A fix is a known location in the sky or on the ground used to establish an aircraft's exact position. It is derived from intersecting radio navigational radials, GPS coordinates, or prominent terrain features. Pilots use fixes to navigate airways, report their position to air traffic control, and execute instrument approach procedures.
Heard on the job
ATC, we just crossed the initial approach fix and are descending to three thousand.
Also heard as
- waypoint
Related terms
Approach
The final phase of a flight where an aircraft aligns with the runway for landing.
Holding pattern
A holding pattern is a standardized racetrack-shaped flight path used to delay an aircraft in flight.
DME
Distance measuring equipment is a radio navigation technology that calculates the slant range between an aircraft and a ground station.