Definition
An aeronautical chart, printed on the reverse side of selected VFR Terminal Area Charts, that depicts suggested routes, altitudes, and visual checkpoints for VFR pilots transiting or operating near busy Class B airspace. It is intended as a planning aid only and is not for use during flight as a navigation chart.
Plain English
A chart that shows pilots the easiest and safest ways to fly through or around busy airspace around major airports, using recommended paths, altitudes, and landmarks. It's used for planning the flight before takeoff, not for navigating once airborne.
Context Anchor
You may see this chart when planning a VFR flight near a major airport or a busy city-area airspace.
Derivation
VFR stands for Visual Flight Rules, the rules for flying by reference to the ground and outside visibility. 'Flyway' borrows the term used for migratory bird routes — established corridors that birds use to travel safely between regions. The name suggests known, sensible paths through congested airspace.
Why Pilots Care
Reduces the risk of inadvertent airspace violations and lowers pilot workload when flying near high-traffic airports.
Analogy
It is like a driving map that shows recommended ways around a crowded downtown area. The roads are not the only possible roads, but they help you avoid the worst congestion.
Intuition Check
Do not read “flyway” as a mandatory airway or an automatic clearance. It is a suggested planning path; the pilot still must follow all airspace rules and get air traffic control clearance when required.
Example Sentence 1
Before flying through the Los Angeles area, the pilot studied the VFR Flyway Planning Chart on the back of the Terminal Area Chart to pick a suitable route.
Example Sentence 2
Using the altitudes shown on the VFR Flyway Planning Chart kept the flight below the arrival corridors for the primary airport.