Plain English Meaning
An instrument flight that goes point-to-point on its own chosen path instead of following the published highways in the sky.
Full Definition
An IFR flight conducted along a route that is not on a published airway or fixed-route system, where the pilot navigates directly between waypoints, navaids, or fixes using area navigation (RNAV) capability or radar vectors. ATC handles these flights individually rather than along established traffic flows.
Context Anchor
Seen in obstacle departure procedure and diverse departure discussions, especially when deciding whether a can support departures without a published .