Definition
An air traffic control service in which the controller issues a series of heading instructions to guide an aircraft onto the final approach course of an instrument approach, positioning it to intercept that course at an appropriate angle and distance from the runway.
Plain English
ATC tells the pilot what headings to fly so the aircraft lines up with the runway's final approach path, ready to fly the approach down to landing.
Context Anchor
Used during instrument approaches when air traffic control is guiding an aircraft by heading instructions instead of having the pilot fly the full published route to the approach.
Derivation
A 'vector' in aviation is simply a heading assigned by ATC. The phrase means 'headings given to deliver the aircraft to the final approach course,' which is the last straight segment of an instrument approach leading to the runway.
Why Pilots Care
Allows efficient transition to the final approach without flying unnecessary segments of the procedure in busy or low-visibility conditions.
Intuition Check
Do not read “vectors” as lines drawn on a chart. Here, vectors are heading instructions from air traffic control. Also, “to final” means being guided to line up with the final approach path; it does not automatically mean cleared to descend or land.
Example Sentence 1
Approach control issued vectors to the final approach course for the ILS Runway 27, turning us through a 30-degree intercept about six miles from the runway.
Example Sentence 2
We accepted vectors to final approach course to avoid flying the entire arrival route in marginal weather.