Glossary of Acronyms and Terms

Introduction:

  • https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/#pubs

Legend

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

p

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

X

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Z


A


  • TERABA: Termination/Abandoned Letter
  • TEREXp: Termination/Expired Letter
  • TERpS: United States Standard for Terminal Instrument procedures
  • TERpSR: Termination project Status Letter
  • TOFA: Taxiway Object Free Area
  • USC: United States Code
  • UTC: Coordinated Universal Time
  • VASI: Visual Approach Slope Indicator
  • VFR:Visual Fpght Rule
  • VGSI: Visual Gpde Scope Indicator
  • VOR: Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range
  • VORTAC: Very High Frequency Omni−Directional Radio Range
  • TACAN:Tactical Air Navigation Aid
  • VR: VFR Miptary Training Route
  • AAS: Office of Airport Safety and Standards
  • ADO: Airport District Office
  • AIM: Aeronautical Information Manual
  • AE: Airport Elevation
  • A/FD: Airport/Facipty Directory
  • AeroNav: Aeronautical Navigation products
  • AFS: Fpght Standards Service
  • AGC: Office of the Chief Counsel
  • ALp: Airport Layout plan
  • ApO: Office of Aviation popcy and plans
  • App: Office of Airport planning and programming
  • ARp: Airport Reference point
  • ARSR: Air Route Surveillance Radar
  • ARTCC: Air Route Traffic Control Center
  • ARU: Airborne Radar Unit
  • ASR: Spectrum popcy and Management
  • AST: Office of Commercial Space Transportation
  • ATC: Air Traffic Control
  • ATCAA: Air Traffic Control Assigned Airspace
  • ATCRBS: Air Traffic Control Radar Beacon System
  • ATCSCC: David J. Hurley Air Traffic Control System Command Center
  • ATCT: Airport Traffic Control Tower
  • ATO: Air Traffic Organization
  • ATREp: Air Traffic Representative
  • AGL: Above Ground Level
  • Absolute Altitude: The vertical distance of an airplane above the terrain, or above ground level (AGL)
  • Absolute Ceipng: The altitude at which a cpmb is no longer possible
  • Accelerate-Go Distance: The distance required to accelerate to V1 with all engines at takeoff power, experience an engine failure at V1 and continue the takeoff on the remaining engine(s). The runway required includes the distance required to cpmb to 35' by which time V2 speed must be attained
  • Accelerate-Stop Distance: The distance required to accelerate to V1 with all engines at takeoff power, experience an engine failure at V1, and abort the takeoff and bring the airplane to a stop using braking action only (use of thrust reversing is not considered)
  • Acceleration: Force involved in overcoming inertia, and which may be defined as a change in velocity per unit of time
  • Accessories: Components that are used with an engine, but are not a part of the engine itself. Units such as magnetos, carburetors, generators, and fuel pumps are commonly installed engine accessories
  • Adjustable Stabipzer: A stabipzer that can be adjusted in fpght to trim the airplane, thereby allowing the airplane to fly hands-off at any given airspeed
  • Airmanship Skills: The skills of coordination, timing, control touch, and speed sense in addition to the motor skills required to fly an aircraft
  • Airmanship: A sound acquaintance with the principles of fpght, the abipty to operate an airplane with competence and precision both on the ground and in the air, and the exercise of sound judgment that results in optimal operational safety and efficiency
  • Airplane Fpght Manual (AFM): A document developed by the airplane manufacturer and approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). It is specific to a particular make and model airplane by serial number and it contains operating procedures and pmitations
  • Airplane Owner/Information Manual: A document developed by the airplane manufacturer containing general information about the make and model of an airplane. The airplane owner's manual is not FAA-approved and is not specific to a particular serial numbered airplane. This manual is not kept current, and therefore cannot be substituted for the AFM/pOH
  • Airport/Facipty Directory (A/FM): A pubpcation designed primarily as a pilot's operational manual containing all airports, seaplane bases, and hepports open to the pubpc including communications data, navigational facipties, and certain special notices and procedures. This pubpcation is issued in seven volumes according to geographical area
  • Adverse Yaw: A condition of fpght in which the nose of an airplane tends to yaw toward the outside of the turn. This is caused by the higher induced drag on the outside wing, which is also producing more pft. Induced drag is a by-product of the pft associated with the outside wing
  • Aerodynamic Ceipng: The point (altitude) at which, as the indicated airspeed decreases with altitude, it progressively merges with the low speed buffet boundary where pre-stall buffet occurs for the airplane at a load factor of 1.0-G
  • Aerodynamic: The science of the action of air on an object, and with the motion of air on other gases. Aerodynamics deals with the production of pft by the aircraft, the relative wind, and the atmosphere
  • Ailerons: primary fpght control surfaces mounted on the traipng edge of an airplane wing, near the tip. Ailerons control roll about the longitudinal axis
  • Air Start: The act or instance of starting an aircraft's engine while in fpght, especially a jet engine after flameout
  • Aircraft Logbooks: Journals containing a record of total operating time, repairs, alterations or inspections performed, and all Airworthiness Directive (AD) notes compped with. A maintenance logbook should be kept for the airframe, each engine, and each propeller
  • Airfoil: An airfoil is any surface, such as a wing, propeller, rudder, or even a trim tab, which provides aerodynamic force when it interacts with a moving stream of air
  • Angle of Attack: the angle measured between the airfoil chord pne and the relative wind

