List of abbreviations

  A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z 

A

Abbreviation	Meaning(s)	Description
A/C	Aircraft
A/P	Autopilot
A/T	Autothrottle	A/P Subsystem which controls the throttle
ADF	Atomatic direction finder	tuned to NDB
AFCS	Automatic Flight Control System
AGL	Above Ground Level	AGL
ALS	Approach lighting system
ALT	Altitude	related to MSL
AMSL	Above mean sea level
Apt Elev	Airport Elevation	the MSL of a central point of an airport
ASOS	Automated Surface Observation System	measures and broadcasts surface wheather info automatically
ATC	Air Traffic Control
ATIS	Automatic Terminal Information Service
AWACS	Airborne Warning And Control System

B

Abbreviation	Meaning(s)	Description
BC	Back course	part of ILS, beacon that provides range information, like OM/MM/IM, specifies FAF for back course, a back course is non-precison since no G/S associated
BRT	Brightness

C

Abbreviation	Meaning(s)	Description
CDI	Course Deviation Indicator	part of a VOR gauge, a needle showing whether you are on course (centered) or not (left or right)
CDU	Control Display Unit
CTAF	Common Traffic Advisory Frequency	Available at airfields with no operational control tower.

D

Abbreviation	Meaning(s)	Description
DG	Directional Gyro
DH	Decision height	point on G/S where to decide to continue landing or missed approach, similar to MDA, for precision approaches, determined by altimeter, lowest height where an approach can be flown by instrument alone
DME	Distance measuring equipment	measures the distance (slant, not on-ground distance) to the tuned in VOR
DTG	Distance to go

E

Abbreviation	Meaning(s)	Description
EAT	Estimated Arrival Time
EFATO	Engine failure after take off	usually resulting in a force-landing.
EDT	Estimated Departure Time
EICAS	Engine Indication and Crew Alerting System
ETA	Estimated Time of Arrival

F

Abbreviation	Meaning(s)	Description
FAF	Final approach fix
FD	Flight director	horizontal and vertical bars on your PD
FDM	Flight Dynamics Model
FL	Flight Level

G

Abbreviation	Meaning(s)	Description
G/S	Glideslope	provides vertical guidance during ILS, UHF, always goes together with LOC, usually 3deg, usable 10NM from field
GA	Go-Around
GA	General Aviation
GAR	Go-Around
GPS	Global Positioning System	allows a very exact measuring of location all over the world, based on satellites

H

Abbreviation	Meaning(s)	Description
HDG	Heading
HUD	Head up display	Head up display

I

Abbreviation	Meaning(s)	Description
IAF	Instrument approach plate	see Approach Plate, aka. Terminal Procedures
IAP	Initial approach fix
IATA	International Air Transport Association
ICAO	International Civil Aviation Organisation
IFR	Instrument flight rules	0-179: odd thousands, 180-359: even thousands
ILS	Instrument Landing System
IM	Inner marker	part of ILS, beacon that provides range information, only for Cat II where it is the DH point, 100ft from runway threshold

J

Abbreviation	Meaning(s)	Description
JBD	Jet blast deflector

K

Abbreviation	Meaning(s)	Description
KIAS	Knots Indicated Airspeed

L

Abbreviation	Meaning(s)	Description
LDA	Localizer directional aid	similar to LOC, but offset from runway heading, the approach path is not lined up with runway
LNAV	Lateral navigation
LOC	Localizer	provides lateral guidance during ILS, VHF, always goes together with G/S, usable 18NM from field
LOC-A		an approach plate that ends with a letter indicates that a circling approach is required
LTA	Lighter than Air

