Definition
An RNAV path-and-terminator leg type that requires the aircraft to fly a specified magnetic heading until reaching a specified altitude, at which point the leg terminates and the aircraft sequences to the next leg of the procedure.
Plain English
Fly this heading until you climb (or descend) to this altitude, then move on to the next part of the procedure.
Context Anchor
Seen on instrument departure and arrival procedure coding, especially when a procedure needs the aircraft to fly a heading until reaching a safe or required altitude.
Derivation
In ARINC 424 leg-type coding, the first letter describes the path flown and the second letter describes how the leg ends. 'V' stands for heading (vector), and 'A' stands for altitude. So 'VA' literally means 'heading-to-altitude.'
Why Pilots Care
It keeps the aircraft on a safe heading while climbing to an altitude that provides obstacle clearance before any turn is allowed.
Intuition Check
Do not read VA as a normal word or as “visual approach.” Here it means a coded procedure leg: fly a heading until reaching an altitude.
Example Sentence 1
The departure procedure begins with a VA leg: fly heading 090 until reaching 2,000 feet, then turn direct to the first waypoint.
Example Sentence 2
After takeoff the autopilot follows the VA leg until the required altitude is captured.