Aviation Related Acronyms
Compiled by:
Hubert Wentzel, PPL (NR), B.Sc Hons (Computer Science),
e-Mail: Hubert.Wentzel@absamail.co.za
First Print: May 2004
Current: 18/06/2009 21:48:00
Copyright 2004, 2008 ©, CJH Consulting
Table of Contents
Introduction and Background. 3
A.. 4
B.. 5
C.. 6
D.. 7
E.. 7
F. 8
G.. 9
H.. 10
I. 10
K.. 10
L.. 11
M... 11
N.. 12
O.. 12
P. 13
Q.. 13
R.. 14
S. 15
T. 16
U.. 16
V.. 17
W... 18
X.. 18
Z.. 18
Sources: 19
This Aviation Acronyms booklet was developed over a couple of years following the need for a comprehensive list of acronyms and their definitions. The list does not intent explaining Aviation terminology nor to be the authority on the subject. Any comment, additions, corrections to this past-time is entirely welcome and appreciated.
Many thanks to the various sources and friends assisting in this project and supporting by proofreading it from time-to-time.
A Amp
A/H Alter Heading
AC Aerodynamic Centre
AC Alternating Current
ACAS Airborne Collision Avoidance System
ACN Aircraft Classification Number
AD Airworthiness Directive
ADA Advisory Area
ADC Air Data Computer
ADF Automatic Direction Finder
ADR Advisory Route
ADS Air Data System
AEW Aircraft Empty Weight
AFIS Aerodrome Flight Information Service
AFM Aeroplane Flight Manual
AGL Above Ground Level
AIC Aeronautical Information Circular
AIDS Aircraft Integrated Data Systems
AIP Aeronautical Information Publication
ALS Approach Light System
ALSF-1 Approach Light System Flashing-CAT 1
ALSF-2 Approach Light System Flashing-CAT 11
AM Amplitude Modulation
AMA Area Minimum Altitude
AMO Aircraft Maintenance Organisation
AMSL Above Mean sea Level
ANM Air Nautical Miles
ANR Air Navigation Regulations
AoA Angle of Attack
AoI Angle of Incidence
APL Airship Pilot License
APU Auxiliary Power Unit
ARP Airport Reference Point
ASAP As Soon As Possible
ASC Actual Service Ceiling
ASDA Accelerate Stop Distance Available
ASDAR Aircraft to Satellite Data Relay
ASDR Accelerate Stop Distance Required
ASI AirSpeed Indicator
ASR Airborne Search Radar (Weather Radar)
ATA Actual Time of Arrival
ATA Aerodrome Terminal Area
ATC Air Traffic Control
ATD Actual Time of Departure
ATF Aerodrome Traffic Frequency
ATIS Aerodrome Terminal Information Service
ATP Airline Transport Pilot
ATS Air Traffic Services
ATSU Air Traffic Services Unit
ATZ Aerodrome Traffic Zone
AU Astronomical Unit
AUW All-Up Weight
AWOPS All Weather Operating Procedures
AWY Airway
BDC Bottom Dead Centre
BEW Basic Empty Weight
BIT Built-In-Test
BHP Break Horse Power
BK Broken Cloud
BFO Beat Frequency Oscillator
C Convergency
CA Closing Angle
CA Conversion Angle
CA Critical Angle
CAA Civil Aviation Authority
CADC Centralised Air Data Computer
CAS Calibrated Air speed (see also RAS)
CAVOK Ceiling And Visibility OK
CC Chart Convergency
CCF Chart Convergency Factor
CD5B Coded approach light system with 5 Bars
CDI Course Deviation Indicator
CG Centre of Gravity
CHT Cylinder Head Temperature
CL Centre Line
CLC Course Line Computer
CLI Course Line Indicator
C of A Certificate of Airworthiness
COAT Calibrated Outside Air Temperature
CoP Centre of Pressure
CP Critical Point
CPL Commercial Pilot License
CRT Cathode Ray Tube
CSDU Constant Speed Drive Unit
CSU Constant Speed Unit
CTA Controlled Area
CTR Controlled Zone
CZL Control Zone Lights
DA Decision Altitude
DA Density Altitude
DC Direct Current
DFE Designated Flight Examiner
DH Decision Height
DME Distance Measuring Equipment
Dr Drift
DR Dead Reckoning
EAS Equivalent Air Speed
EAT Expected Approach Time
EAW Ear Rotation Apparent Wander
ECT Evening Civil Twilight
EET Estimated Elapsed Time
EFI Electronic Flight Instrument
EFIS Electronic Flight Instrumentation System
EGT Exhaust Gas Temperature
ELB Emergency Location Beacon
ELBA Emergency Location Beacon Transmitter
ELR Environment Lapse Rate
ELT Emergency Locator Transmitter
EM Electromagnetic Energy
EMF Electro Magnetic Force
EMS Engine Management System
ERW Earth Rotation Wander
