Definition
Waypoints (WPs) are predefined geographic positions, each identified by latitude and longitude coordinates, used to define an RNAV route or instrument procedure. In fix records and area navigation databases, waypoints serve as the building blocks of a flight path — marking where it begins, where it turns, and where it ends.
Plain English
WPs are named points in space that the aircraft's navigation system flies to and between. Each one has a fixed location, and stringing them together gives you a route.
Context Anchor
Seen in instrument procedure data, navigation database records, and route pages in a GPS navigator or flight management system.
Derivation
From the nautical term 'waypoint' — a point marking a stage on a journey. The 'way' refers to the path traveled, and 'point' to a specific position along it. The plural 'WPs' simply means more than one such point, as a procedure usually involves several.
Why Pilots Care
Waypoints enable precise, GPS-based routing that replaces older ground-based navigation aids and supports modern arrival and approach procedures.
Intuition Check
Do not think of a WP as something you can always see outside. A waypoint is usually a stored position used for navigation, not a visible object on the ground.
Example Sentence 1
The approach was built from a sequence of WPs, beginning at the initial fix and ending at the missed approach point.
Example Sentence 2
Each set of WPs defines the exact path the aircraft must follow during the arrival.