aviates
Soars through skies
Aviates means operates an aircraft in flight—piloting a plane or helicopter.
The word is the formal verb form behind aviation and aviator, though pilots rarely say they're aviating: She aviates for a regional airline.
More common in technical or humorous contexts than everyday speech.
Departure or parody
- landingDescent's final moment
- airspeedAircraft's atmospheric velocity
- altitudeMeasured height above reference
- soarAscend to heights
glide · ascend · descend · hover · lift · thrust · drag · stall
Pilot's control compartment
- fuselageAircraft's central structure
- wingLimb enabling flight
- rudderPivoting stern blade
- aileronWing-mounted roll control
flaps · propeller · jet · yoke · throttle · biplane · glider · jetliner
takeoff
Departure or parody
- landingDescent's final moment
- airspeedAircraft's atmospheric velocity
- altitudeMeasured height above reference
soar · glide · ascend · descend · hover · lift · thrust · drag · stall · aerodynamics
cockpit
Pilot's control compartment
aileron · flaps · propeller · jet · yoke · throttle · biplane · glider · jetliner · helicopter
captain
One who commands
ace · barnstormer · aeronaut · flight · license · training · logbook · certification · Earhart · Lindbergh
flightpath
Aircraft's designated travel corridor
- waypointNavigation reference location
- headingDirectional course traveled
- altitudeMeasured height above reference
radar · GPS · autopilot · instruments · compass · bearing · airspace · corridor · approach · vector
- aviation accidentsUnintended aircraft disasters
- private aviationNon-scheduled personal air travel
- aviator glassesTeardrop-shaped pilot sunglasses
- aviation schoolPilot training institution
- naval aviatorPilot serving at sea
- aviator shadesTeardrop sunglasses with thin metal frames
aviation, aviators, aviator, aviate, aviatrix, aviating, aviatrices