List of abbreviations
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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 | At or Above (constraint altitute) | |
A | Autotuning | |
ACARS | Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System | A digital datalink system for transmission of short, relatively simple messages between aircraft and ground stations via radio or satellite |
ACCEL HT | Acceleration Height | |
ACT | Active | |
A/C | Aircraft | |
ADC | Air Data Computer | |
ADF | Automatic direction finder | tuned to NDB |
ADIRS | Air Data Inertial Reference System | |
ADIRU | Air Data Intertial Reference Unit | |
AFCS | Automatic Flight Control System | |
AFDS | Auto Pilot Flight Director System | |
AGL | Above Ground Level | AGL |
ALS | Approach lighting system | |
ALT | Altitude | related to MSL |
ALT NAV | Alternate Navigation | |
AMI | Airline Modifiable Information | |
AMSL | Above mean sea level | |
AIMS | Airplane Infromation Management System | |
APP | Approach | used for autopilots among other. |
Apt Elev | Airport Elevation | the MSL of a central point of an airport |
APU | Auxiliary power unit | Primary purpose is to provide power to start the main engines |
A/P | Autopilot | |
ARINC | Aeronautical Radio, Incorporated | |
ASCPC | Air Supply and Cabin Pressure Controllers | |
ASOS | Automated Surface Observation System | measures and broadcasts surface wheather info automatically |
AT | AT (an altitude) | |
ATA | Actual Time of Arrival | |
ATC | Air Traffic Control | |
ATIS | Automatic Terminal Information Service | |
ATT | Attitude | |
ATZ | Aerodrome Traffic Zone | |
A/T | Autothrottle | A/P Subsystem which controls the throttle |
AWACS | Airborne Warning And Control System |
B
Abbreviation | Meaning(s) | Description |
---|---|---|
B | At or Below (constrained altitude) | |
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 |
BITE | Built-In Test Equipment | |
BRG/DIS | Bearing and/or Distance | |
BRT | Brightness |
C
Abbreviation | Meaning(s) | Description |
---|---|---|
C | Centigrade | |
CALC | Calculated | |
CANC | Cancel | |
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 | |
CG | Center of Gravity | |
CI | Cost Index | |
CLB | Climb | |
CLB DIR | Climb Direct | |
CLR | Clear | |
CMCF | Central Maintenance Computer Function | |
CO DATA | Company Data | |
COMM | Communications | |
CON | Continuous | |
CRS | Course | |
CRT | Cathode Ray Tube | |
CRZ | Cruise | |
CRZ ALT | Cruise Altitude | |
CRZ CG | Cruise Center of Gravity | |
CRZ CLB | Cruise Climb | |
CTAF | Common Traffic Advisory Frequency | Available at airfields with no operational control tower. |
CTC | Cabin Temperature Controller | |
CTR | Controlled Zone |
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 |
DLC | Direct lift control | system for steady approaches without changing pitch, as seen on the L-1011-500. |
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 | |
EDT | Estimated Departure Time | |
EFATO | Engine failure after take off | usually resulting in a force-landing. |
EFIS | Electronic Flight Instrument System | combination of displays (PFD and MFD) with autopilot |
EICAS | Engine Indication and Crew Alerting System | |
ETA | Estimated Time of Arrival | |
ETOPS | Extended Twin-engine Operational Performance Standards | Standard allowing twin-engined aircraft (eg, the 777 or A330) to fly long distances between potential alternate airports, eg trans-oceanic flights. |
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 | |
FLEX | Flex Temp | Performing a take-off (TOGA) at less than full power. |
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 |
HSI | Horizontal situation indicator |
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 |
LFR | Low Frequency Radio Range | see article LFR |
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 | |
MES | Main Engine Start | See APU |
METAR | Meteorological Aerodrome Report | METAR |
MFD | Multi Function Display unit, sometimes named MDU | Display that can contain all sorts of information, like map, weather and engine status. Often a backup for PFD's |
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 |
MSFS | Microsoft Flight Simulator | a flight simulator by Microsoft that is now discontinued |
MSL | Mean Sea Level | Standardized height figure, Altimeters show the current A/C height over MSL |
MTOW | Maximum Takeoff Weight |
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 |
PD | Primary display | |
PF | Pilot flying | the person that currently controls the airplane, can be either Captain or F/O |
PFD | Primary flight display | |
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
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. |
RDF | Radio Direction Finder | see article RDF |
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 take off | |
RTOW | Regulated Take Off Weight | See Maximum Takeoff Weight MTOW |
RVR | Runway Visual Range | The distance over which a pilot of an aircraft on the centreline of the runway can see the runway surface markings delineating the runway or identifying its centre line |
S
Abbreviation | Meaning(s) | Description |
---|---|---|
SAT | Static air temperature | same as OAT |
SDF | Simple directional facility | |
SFDS | Secondary Flight System Display | Standby EFIS in a single self contained unit, not to be mistaken with MFD |
SFD | Secondary Flight Display | Display of the SFDS |
SID | Standard instrument departure | for takeoffs, specifies the route from the runway to the first waypoint |
STAR | 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. |
TCAS | Traffic Collision Avoidance System | |
TDZE | Touch down zone elevation | the MSL of the touch down point of a runway |
THDG | True Heading | |
TODR | Take Off Distance Required | |
TOGA | Take Off / Go Around | Automatic single-switch operation of throttle for Take-off / Go-Around Power. |
TOW | Take Off Weight | |
T&P(s) | Temperatures and pressures | relating to engine systems. |
U
Abbreviation | Meaning(s) | Description |
---|---|---|
UNICOM | Universal Communications | See also: CTAF |
UTC | Coordinated Universal Time | Not to be confused with GMT - Greenwich Mean Time |
V
Abbreviation | Meaning(s) | Description |
---|---|---|
V speeds | Velocity speeds | airspeeds important or useful to the operation of aircraft |
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 | VOR]], a type of radio navigation system |
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 |
X
Y
Z
External links
- Wikipedia (en)
- Wikipedia (de), more detailed and descriptions are english anyway ;-)