aviating
Traveling by air
Aviating is piloting an aircraft—the act of flying a plane or other flying machine.
The word is somewhat formal or technical, often appearing in aviation contexts: She spent the afternoon aviating over the coast.
The term emphasizes the skill and action of operating an aircraft rather than simply being a passenger.
Pilot's control compartment
- takeoffDeparture or parody
- landingDescent's final moment
- airspeedAircraft's atmospheric velocity
- altimeterInstrument measuring elevation
navigation · autopilot · throttle · yoke · rudder · flaps · ailerons · aircraft
Rising effortlessly upward
- glidingEngineless aerial movement
- hoveringSuspended without support
- altitudeMeasured height above reference
- thermalsWarm air columns
updraft · lift · drift · buoyancy · ascend · descent · float · aerostatics
Aircraft with two wing levels
- monoplaneSingle-wing aircraft
- jetForced fluid stream
- propellerRotating blades creating thrust
- gliderUnpowered flying craft
ultralight · seaplane · helicopter · airship · zeppelin · blimp · dirigible · fuselage
First to explore territory
- barnstormingTouring rural areas performing
- aerobaticsSpectacular aircraft maneuvers
- daringAdventurous courage
- risk-takingAccepting possible harm
adrenaline · thrill · expedition · exploration · discovery · Earhart · Lindbergh · solo
cockpit
Pilot's control compartment
altimeter · navigation · autopilot · throttle · yoke · rudder · flaps · ailerons · aircraft · preflight
soaring
Rising effortlessly upward
- glidingEngineless aerial movement
- hoveringSuspended without support
- altitudeMeasured height above reference
thermals · updraft · lift · drift · buoyancy · ascend · descent · float · aerostatics · jetstream
biplane
Aircraft with two wing levels
glider · ultralight · seaplane · helicopter · airship · zeppelin · blimp · dirigible · fuselage · wingspan
pioneering
First to explore territory
- barnstormingTouring rural areas performing
- aerobaticsSpectacular aircraft maneuvers
- daringAdventurous courage
risk-taking · adrenaline · thrill · expedition · exploration · discovery · Earhart · Lindbergh · solo · recordbreaking
atmosphere
Gaseous layer around planets
visibility · overcast · clear · headwind · tailwind · crosswind · weather · icing · fog · sunrise
- aviation accidentsUnintended aircraft disasters
- private aviationNon-scheduled personal air travel
- aviation schoolPilot training institution
- commercial aviationScheduled passenger air transport
- civil aviationNon-military aircraft operations
- aviation industryCommercial flight enterprise