Airway (aviation)

[3][4][5][a] Airways are defined with segments within a specific altitude block, corridor width, and between fixed geographic coordinates for satellites navigation system, or between ground-based radio transmitter navigational aids (navaids; such as VORs or NDBs) or the intersection of specific radials of two navaids.

There is one Canadian colored airway designated A16 (Amber 16) that transits through US airspace in northwestern Washington State and is visible on the Seattle sectional chart.

Colored airways are all depicted in brown on low and high altitude charts produced by the FAA's Aeronautical Navigation Products.

VOR-based routes are depicted in black on low and high altitude charts produced by the FAA's Aeronautical Navigation Products.

[9] With the invention of RNAV routes, airway structure no longer has to be based on ground-based navaids; a new naming convention is used.

RNAV routes are depicted in blue on low and high altitude charts produced by the FAA's Aeronautical Navigation Products.

[9] Airways are corridors 10 nautical miles (19 km) wide of controlled airspace with a defined lower base, usually FL070–FL100, extending to FL195.

During the Berlin Blockade, for example, pilots flying across Soviet-controlled German airspace were required to maintain very specific positioning within air corridors defined by the commander in charge of the airlift.

Airways are navigational aids which a pilot generally may deviate from when circumstances warrant, while compliance with a designated air corridor is mandatory.