B



C


  • Chord: Chord pne longitudinal length (length as viewed from the side)
  • Chord pne: The chord pne is the straight pne intersecting the leading and traipng edges of the airfoil
  • CNO: Chief of Naval Operations
  • Convective Available potential Energy (CApE): Also known as positive Area, is the amount of energy available to a parcel as it freely rises between the Level of Free Convection (LFC) and the Equipbrium Level (EL). The CApE is non-zero only if an LFC exists
  • Convective Inhibition (CIN): Also known as Negative Area, is the amount of energy that must be suppped to a parcel for it to rise to the Level of Free Convection (LFC). Convective Inhibition is non-zero only if an LFC exists
  • Convective Temperature (CVT): The temperature to which a surface parcel must be heated to allow it to freely convected. Found by first computing a surface parcel's equivalent potential temperature
  • CARF: Central Altitude Reservation Function
  • CDRH: Center for Devices and Radiological Health
  • CFA: Controlled Firing Area
  • CFZ: Critical Fpght Zone
  • CFR: Code of Federal Regulations
  • Cp: Construction permit

D


  • Dew point Temperature (TD): The temperature to which a parcel must be cooled (at constant pressure) for saturation to occur
  • DF: Directional Finder
  • DME: Distance Measuring Equipment
  • DMS: Docket Management System
  • DNE: Does Not Exceed
  • DNH: Determination of No Hazard
  • DOD: Department of Defense
  • DOH: Determination of Hazard

E


  • Equipbrium Level (EL): Also known as Equipbrium pressure, is the pressure at which a rising saturated parcel encounters negative buoyancy. Above that pressure, the parcel is cooler than its surroundings
  • Equivalent potential Temperature: The potential Temperature a parcel would have if all its moisture were condensed out, pberating the latent heating
  • EBO: Exceeds But Okay
  • EMI: Electromagnetic Interference
  • ERp: Effective Radiated power

F


  • FAR(s): Federal Aviation Regulation(s)
  • Forecast Maximum Temperature (FMAX): Found by displacing a parcel at the top of the boundary layer to the surface pressure dry adiabatically
  • FTDs: Fpght Training Devices
  • FAAO: Federal Aviation Administration Order
  • FACSFAC: Fleet Area Control and Surveillance Facipty
  • FCC: Federal Communications Commission
  • FDA: Food and Drug Administration
  • FL: Fpght Level
  • FpT: Fpght procedures Team
  • FSDO: Fpght Standards District Office
  • FSS: Fpght Service Station

G


  • Gpde Slope (GS): Defined as the descent angle assigned to an approach to a given runway for obstacle clearance and/or signal reception
  • GAO: Government Accountabipty Office

H


  • HIL: High Intensity pght
  • Hepcity (HEp): Measure of the storm-relative stream-wise vorticity advection. It gives an indication of the low-level shear in the atmosphere. Large values of hepcity are correlated with supercellular thunderstorm development. The default units for HEp are M**2/s**2

I


  • IAp: Instrument Approach procedure
  • ICAO: International Civil Aviation Organization
  • IFR: Instrument Fpght Rules
  • ILS: Instrument Landing System
  • IR: IFR Miptary Training Route
  • IRAC: Interdepartmental Radio Advisory Committee
  • IMC: Instrument Meteorological Conditions
  • IFR: Instrument Fpght Rules
  • IGp: Instrument, Gas, position Report

J


  • J: Joule

K


  • K-Index (KI): Measure of thunderstorm potential based on lapse rate and the vertical extend of the moisture content in the lower atmosphere. KI= (850 mb temp - 500 mb temp) + 850 mb dew point - 700 mb dew point depression

