fly-past

IPA/ˈflaɪ pɑːst/
IPA/ˈflaɪ pæst/

fly-past — noun

1. a ceremonial low pass made overhead by a formation of military or vintage planes

1.nounC1
Definition

a ceremonial low pass made overhead by a formation of military or vintage planes, arranged so that crowds at a parade, royal event, or memorial can see them from the ground.

Example

A fly-past of Spitfires roared over Buckingham Palace during the Queen's birthday parade.

collocation: a fly-past of [aircraft type]

Defne stood on the balcony with her grandfather to watch the fly-past mark Remembrance Sunday.

context: ceremonial / memorial occasion

Common collocations
  • a fly-past of Spitfires
  • perform a fly-past
  • RAF fly-past
  • ceremonial fly-past
Synonyms
  • flyby

    American spelling and usage; same meaning

  • air display

    broader — covers aerobatics and ground shows, not just an overhead pass

Grammar Patterns

a fly-past of [aircraft]

perform a fly-past

Usage Note

Chiefly British; the American equivalent is 'flyby'. Subject is normally a named formation of aircraft (Red Arrows, Spitfires) or the generic 'fly-past' itself; the event is always tied to a public ceremony.

Common Mistakes

A single plane did a fly-past over the field.
A formation of planes did a fly-past over the field.
a fly-past needs a group of aircraft, not just one.
The pilots did a flyby for the king.' (in British English)
The pilots did a fly-past for the king.
use 'fly-past' in British contexts; 'flyby' is American.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four terms describe aircraft passing for public viewing, but they differ in scope and region. 'Fly-past' (often written 'flypast' as one word) is the standard British term for a ceremonial overhead pass by a formation of aircraft, almost always tied to a royal, military, or memorial occasion — for example, the RAF marking the Queen's birthday. 'Flyby' is the American equivalent and is used in the same ceremonial contexts in the United States, such as a stadium flyby at a Super Bowl. 'Air display' is broader: it covers the full performance at an air show, including aerobatics, solo manoeuvres, and ground demonstrations, not just a single straight pass overhead. So a fly-past can be one element of an air display, but the two are not interchangeable.

fly-past ↗flyby ↗air displayflypast ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • perform a fly-past
  • stage a fly-past
  • a fly-past of [aircraft]

Prepositions

  • over (the palace)
  • above (the crowd)

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishModern English

Formed in mid-20th-century British English by combining the verb 'fly' with the adverb 'past', mirroring older compounds like 'march-past' (a ceremonial procession marching past a reviewing officer). The hyphenated spelling reflects its origin as an event noun coined to describe royal and military aerial reviews; the single-word form 'flypast' is now equally common in British usage.