ESC Expected Service Ceiling
ESD Emergency Safety Directive
ETA Expected Time of Arrival
ETD Expected Time of Departure
FA ICAO designator for South Africa
FAF Final Approach Fix
FAK First Aid Kit
FAP Final Approach Fix
FBPL Free Balloon Pilot License
FD Flight Director
FDS Flight Director System
FEW Few Cloud
FF Fuel Flow
FIR Flight Information Region
FL Flight Level
FM Frequency Modulation
FMS Flight Management System
FoB Fuel on Board
FPL Flight Plan
FRC Fuselage Reference Line
Freq Frequency
FS Flight Station
FSTD Flight Simulation Training Device
g gravitational acceleration
GC Great Circle
GCS Ground Clutter Suppression
GD Greenwich Date
GFA General Flying Area
GHz Giga Hertz
GMT Greenwich Mean Time (also UTC)
GNM Ground Nautical Miles
GNSS Global Navigation Satellite System
GPH Gallon Per Hour
GP Glide Path
GPL Glider Pilot License
GPS Global Positioning System
GPU Ground Power Unit
GPWS Ground Proximity Warning System
GS Glide Slope
G/S Ground Speed
GSH Ground Speed Home
GSO Ground Speed Out
GSR Ground Speed Returning (also see GSH)
HDG Heading
hPa Hecto Pascal (also Millibar)
HPA High Performance Aeroplane
Hr Hour
HRL High intensity Runway Lights
HUD Heads Up Display
IAA Initial Approach Altitude
IAF Initial Approach Fix
IAP Instrument Approach Procedures
ICAO International Civil Aviation Organisation
ID Identify
IDL International Date Line
IFIS Integrated Flight Information Systems
IF Intermediate fix
IFR Instrument Flight Rules
ILS Instrument Landing System
IMC Instrument Meteorological Conditions
IOAT Indicated Outside Air Temperature
ISA International Standard Atmosphere
ITT Interstage Turbine Temperature
IVSI Instantaneous Vertical Speed Indicator
KCAS Knots Calibrated Air Speed
KHz Kilo Hertz
KIAS Knots Indicated Air Speed
KTAS Knots True Air Speed
LCD Liquid Crystal Display
LCN Load Classification Number
LDA Landing Distance Available
LN Latitude Nut
LOC LOCaliser
LOM Location Outer Marker
LOS Line Of Site
LRL Low intensity Runway Lights
LSA Localiser Sensitive Area
LSS Local Speed of Sound
LVP Low Visibility Procedure
M# Mach No
MAA Maximum Authorised Altitude
MAC Mean Aerodynamic Chord
MALS Medium intensity Approach Light System
MAN Maintenance Advisory Notice
MAP Missed Approach Point
MAUW Maximum All Up Weight
Mb Millibar
MC Maximum Continuous
MCC Multi-Crew Cooperation
MCT Morning Civil Twilight
MCM Maximum Certified Mass
MDA Minimum Decent Altitude
MDH Minimum Decision Height
MEA Minimum En-Route Altitude
MEL Minimum Equipment List
MHz Megahertz
MLS Microwave Landing System
MLW Maximum Landing Weight
MOCA Minimum Obstacle Clearance Altitude
MORA Minimum Off Route Altitude
MPL Microlight Pilot License
MRL Medium intensity Runway Lights
MRW Maximum Ramp Weight
MTOW Maximum TakeOff Weight
MRPE Maximum Range Power Endurance
MRPR Maximum Range PoweR
MSA Minimum Safe-sector Altitude
MSL Mean See Level
MZFW Maximum Zero Fuel Weight
Nav Navigation
NDB Non-Directional Beacon
nm Nautical Miles
NML Normal
NMPG Nautical Miles Per Gallon
NOTAM NOtice To AirMen
O/H Overhead
OAT Outside Air Temperature
OBS Omni Bearing Selector
OCA Obstacle Clearance Altitude
OCH Obstacle Clearance Height
OCT On-route Clearance Time
OEW Operating Empty Weight
OPS Operations
OVC Overcast
PA Pressure Altitude
PALS Precision Approach Light System
PAPI Precision Approach Path Indicator
PAR Precision Approach Runway
PAX Passengers
PCN Pavement Classification Number
PED Point of Equal Distance
PED Portable Electronic Devices
PET Point of Equal Time
PIC Pilot In Command
PNR Point of No Return
POB People On Board
POH Pilots Operating Handbook
PoO Parallel of Origin
PPH Pounds Per Hour
PPI Plan Position Indicator
PPL Private Pilot License
PRF Pulse Recurrence Frequency
PRP Pulse Recurrence Period
PSFC Power Specific Fuel Consumption
PT Procedure turn
PW Pulse Width
QBI It is compulsory to fly under IFR at a place
QDM Magnetic Heading to reach station
QDR Magnetic bearing from station
QFE Present Atmospheric Pressure at a place