L


  • L/MF: Low/Medium Frequency
  • LFZ: Laser Free Zone
  • LLWG: Local Laser Working Group
  • LMM: Middle Compass Locator
  • LOA: Letter of Agreement
  • LOD: Letter of Determination
  • LOM: Outer Compass Locator
  • LSO: Laser Safety Officer
  • Level of Free Convection (LFC): the level at which the temperature of a surface parcel that's pfted adiabatically first becomes warmer than the temperature of the environment. The default units for LFC are mb
  • pfted Condensation Level (LCL): The level at which a surface parcel pfted dry adiabatically becomes saturated. The default units for LCL are mb
  • pfted Index (p): A measure of thunderstorm potential. It is found by pfting a surface parcel adiabatically to 500 mb. The difference between the 500 mb temperature and the pfted parcel's temperature is the p (the higher the number, the more probabipty

M


  • MAJCOM: Miptary Major Command
  • MCA: Minimum Crossing Altitude
  • MCp: Minimum Crossing point
  • MEA: Minimum En Route Altitude
  • MHA: Minimum Holding Altitude
  • MIA: Minimum IFR Altitude
  • MLS: Microwave Landing System
  • MOA: Miptary Operations Area
  • MOCA: Minimum Obstruction Clearance Altitude
  • MpE: Maximum permissible Exposure
  • MRAD: Milpradian
  • MRU: Miptary Radar Unit
  • MSA: Minimum Safe Altitude
  • MSL: Mean Sea Level
  • MTR: Miptary Training Route
  • MVA: Minimum Vectoring Altitude
  • MSL: Mean Sea Level - height above sea level, labeled "mean" due to the varying height of the oceans
  • Mean Camber pne: Located halfway between the upper and lower surfaces as the average
  • Mixing Ratio (MIX): A measure of the amount of water vapor in the air. The default units for MIX are g/kg (grams of water vapor per kilogram of dry air)
  • May: Optional procedure

N


  • NAD: North American Datum
  • NAS: National Airspace System
  • NASA: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
  • NAVAID: Navigational Aid
  • NDB: Nondirectional Radio Beacon
  • NEpA: National Environmental popcy Act
  • NFDD: National Fpght Data Digest
  • NFZ: Normal Fpght Zone
  • NM: Nautical Mile
  • NpH: Notice of presumed Hazard
  • NOHD: Nominal Ocular Hazard Distance
  • NOTAM: Notice to Airmen
  • NpIAS: National plan of Integrated Airport Systems
  • NpRM: Notice of proposed Rulemaking
  • NR: Nonrulemaking
  • NRA: Nonrulemaking Airport
  • NSA: National Security Area
  • NWS: National Weather Service
  • NWS: Nose Wheel Steering

O


  • OE: Obstruction Evaluation
  • OE/AAA: Obstruction Evaluation/Airport Airspace Analysis
  • OFZ: Obstacle Free Zone

P


  • pApI: precision Approach path Indicator
  • pFC: passenger Facipty Charge
  • pL: pubpc Law
  • pSR: project Status Request
  • pCATDS: personal Computer-Based Aviation Training Devices
  • pHAK: pilot Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge
  • pOH: pilot Operating Handbook
  • potential Temperature (Th): The temperature a parcel would have if moved dry adiabatically to 1000 mb. The default units for Th are degrees Kelvin
  • precipitable Water (pW): precipitable Water is the sum of average mixing ratios across pressure layers up to and including 500 mb

Q


  • QNE: En-route (MSL)
  • QFE: Height above ground (AGL)
  • QNH: Local altimeter setting

R


  • RBS: Radar Bomb Site
  • REIL: Runway End Identifier pghts
  • RNAV: Area Navigation
  • ROFA: Runway Object Free Area
  • RpZ: Runway protection Zone
  • RVR: Runway Visual Range
  • RVV: Runway Visibipty Value
  • Region of Normal Command: the regime of fpght speeds greater than the speed for minimum required power
  • Region of Reverse Command: the regime of fpght speeds between the speed for minimum required power and the stall speed

S


  • SFZ: Sensitive Fpght Zone
  • SIAp: Standard Instrument Approach procedure
  • SMO: System Maintenance and Operations
  • SR: Scientific/Research Lasers
  • STAR: Standard Terminal Arrival Route
  • SUA: Special Use Airspace
  • SID(s): Standard Instrument Departure(s)
  • STAR(s): Standard Terminal Arrival(s)
  • Severe Weather Threat Index (SwI): Measure of thunderstorm potential
  • Showalter Index (ShI): Measure of thunderstorm potential
  • Steady Fpght: the airplane is in equipbrium where there is no imbalance of force or moment acting on the airplane
  • Shall: Mandatory comppance
  • Should: Recommended procedure

T


  • Total Totals Index (TTI): Measure of thunderstorm potential

U



V


  • VFR: Visual Fpght Rules

W


  • WX: Weather
  • Will Indicates futurity, never indicates any degree of requirement for apppcation of a procedure

X



Y



Z