List of abbreviations

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Revision as of 04:34, 4 October 2008 by Flughund (talk | contribs) (still merging, already at 'P')
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  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
ALS Approach lighting system
ALT Altitude related to MSL
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

Q

R

S

Abbreviation Meaning(s) Description
STOL Short take off and landing
STOVL Short take off and vertical landing

T

Abbreviation Meaning(s) Description
TACAN Tactical Air Navigation
THDG True Heading

U

V

Abbreviation Meaning(s) Description
VOR VHF Omnidirectional Radio Range
VSI Vertical speed indicator
VTOL Vertical take off and landing

W

Abbreviation Meaning(s) Description
WCA Wind correction angle

X

Y

Z

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It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into List of abbreviations.
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 Magnetic Indicator
RNAV
Area Navigation, flying by longitude/latitude points that are not radio navigation aids, GPS or IRS is usually used.
RTO
Rejected Takeoff
RVR
Runway Visibility Range,
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
Standard Terminal Arrival, for landings, speciefies the route from the last waypoint down to the runway
TACAN
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
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.
UNICOM
Universal Communications. See also: CTAF
VOR
VHF Omnidirectional Range
VFR
Visual Flight Rules, 0-179: odd thousands+500ft, 180-359: even thousands+500ft
VNAV
Vertical Navigation,
A/P VASI
Visual Approach Slope Indicator, an approach lighting system, typically two lights left of the runway,
VORTAC
VHF Omni-Directional Range/Tactical Air Navigation, military