Definition
The pilot action of beginning a turn before reaching a fix or waypoint so that the aircraft rolls out established on the next course, rather than overshooting it. The lead distance depends on groundspeed, bank angle, and the size of the course change.
Plain English
Starting a turn a little before you actually reach the next point, so you end up lined up on the new course instead of flying past it and having to correct back.
Context Anchor
You may see this in GPS navigation, instrument procedures, and air traffic control route descriptions where the aircraft must follow a path that changes direction at a specific point.
Derivation
Anticipation comes from the Latin anticipare, meaning 'to take before.' Here the pilot takes the turn before reaching the fix, so the aircraft settles onto the new course at the right place.
Why Pilots Care
Prevents course overshoot and maintains the desired track during navigation.
Analogy
It is like turning the steering wheel before the exact corner when driving, because the car needs space to curve smoothly into the next street.
Intuition Check
Turn anticipation does not mean turning whenever it feels convenient. It means a planned early turn made so the aircraft rolls out on the correct next path.
Example Sentence 1
The GPS displayed a turn anticipation cue ten seconds before the waypoint, prompting the pilot to begin banking early.
Example Sentence 2
Without proper turn anticipation the aircraft would overshoot the desired track during the arrival procedure.