Definition
The compass direction in which the aircraft is planned or cleared to proceed, used as a reference point for separation, traffic advisories, and position reporting. ATC and pilots use it to describe where traffic, terrain, or other aircraft are located relative to the path the aircraft is going to fly, not the path it has just flown or its current heading.
Plain English
The direction the aircraft is going to fly next. When a controller talks about something being 'left of course' or 'twelve o'clock,' those positions are described relative to the way the aircraft is heading.
Context Anchor
You encounter this idea when planning a route, reading course information, or following instructions from air traffic control.
Why Pilots Care
It is the reference used to choose the correct heading, apply wind corrections, and stay on the safe, cleared route to the destination.
Intuition Check
Do not assume this means the direction the aircraft is pointing right now. Here, it means the direction the flight is planned to follow.
Example Sentence 1
ATC reported traffic at one o'clock relative to our intended direction of flight, so I scanned slightly right of the nose.
Example Sentence 2
After takeoff the controller confirmed the aircraft was cleared to proceed in the intended direction of flight.