M

Abbreviation	Meaning(s)	Description
MALSR	Medium-intensity ALS with Runway alignment indicator lights	a type of Runway Approach lighting
MAP	Missed approach point	touch down zone of runway
MDA	Minimum descend altitude	during an approach, this specifies the minimum Altitude (MSL) before the runway is in sight and a safe landing can be made
MEA	Mean enroute altitude
METAR	Meteorological Aerodrome Report
MIRL	Medium-intensity runway lights
MLS	Microwave landing system
MM	Middle marker	part of ILS, beacon that provides range information, 3500ft from runway threshold
MOCA	Minimum obstruction clearance altitude
MSA	Minimum safe altitude	provides minimum of 1000ft clearance from obstructions and terrain
MSL	Mean Sea Level	Standardized height figure, Altimeters show the current A/C height over MSL

N

Abbreviation	Meaning(s)	Description
Navaid	Helper for navigation	eg: NDB, Fixes, VOR, GPS
ND	Navigational Display
NDB	Non directional beacon	LW, sends out Morse code of its ID, reception only reliable > 1000ft AGL

O

Abbreviation	Meaning(s)	Description
OAT	Outside air temperature	the temperature of undisturbed air, derived by correcting TAT for compressibility errors
OBS	Omni bearing selector	part of a VOR gauge, used to rotate the course card
OM	Outer marker	part of ILS, beacon that provides range information, 4-7NM from runway threshold

P

Abbreviation	Meaning(s)	Description
PAPI	Precision Approach Path Indicator	PAPI, similar to VASI, but more precise, uses four lights
PFD	Primary flight display
PD	Primary display
PF	Pilot flying	the person that currently controls the airplane, can be either Captain or F/O
PFL	Practice forced landing	Practise approach carried out to a suitable field. No landing is made.
PIREP	Pilot Report	(abbreviated UA in the briefing teletype, UUA is urgent PIREP)
PNF	Pilot non-flying	the person who's not the PF

R

Abbreviation	Meaning(s)	Description
RAT	Ram air temperature	the raw, non-corrected temp. as measured by the temperature probe. Errors due to the Ram effect (air compressed in the probe) and the position (air may be disturbed by parts of the airplane, and also due to the effect of the air compression in front of the plane) RAT may also describe a Ram Air Turbine; a device deployed into the airstream on large aircraft to provided minimum electrical power in the event of generator-failure.
RMI	Radio ragnetic indicator
RNAV	Area Navigation	flying by longitude/latitude points that are not radio navigation aids, GPS or IRS is usually used.
RTO	Rejected take off
RVR	Runway visibility range

S

Abbreviation	Meaning(s)	Description
SAT	Static air temperature	same as OAT
SDF	Simple directional facility
SID	Standard instrument departure	for takeoffs, specifies the route from the runway to the first waypoint
STAR	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_Terminal_Arrival_Route Standard terminal arrival route]	for landings, speciefies the route from the last waypoint down to the runway
STOL	Short take off and landing
STOVL	Short take off and vertical landing

T

Abbreviation	Meaning(s)	Description
TACAN	Tactical Air Navigation	Tactical Air Navigation, military
TAF	Terminal aerodrome forecast
TAT	Total air temperature	This is derived by correcting the RAT for position. Still contains an error due to the compressibility of air inside the temperature probe.
TDZE	Touch down zone elevation	the MSL of the touch down point of a runway
THDG	True Heading
TOGA	take off / go around	Automatic single-switch operation of throttle for Take-off / Go-Around Power.
T&P(s)	Temperatures and pressures	relating to engine systems.

U

Abbreviation	Meaning(s)	Description
UNICOM	Universal Communications	See also: CTAF

V

Abbreviation	Meaning(s)	Description
VASI	Visual approach slope indicator	an approach lighting system, typically two lights left of the runway
VFR	Visual Flight Rules	0-179: odd thousands+500ft, 180-359: even thousands+500ft
VNAV	Vertical navigation
VOR	VHF Omnidirectional Radio Range
VORTAC	VOR/TACAN	A co-located VOR and TACAN beacon.
VSI	Vertical speed indicator
VTOL	Vertical take off and landing

W

Abbreviation	Meaning(s)	Description
WCA	Wind correction angle

Z

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_aviation,_aerospace_and_aeronautical_abbreviations