Flight Academy

Flight Academy

Understand how a flight actually works, from pushback to taxi-in, in plain language.

Phases of flight

  1. 1

    Pre-departure

    Boarding, cabin checks, safety demonstration and doors closing.

  2. 2

    Pushback

    A tug vehicle pushes the aircraft back from the gate so it can taxi under its own power.

  3. 3

    Taxi

    The aircraft moves on the ground to the runway under its own engine power.

  4. 4

    Takeoff

    The aircraft accelerates down the runway and lifts off — one of the critical phases of flight.

  5. 5

    Climb

    The aircraft climbs toward its cruising altitude.

  6. 6

    Cruise

    The main, level portion of the flight at cruising altitude, where most of the distance is covered.

  7. 7

    Descent

    The aircraft gradually reduces altitude in preparation for arrival.

  8. 8

    Approach

    The aircraft lines up and prepares for landing, another critical phase of flight.

  9. 9

    Landing

    The aircraft touches down and decelerates on the runway.

  10. 10

    Taxi to the gate

    The aircraft taxis from the runway to the arrival gate.

Terminology glossary

ETA
Estimated Time of Arrival.
ETD
Estimated Time of Departure.
UTC
Coordinated Universal Time, the global time reference used in aviation.
GMT
Greenwich Mean Time — in practice very close to UTC for most aviation purposes.
Local time
The time at a specific place, based on its time zone.
Block time
The total time from when an aircraft leaves the gate to when it arrives at the destination gate.
Flight time
The time the aircraft is actually airborne, from takeoff to landing.
Ground time
The time an aircraft spends on the ground between flights.
Turnaround
The full process of preparing an aircraft for its next flight after arrival.
Layover
A rest period for crew (or wait time for passengers) between flights at a destination away from base.
Duty
The period of time a crew member is officially working, including ground activities.
Sector
One flight from takeoff to landing; also called a 'leg'.
Rotation
A series of connected flights that returns crew or aircraft to their starting base.
Connection
A passenger's transfer from one flight to another at an intermediate airport.
Altitude
The aircraft's height above sea level or ground level, depending on context.
Airspeed
The aircraft's speed relative to the air it's flying through.
Mach
Speed expressed as a ratio to the speed of sound (Mach 1 = the speed of sound).
Jet stream
A narrow band of very strong winds high in the atmosphere that can speed up or slow down flights.
ATC
Air Traffic Control — the ground-based service directing aircraft movement for safety and efficiency.
Flight level
A standardised altitude reference used above a certain height, expressed in hundreds of feet (e.g. FL350 = 35,000 ft).