Definition
The total elapsed time an aircraft spends airborne, measured from takeoff (wheels leaving the runway) until landing (wheels touching the runway at the destination).
Plain English
How long the aircraft is actually in the air on a given flight, from lift-off to touchdown.
Context Anchor
Seen in navigation, avionics, and equipment discussions where distance or position is determined from how long a signal takes to travel.
Why Pilots Care
It determines fuel burn, maintenance intervals, and flight-hour limits.
Intuition Check
Do not assume “time of flight” always means the time a pilot logs for a trip. Here, TOF usually means an elapsed travel time, often the travel time of a navigation signal.
Example Sentence 1
Based on forecast winds, the planned time of flight from departure to destination is two hours and ten minutes.
Example Sentence 2
Maintenance tracking uses cumulative TOF to schedule the next inspection.