Definition
A compass direction located halfway between south and east, corresponding to a magnetic or true bearing of approximately 135 degrees.
Plain English
The direction that sits exactly between south and east on a compass.
Context Anchor
Seen on charts, weather information, airport notes, and FAA text where directions are shortened to save space.
Why Pilots Care
Direction abbreviations appear constantly in weather briefings, wind reports, and chart notes. Reading SE quickly and correctly keeps the pilot oriented without slowing down to decode.
Intuition Check
Do not read SE as just two separate letters with no meaning. In this FAA context, SE means the direction southeast.
Example Sentence 1
The NOTAM warned of a temporary tower crane two miles SE of the airport.
Example Sentence 2
The controller cleared the aircraft to proceed SE to the next waypoint.