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 | |
AAR | Air-to-air refuelling | |
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 |
ACAWS | Advisory, Caution And Warning System. | A system which monitors the aircraft's systems and provides warning messages to the crew (similar to EICAS). |
ACCEL HT | Acceleration Height | |
ACT | Active | |
A/C | Aircraft | |
ACC | Area control centre | |
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 | Altitude |
ALT NAV | Alternate Navigation | |
AMI | Airline Modifiable Information | |
AMSL | Above mean sea level | |
AoA | Angle of Attack | The angle of the (nose of the) aircraft relative to the surrounding airflow (Pitch is relative to the ground) |
AIMS | Airplane Infromation Management System | |
AIP | Aeronautical Information Publication | |
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 | |
ASEL | Airplane, Single Engine, Land certificate | A particular class rating associated with a pilots certification. |
ASES | Airplane, Single Engine, Sea certificate | A particular class rating associated with a pilots certification. |
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 | |
ATM | Air traffic management | Integrated management of air traffic and airspace. Can include ATC, ATS, flow management etc. through seamless collaboration with involved parties. |
ATS | Air traffic service | A generic term that can mean flight information service, alerting service, air traffic
advisory service or air traffic control 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 | Celsius (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 | |
CTOT | Calculated take-off time | |
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 | |
DTO | Direct to | GPS function to fly directly to a given point |
E
Abbreviation | Meaning(s) | Description |
---|---|---|
EAT | Estimated Arrival Time | |
ECEF | Earth-Centred, Earth-Fixed coordinate system | Cartesian 3D coordinate system with origo at the Earth's center of mass and x axis intersecting 0°E, 0°N |
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 | |
EOBT | Estimated off-block time | The estimated time the aircraft will start moving before departure. In essence when the aircraft starts to taxi |
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 | Flight level |
FLEX | Flex Temp | Performing a take-off (TOGA) at less than full power. |
FMA |
Flight Mode Annunciator |
The display of selected autopilot mode(s), typically on the top row of the PFD display in airliners. |
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 | Initial approach fix | |
IAP | Instrument approach plate | see Approach Plate, aka. Terminal Procedures |
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 | See Inner marker |
J
Abbreviation | Meaning(s) | Description |
---|---|---|
JBD | Jet blast deflector |
K
Abbreviation | Meaning(s) | Description |
---|---|---|
KIAS | Knots Indicated Airspeed | IAS in knots |
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 |
MCDU | Multipurpose Control and Display unit | CDU |
MCP | Mode Control Panel | Panel that controls the autopilot |
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 | Middle marker |
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 | Outer marker |
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 |
PTS | Practical Test Standards | Guidelines used by the FAA in determining an airmens eligibility to receive their certificate |
Q
R
Abbreviation | Meaning(s) | Description |
---|---|---|
RAIM | Receiver autonomous integrity monitoring | |
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 |
RDH | Reference datum height | Height of the glidepath or a nominal vertical path above the runway threshold |
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. |
VS | Vertical Speed | |
VSI | Vertical speed indicator | |
VTOL | Vertical take off and landing |
W
Abbreviation | Meaning(s) | Description |
---|---|---|
WCA | Wind correction angle | |
WOW | Weight on wheels | A condition met when the weight of an aircraft are pushing its wheels to the ground, indicating that it is not in the air. |
X
Y
Z
External links
- Wikipedia (en)
- Wikipedia (de), more detailed and descriptions are english anyway ;-)