Right-of-way rules for pilots
Who moves when two aircraft get close, in one table.
Right-of-way rules decide who has to move when two aircraft get close. They are in 14 CFR 91.113, they show up on the written test and the oral, and they are simple once you see the pattern: the less maneuverable aircraft, and the one in trouble, gets priority.
Right-of-way rules at a glance
| Situation | Who has the right-of-way | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Aircraft in distress | The aircraft in distress, over everyone | Give way |
| Converging, same category | The aircraft on the right | If it's on your right, give way |
| Converging, different categories | Balloon, then glider, then airship, then airplane or rotorcraft | The more maneuverable one gives way |
| Head-on | Neither | Both turn right |
| Overtaking | The aircraft being overtaken | Pass well clear, on the right |
| Landing | The aircraft on final, and the lower one if two are landing | Don't cut in front of the lower aircraft |
Source: 14 CFR 91.113. An aircraft towing or refueling other aircraft has right-of-way over all other engine-driven aircraft.
See and avoid comes first
Having the right-of-way doesn't mean you can hold your course into a collision. The rule starts with "vigilance shall be maintained by each person operating an aircraft so as to see and avoid other aircraft." If the other pilot hasn't seen you, move.
Flashcards
Regulations decks with spaced repetition
Open →VFR weather minimums
3-152 and every airspace class
Open →Common questions
Who has the right-of-way when two airplanes converge?
The aircraft on the right.
What do you do in a head-on situation?
Both pilots alter course to the right.
Does a glider have right-of-way over an airplane?
Yes. Balloons have right-of-way over gliders, and gliders over airships, airplanes and rotorcraft.
Sources, review & change history
- Published
- Oct 26, 2026
- Review status
- Written from the FAA sources linked in the text. Not yet re-checked line by line or reviewed by a flight instructor.
- Changes
- Oct 26, 2026: first published.
Study aid only. Your instructor, current 14 CFR and the FAA's handbooks and ACS have the final word.