduces runway incursions by keeping the pilot focused on the immediate next movement and lowering the risk of missing a hold-short instruction or entering an active runway.
Intuition Check
Progressive does not mean “advanced” or “more modern” here. It means the taxi directions are given in small steps as you proceed.
Example Sentence 1
Unfamiliar with the field, the pilot keyed the mic and said, "Ground, Cessna 12345, request progressive taxi to the general aviation ramp."
Example Sentence 2
After becoming disoriented on the taxiway, the pilot requested progressive taxi instructions and followed each segment as it was given.