Definition
A geographic fix designated by Air Traffic Control (ATC) on a short-term basis for pilots to report position, typically used when a normal navigation aid is out of service and a substitute route is in effect. The point is established only for the duration of the outage or special procedure and is not published on charts.
Plain English
A position-reporting spot that ATC sets up for a short time, usually because a navigation aid is broken and they need pilots to call in their position somewhere along the substitute route. Once things go back to normal, the point goes away.
Context Anchor
Seen in en route instrument procedures, especially when a normal airway or route is replaced by a substitute route because a navigation aid or route segment is unavailable.
Derivation
‘Temporary’ is from the Latin ‘tempus’ meaning time — something that lasts only for a limited period. ‘Reporting point’ is the standard ATC term for a place where pilots radio in their position. Together: a position-reporting place that exists only for a while.
Why Pilots Care
Keeps ATC aware of your position so they can maintain separation and issue traffic information when permanent fixes do not exist.
Analogy
It is like a temporary road sign used during a detour. The normal landmark may not be useful, so a temporary checkpoint tells everyone where traffic is along the changed route.
Intuition Check
Do not read “reporting point” as just any place a pilot happens to call from. In this context, it means a specific named or described position used for position reports. “Temporary” does not mean informal; it can still be an official point for that route while it is in effect.
Example Sentence 1
With the VOR out of service, ATC established a temporary reporting point at the intersection of the two substitute airways and asked pilots to report passing it.
Example Sentence 2
On the substitute airway the controller added a temporary reporting point so position could be tracked until reaching the next permanent fix.