Definition
The legal entitlement of one aircraft to proceed along its course while other aircraft are required to give way. Right-of-way rules, set out in 14 CFR 91.113, determine which aircraft must yield when paths cross or conflict during flight or on the airport surface.
Plain English
The rule that decides which aircraft gets to keep going and which one has to move out of the way when two aircraft might come into conflict.
Context Anchor
You will see this term in airport traffic pattern discussions, especially when deciding which aircraft should continue and which should give way during approach, landing, or pattern entry.
Derivation
From the railway and road-traffic phrase 'right of way,' meaning the legal right to pass first. The aviation use carries the same idea: one party has the right to proceed, the other must yield.
Why Pilots Care
Proper use prevents mid-air collisions and keeps traffic flowing smoothly in the pattern.
Intuition Check
Right-of-way does not mean “I can do whatever I want.” It means “the rules say I normally continue, but I still must watch for traffic and avoid a collision.”
Example Sentence 1
The instructor extended the downwind leg because an aircraft already on final approach had the right-of-way.
Example Sentence 2
An airplane already on final approach has the right-of-way over one still entering the traffic pattern from the downwind leg.