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Aviation vocabulary · Navigation & Instruments

Waypoint

Meaning in aviation, with examples

/ˈweɪpɔɪnt/nounCommon term

In aviation, waypoint means: A fixed point in the sky, defined by coordinates, that aircraft use to build and follow a route. Most waypoints have five-letter names that can be pronounced.

In Turkish: yol noktası, seyrüsefer noktası

How it is used

Controllers clear aircraft 'direct to' a waypoint to shorten the route. Pilots enter waypoints in the flight management system (FMS) and report passing them. Some waypoints are placed on radio navigation beacons.

Example sentences

  1. ATC cleared us direct to a waypoint near the coast, which saved ten minutes.

  2. Check that the waypoints in the FMS match the flight plan.

Common collocations

  • direct to a waypoint
  • enter a waypoint
  • next waypoint
  • waypoint name
  • fly-over waypoint
  • flight planThe official details of a planned flight sent to air traffic services before departure: route, levels, speed, aircraft type, fuel endurance and alternate airports.
  • headingThe direction in which the nose of an aircraft is pointing, given in degrees from 001 to 360 and usually measured from magnetic north.
  • holding patternA racetrack-shaped path that an aircraft flies over a fixed point while it waits for clearance to continue, for example because of traffic or weather.
  • autopilotA system that flies the aircraft automatically, holding a selected heading, altitude, speed or route, while the pilots monitor it.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Navigation & Instruments

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