Definition
A defined path, consisting of one or more courses in a horizontal plane, that aircraft traverse over the surface of the earth.
Plain English
The path an aircraft follows from one place to another, made up of one or more straight legs across the ground.
Context Anchor
Seen in flight planning, navigation charts, clearances from air traffic control, and in-flight route changes.
Derivation
From the Old French 'route', meaning a way or path, originally from the Latin 'rupta via' — literally 'a broken way' or 'a way cut through.' The aviation meaning carries the same idea: a planned path from one point to another.
Why Pilots Care
Determines navigation requirements, fuel planning, airspace compliance, and ATC coordination.
Intuition Check
Route does not just mean a general direction or the destination. In aviation, it means the specific path over the ground that the aircraft is planned, cleared, or expected to follow.
Example Sentence 1
The pilot filed a route from KPAO direct to SNS, then via V25 to Santa Barbara.
Example Sentence 2
ATC issued a route amendment to avoid restricted airspace.