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GlossaryVertical Navigation
Avionics & systems

Vertical Navigation (VNAV)

VNAV (Vertical Navigation) is the flight-management capability that computes and guides the aircraft's vertical path — top-of-descent, altitude constraints and glidepaths — either as guidance to the pilot or coupled to the autopilot. Paired with LNAV (lateral navigation) it enables efficient, precise, largely automated flight profiles.