aviate

a·vi·ate  (v-t, v-)

intr.v. a·vi·at·ed, a·vi·at·ing, a·vi·ates

To operate an aircraft; fly.

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[Back-formation from aviation.]

Thesaurus

Verb

1.

aviate - operate an airplane; "The pilot flew to Cuba" pilot, fly air travel, aviation, air - travel via aircraft; "air travel involves too much waiting in airports"; "if you've time to spare go by air" aircraft - a vehicle that can fly control, operate - handle and cause to function; "do not operate machinery after imbibing alcohol"; "control the lever" fly - transport by aeroplane; "We fly flowers from the Caribbean to North America" fly - travel in an airplane; "she is flying to Cincinnati tonight"; "Are we driving or flying?" fly - travel over (an area of land or sea) in an aircraft; "Lindbergh was the first to fly the Atlantic" fly blind - fly an airplane solely by relying on instruments fly contact - fly a plane by using visible landmarks or points of reference solo - fly alone, without a co-pilot or passengers test fly - test a plane jet - fly a jet plane glide - fly in or as if in a glider plane hydroplane, seaplane - glide on the water in a hydroplane balloon - ride in a hot-air balloon; "He tried to balloon around the earth but storms forced him to land in China" flat-hat, hedgehop - fly very close to the ground hang glide, soar - fly by means of a hang glider