QFU Magnetic Orientation of Runway
QNE International Standard Atmospheric Pressure Setting of 1013mb
QNH Barometric Pressure Setting Reduced to MSL
QTE True bearing from station
QTS Quarts
RADAR Radio Detection And Ranging
RAIM Receiver Anonymous Integrity Monitoring
RAF Relative AirFlow
RAS Rectified Air Speed
RAT Ram Air Temperature
RAT Ram Air Turbine
RB Relative Bearing
RBI Relative Bearing Indicator
RCPE Recommended Cruise Power Endurance
RCPR Recommended Cruise PoweR
RD Real Drift
Reg Registration
RF Radio Frequency
RGSO Reduced Ground Speed Out
RGSR Reduced Ground Speed Returning
RL Rumb Line
RL Runway Lights
RMI Radio Magnetic Indicator
RNAV aRea NAVigation
RoC Rate of Climb
RoD Rate of Decent
RPM Revolutions Per Minute
RT Radio Telephony
RTO Rejected TakeOff
RL Rumb Line
RVR Runway Visual Range
RVSM Reduced Vertical Separation Minima
RX Receive
S/H Set Heading
SALS Short Approach Light System
SAR Search And Rescue
SAST South African Standard Time (UTC +2hours)
SAT Static Air Temperature
SC Scattered Cloud
SD Standard Date
SELCAL Selective Calling System
SG Specific Gravity
SHF Super High Frequency
SHP Shaft Horse Power
SIC Second In Command
SID Standard Instrument Departure
SIP Special Identification Pulse
SLSP Side Lobe Suppression Pulse
Sm Statute Miles
SMC Surface Movement Control
SOP Standard Operating Procedure
SPL Student Pilot License
SR Specific Range
SSALS Simplified Short Approach Light System
SSIS Station Standing Instructions
SSR Secondary Surveillance Radar
ST Standard Time
STAR Standard Terminal Arrival Route
STC Sensitivity Time Control
STF Standard Time Factor
STOL Short-field Take-Off and Landing
SVFR Special VFR
SW Specific Weight
TA Transition Altitude
TACAN VOR and DME
TAS True Air Speed
TAT Total Air Temperature
TBO Time Between Overhaul
TCAS Terrain Collision Avoidance System
TDC Top Dead Centre
TE Track Error
TIBA Traffic Information by Aircraft
TL Transition Level
TMA Terminal Control Area
TMG Track Made Good
TODA Take-Off Distance Available
TODR Take-Off Distance Required
TSFC Thrust Specific Fuel Consumption
TX Transmit
TX Blind Transmit Blind, broadcast on appropriate frequency
UCT Universal Co-ordinated Time (see also GMT)
Ufn Until Further Notice
UFO Unusable Fuel and Oil
UHF Ultra-High Frequency
u/s unserviceable
US United States
UT Universal Time
UTA Upper Control Area
UTC Universal Time Co-ordinated
V Volt
VA Manoeuvring Speed
Vbg Best Glide Speed
VFE Maximum Flap Extend Speed
VFO Flap Operating Speed
VLE Maximum Landing Gear Extend Speed
VLO Maximum Landing Gear Operate Speed
VMCA Air Minimum Control Speed
VMCG Ground Minimum Control Speed
VNE Never Exceed Speed
VNO Maximum Structural Cruising Speed
VR Rotate Speed
VREF Reference Speed=Stalling Speed Clean X 1.3
VS Stalling Speed
VSO Stalling Speed Clean
VSSE Min Speed for Intentional Single Engine Operation
VX Best Angle of Climb Speed
VXSE Best Single Engine Angle of Climb
VY Best Rate of Climb Speed
VYSE Best Single engine Rate of Climb
V1 Decision Speed
V2 Safety Speed, Blue-Line Speed at 35ft above the deck
VASI Visual Approach Slope Indicator
VDP Visual Decision Point
VDU Video Display Unit
VFR Visual Flight Rules
VG Vortex Generator
VHF Very High Frequency
VMC Visual Meteorological Conditions
VOR VHF Omni-Directional Range
VORTAC VOR frequency paired with military TACAM
VSI Vertical Speed Indicator
W Watt
WAC World Aeronautical Chart
WAAS Wide Area Augmentation System
WOW Weight On Wheels
W/V Wind direction and -Velocity
WX Weather
xxD xx = Country Designation: Danger area
xxP xx = Country Designation: Prohibited area
xxR xx = Country Designation: Restricted area
Z Zulu
ZFW Zero Fuel Weight
ZLD Zero Lift Drag
ZT Zone Time
· AERAD charts and notes
· CAA Circulars, AIP & Newsletters
· ATNS Circulars & Newsletters
· ICAO
· Radio Telephony manual
· VOR, ADF and RMI books
· Trevor Thom (volumes 1-5)
· Babcock CFA CPL study notes
· Pilots Owner Manuals (Various)
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