Definition
Ground-based visual references — such as airport beacons, lighted obstructions, runway lights, and visual approach slope indicators — that pilots use to navigate, identify airports, and judge approach paths by sight rather than by instruments.
Plain English
Lights and visible markers on the ground that help pilots find airports and stay on the correct path when flying by sight.
Context Anchor
Seen in FAA abbreviation lists, airport information, and NOTAMs when a visible airport aid is available, changed, or out of service.
Derivation
From Latin visus (sight) and navigare (to sail or steer). Together the phrase simply means 'aids you steer by using your eyes' — a useful contrast to instrument-based aids like VOR or ILS.
Why Pilots Care
When a visual aid is out of service, the airport may be harder to find at night or in marginal weather. NOTAMs about VNAV outages directly affect whether a planned visual approach is still practical.
Intuition Check
Do not assume VNAV means vertical navigation in this context. In this FAA abbreviation entry, VNAV means visual navigational aids: visible aids that help pilots navigate by sight.
Example Sentence 1
The NOTAM listed several VNAV outages, including the rotating beacon and two runway end identifier lights.
Example Sentence 2
VNAV such as sequenced flashing lights helped confirm the correct airport environment.