Definition
The use of unaided or aided eyesight, from the ground or from another aircraft, to detect, identify, and track an aircraft for purposes such as separation, traffic advisories, or operational coordination. In the context of unmanned aircraft operations, it refers specifically to a person stationed alongside the remote pilot who maintains continuous direct visual contact with the aircraft and the surrounding airspace.
Plain English
Watching an aircraft with your own eyes — either to keep track of where it is, or to make sure nothing else is about to get in its way.
Context Anchor
Used in traffic advisories, tower operations, and airport surface situations when ATC or another observer is basing information on what can be seen directly.
Derivation
“Visual” comes from a Latin word meaning “to see.” “Observation” means watching or noticing something. Together, the phrase points to information that comes from direct sight.
Why Pilots Care
Pilots benefit from knowing when a report comes from a human observer because it can affect how reliably visibility, clouds, and precipitation are described.
Intuition Check
Do not assume visual observation means radar-confirmed or instrument-confirmed. It means the information came from direct sight, and direct sight can be limited by visibility and viewing angle.
Example Sentence 1
The remote pilot kept the drone within visual observation at all times during the survey flight.
Example Sentence 2
The pilot used visual observation to confirm the distance to the clouds before takeoff.