List of aviation, aerospace and aeronautical abbreviations

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A glossary of abbreviations used in relation to aviation, in alphabetical order.

Contents
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

[edit] A

Abbreviation Term
A/C aircraft
ACAS Airborne Collision Avoidance System
ACARS Aircraft Communication and Addressing Reporting System
ACMS Aircraft Condition Monitoring System
ACC Active Clearance Control
AD Airworthiness Directive
ADC Air Data Computer
ADF Automatic Direction Finder
ADI Attitude Director lndicator
ADS Automatic Dependent Surveillance
AFCS Automatic Flight Control System
AFDS Autopilot Flight Director System
A/D aerodrome
agl Above ground level
AHRS Attitude Heading Reference System
AIP Aeronautical Information Publication
ALS Approach Lighting System
AMSL Above Mean Sea Level
ANSP Air Navigation Service Provider
AOA Angle of Attack
AOC Air Operator's Certificate
AOM Airport/Aerodrome Operating Minima
APU Auxiliary Power Unit
A/P airplane (USA), aeroplane (ICAO)
ARINC Aeronautical Radio Inc.
ARTCC Air Route Traffic Control Centers
ASDA Association for Scientific Development of Air Traffic Management in Europe
ASAS Airborne Separation Assurance System
ASI Airspeed Indicator
asl Above sea level
ASM Airspace management
ATC Air Traffic Control
ATFM Air Traffic Flow Management
ATIS Automatic Terminal Information Service
ATM Air Traffic Management
AT-One Strategic Alliance between DLR and NLR on ATM research and development
ATPL Authorised Transport Pilot Licence
ATS Air Traffic Services

[edit] B

Abbreviation Term
BC Back Course

[edit] C

Abbreviation Term
CAA Civil Aviation Authority
CAS Calibrated airspeed
CFIT Controlled Flight Into Terrain
CG Center of Gravity
CMV Converted Meteorological Visibility
CPDLC Controller Pilot Data Link Communications
CTAF Common Traffic Advisory Frequency)
CVR Cockpit Voice Recorder

[edit] D

Abbreviation Term
DA/H Decision Altitude / Height (rel. to THR) See Instrument Landing System
DER Departure End of Runway
DG Directional Gyro
DLR German Aerospace Center / Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V.
DME Distance Measuring Equipment
DR Dead reckoning

[edit] E

Abbreviation Term
EAS Equivalent airspeed
ECAM Electronic Centralised Aircraft Monitor
ECET End of civil evening twilight
EICAS Engine Indicator and Crew Alert System
E-LSA Experimental light-sport aircraft
ELT Emergency Locator Transmitter
EPR Engine Pressure Ratio
ESA Emergency Safe Altitude
EFIS Electronic Flight Instrument System

[edit] F

Abbreviation Term
FADEC Full Authority Digital Engine Control
FAF Final Approach Fix
FANS Future Air Navigation System
FAP Final Approach Point
FEP Final End Point
FDR Flight Data Recorder (also known as black box)
FIR Flight Information Region
FL Flight Level
FMC Flight Management Computer (same as FMS)
FMS Flight Management System
FPL Filed Flight Plan
FMC Flight Management Computer
FSF Flight Safety Foundation
FSS Flight Service Station

[edit] G

Abbreviation Term
GLOC g-Induced Loss of Consciousness, where g is acceleration relevant to the acceleration caused by gravity
GND Ground
GP Glide Path
GPS Global Positioning System
GPWS Ground Proximity Warning System
EGPWS Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System
GA Go-Around
GS Glideslope
GSE Ground Support Equipment

[edit] H

Abbreviation Term
H Heavy
HDG Heading
HL Height Loss
HPA Human Powered Aircraft
HSI Horizontal Situation Indicator
HUD Head-up display

