Flight Path

Flight path is the precise route in space followed by the centre of gravity of an aircraft. It is the actual three-dimensional track through the air mass — the combination of the aircraft’s lateral track and vertical profile at any given moment.

Flight Path vs. Track

Track (track made good) is the horizontal component of flight path — the direction of movement over the ground. Flight path includes both the horizontal direction and the vertical component (climb, level, descent). On an approach, the flight path follows the glidepath; the track follows the localizer centreline.

Flight Path Angle

For ILS and other precision approaches, the standard glidepath angle is 3.0° (with some exceptions). A 3.0° glidepath equates to approximately 300 ft per NM of descent, or a descent rate of approximately 5 × groundspeed in knots (e.g., at 90 knots groundspeed, 450 ft/min is required for 3°).

Related Terms

See also: Track, Glide Path/Glide Slope, Final Approach.