flies by the seat of one's pants

A form of fly by the seat of one's pants — To pilot an aircraft without the aid of instruments and without a flight plan, using only instinct, visual observation, and practical judgment.

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Meanings

verb
  1. indicativepresentsingularthird personthird-person singular simple present indicative of fly by the seat of one's pants
Cite this entry
APA

flies by the seat of one's pants. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/flies%20by%20the%20seat%20of%20one's%20pants

MLA

“flies by the seat of one's pants.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/flies%20by%20the%20seat%20of%20one's%20pants. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “flies by the seat of one's pants,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/flies%20by%20the%20seat%20of%20one's%20pants.

Source: flies by the seat of one's pants on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.