[edit] I

Abbreviation Term
IAF Initial Approach Fix
IAS Indicated airspeed
ICAO International Civil Aviation Organization
ICO Idle cut-off
IF Intermediate Approach Fix
IFR Instrument Flight Rules
ILS Instrument Landing System
IMC Instrument Meteorological Conditions
INS Inertial Navigation System
IRS Inertial Reference System
ISA International Standard Atmosphere

[edit] L

Abbreviation Term
LCN Load Classification Number
LCG Load Classification Group
LHO Live Human Organs
LLZ Localizer (ILS)
LNAV Lateral Navigation
LOFT Line Oriented Flight Training
LM Land and Marine

[edit] M

Abbreviation Term
MAP Missed Approach Point
MATS Manual of Air Traffic Services
MDA/H Minimum Descent Altitude/Height
MEDEVAC Medical Evacuation
MEF Maximum Elevation Figure
MLS Microwave Landing System
MM Middle Marker
MOC Minimum Obstacle Clearance
MP Manifoil Pressure
MSA Minimum Safe Altitude/Minimum Sector Altitude
MSL Mean Sea Level
MTOW Maximum Take-Off Weight

[edit] N

Abbreviation Term
NDB Non-Directional Beacon

[edit] O

Abbreviation Term
OCA/H Obstacle Clearance Altitude/Height
OM Outer Marker
OBE Overcome By Events

[edit] P

Abbreviation Term
PANS-OPS Procedures for Air Navigation Services - Aircraft Operations
PAPI Precision Approach Path Indicator
PAR Precision Approach Radar
PDG Procedure Design Gradient
PDAS Public Domain Aeronautical Software
PET Point of Equal Time
PFAF Precision Final Approach Fix
PSR Point of Safe Return
PSU Personal Service Unit

[edit] Q

Abbreviation Term
QFE the Q-code for: Atmospheric pressure at a/d elevation (or at THR)
QNH the Q-code for: Altimeter sub-scale setting to obtain elevation when on the ground, ie altitude above MSL

[edit] R

Abbreviation Term
RA Radio Altitude
RAS Rectified Air Speed
RDH Reference Datum Height for ILS
RNAV Area navigation
RSR En-route Surveillance Radar
RVR Runway Visual Range
RVSM Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum
RWY Runway

[edit] S

Abbreviation Term
SIGMET Significant Meteorological Advisory
SOC Start of Climb at Missed Approach
SID Standard Instrument Departure
SR Sunrise
SS Sunset
STAR Standard Terminal Arrival Route

[edit] T

Abbreviation Term
TAA Terminal Arrival Area
TACAN Tactical Air Navigation
TAS True airspeed
TAR Terminal Approach Radar
TCAS Traffic Collision Avoidance System
TCH Threshold Crossing Height
TERPS Terminal Procedures
THR Runway Threshold
TOD Top of Descent
TOW Take-off weight
TP Turning Point at Missed Approach
TRA Temporary Reserved Airspace
TRACON Terminal Radar Approach Control
TWR Tower

[edit] U

Abbreviation Term
UAV Unmanned Air Vehicle
UHF Ultra High Frequency
UIR Upper Information Region
UTC Universal Coordinated Time

[edit] V

Abbreviation Term
VASI Visual Approach Slope Indicator
VDP Visual Descent Point
VFR Visual flight rules
VHF Very High Frequency
VNAV Vertical Navigation
VOR VHF omnidirectional range

[edit] V speeds

Abbreviation Term
Vfe Maximum flaps extended speed
Vle Maximum landing gear extension speed
Vlo Maximum landing gear operating speed
Vmo Maximum operating speed
Vne Never-exceed speed
Vno Normal operating speed limit
Vs stall speed

[edit] W

Abbreviation Term
WOFW Weight-off-Wheels, indicates aircraft is off ground since lift off
WONW Weight-on-Wheels, indicates aircraft is on ground since touch down

[edit] X

Abbreviation Term
XMIT Transmit
XPDR Transponder
XPNDR Transponder

[edit] Z

Abbreviation Term
Z Zulu Time (UTC)

[edit] References