flight path

American  

noun

1. the trajectory of a moving aircraft or spacecraft relative to a fixed reference.

---

flight path British  

noun

1. the course through the air of an aircraft, rocket, or projectile Compare approach glide path

---

Etymology

Origin of flight path

First recorded in 1910–15

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

flight path

It all requires careful coordination with air-traffic control at Southampton Airport, since its flight path is directly over Samba’s river.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

A light aircraft pilot wrote "I'm bored" during a two-hour test flight - with his mischievous flight path appearing on an online tracking app.

From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026

But back in Pacoima, a little-known county crew working from a two-story warehouse under the flight path of Whiteman Airport was providing another vital service: supporting and keeping informed the U.S. families of those firefighters.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026

Other records may feel less significant: The flight path will hit a maximum distance of 252,760 miles from Earth, breaking Apollo 13’s record by about 4,000 miles, which doesn’t sound like much.

From Salon ● Apr. 7, 2026

My flight path carried me in a great sweeping arc around and behind the Gemini.

From "Flying to the Moon: An Astronaut's Story" by Michael Collins