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
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
I
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
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
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
W
Abbreviation
|
Meaning(s)
|
Description
|
WCA |
Wind correction angle
|
X
Y
Z
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_aviation,_aerospace_and_aeronautical_abbreviations