Air navigationThe basic principles of air navigation are similar to those of general navigation, involving the planning, recording, and controlling of a craft’s movement from one location to another. In aviation, navigation plays a critical role in ensuring that aircraft operate safely and efficiently within controlled airspace and along designated routes, in accordance with international standards.
Inertial navigation systemAn inertial navigation system (INS; also inertial guidance system, inertial instrument) is a navigation device that uses motion sensors (accelerometers), rotation sensors (gyroscopes) and a computer to continuously calculate by dead reckoning the position, the orientation, and the velocity (direction and speed of movement) of a moving object without the need for external references.
Flight management systemA flight management system (FMS) is a fundamental component of a modern airliner's avionics. An FMS is a specialized computer system that automates a wide variety of in-flight tasks, reducing the workload on the flight crew to the point that modern civilian aircraft no longer carry flight engineers or navigators. A primary function is in-flight management of the flight plan.
Aeronautical chartAn aeronautical chart is a map designed to assist in the navigation of aircraft, much as nautical charts do for watercraft, or a roadmap does for drivers. Using these charts and other tools, pilots are able to determine their position, safe altitude, best route to a destination, navigation aids along the way, alternative landing areas in case of an in-flight emergency, and other useful information such as radio frequencies and airspace boundaries.E6BThe E6-Bflight computer is a form of circular slide rule used in aviation. It is an analog calculating device still being used in the 21st century. They are mostly used in flight training, because these flight computers have been replaced with electronic planning tools or software and websites that make these calculations for the pilots.
NavigationProcess of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicleMap reading with a paper trail mapNavigation is a field of study that focuses on the process of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another. The field of navigation includes four general categories: land navigation, marine navigation, aeronautic navigation, and space navigation.
Air data computerAn air data computer (ADC) or central air data computer (CADC) computes critical real-time flight data. It is an essential avionics component found in modern aircraft. This computer, rather than individual instruments, can determine the calibrated airspeed, Mach number, altitude, and altitude trend data from pressure and temperature inputs from an aircraft's pitot-static system.
AircraftAn aircraft or aerial vehicle is a vehicle that can fly by gaining support from the air. It counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or, in a few cases, direct downward thrust from its engines. Common examples of aircraft include airplanes, drones, rotorcraft (including helicopters), airships (including blimps), gliders, paramotors, and hot air balloons.
Global Positioning SystemAmerican satellite-based radio navigation serviceArtist's impression of GPS Block IIIA satellite in Earth orbitLate 1990s civilian GPS receiver ("GPS navigation device") in a marine applicationAutomotive navigation system in a taxicab, 2000sA United States Space Force officer operates the Global Positioning System in 2022.International Terrestrial Reference SystemSpatial Reference System Identifier (SRID)Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM)
Dead reckoningIn navigation, dead reckoning is the process of calculating the current position of a moving object by using a previously determined position, or fix, and incorporating estimates of speed, heading (or direction or course), and elapsed time. The corresponding term in biology, to describe the processes by which animals update their estimates of position or heading, is path integration.
WindWind is the natural movement of air or other gases relative to a planet's surface. Winds occur on a range of scales, from thunderstorm flows lasting tens of minutes, to local breezes generated by heating of land surfaces and lasting a few hours, to global winds resulting from the difference in absorption of solar energy between the climate zones on Earth. The study of wind is known as anemology.
Euclidean vectorGeometric object that has length and directionA vector a→{\textstyle {\stackrel { ightarrow }{a}}} pointing from point A to point BIn mathematics, physics, and engineering, a Euclidean vector or simply a vector (sometimes called a geometric vector or spatial vector) is a geometric object that has magnitude (or length) and direction. Euclidean vectors can be added and scaled to form a vector space.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.