An apparatus, comprising: a display system configured to display a graphical user interface (118; 300) comprising an input area that includes a character input section (134; 204) for receiving character input comprising taxiing route instructions, the character input being entered by a crew member of an aircraft by drawing characters within the character input section (134; 204) based on route instructions provided by a controller , the route instructions forming the taxiing route, and wherein the input area further includes a set of control objects (136; 206) for entering selection input by said crew member , wherein the set of control objects (136; 206) includes at least one of a "left turn" button or a "right turn" button ; a route manager in communication with the graphical user interface (118; 300), wherein the route manager receives the character input entered through the character input section (134; 204) and the selection input entered through the set of control objects (136; 206), generates route information based on the character input using character recognition recognizing a character set from the character input , and builds a taxiing route for moving the aircraft within an on-ground environment based on the route information and based on the selection input ; and a database in communication with at least one of the route manager or the graphical user interface (118; 300), the database storing information about the characters and combinations of characters that are available or possible with respect to the on-ground environment , wherein the route manager is configured to use said information from the database to match an appropriate character set to the character input , and wherein the character set comprises one or more characters. a display system configured to display a graphical user interface (118; 300) comprising an input area that includes a character input section (134; 204) for receiving character input comprising taxiing route instructions, the character input being entered by a crew member of an aircraft by drawing characters within the character input section (134; 204) based on route instructions provided by a controller , the route instructions forming the taxiing route, and wherein the input area further includes a set of control objects (136; 206) for entering selection input by said crew member , wherein the set of control objects (136; 206) includes at least one of a "left turn" button or a "right turn" button ; a route manager in communication with the graphical user interface (118; 300), wherein the route manager receives the character input entered through the character input section (134; 204) and the selection input entered through the set of control objects (136; 206), generates route information based on the character input using character recognition recognizing a character set from the character input , and builds a taxiing route for moving the aircraft within an on-ground environment based on the route information and based on the selection input ; and a database in communication with at least one of the route manager or the graphical user interface (118; 300), the database storing information about the characters and combinations of characters that are available or possible with respect to the on-ground environment , wherein the route manager is configured to use said information from the database to match an appropriate character set to the character input , and wherein the character set comprises one or more characters. <EOS>