List of aviation, aerospace and aeronautical abbreviations

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

A

Abbreviation Term
A/C Aircraft
A/D Aerodrome
ACAS Airborne Collision Avoidance System
ACARS Aircraft Communication and Addressing Reporting System
ACI Airports Council International
ACFT Aircraft
ACMS Aircraft Condition Monitoring System
ACC Active Clearance Control
AD Airworthiness Directive
ADC Air Data Computer
ADF Automatic Direction Finder
ADI Attitude Director Indicator
ADS Automatic Dependent Surveillance
ADV German Airports Association
AFCS Automatic Flight Control System
AFDS Autopilot Flight Director System
AFE Above Field Elevation
AFS Aeronautical Fixed Service
AFTN Aeronautical Fixed Telecommunication Network
AGL Above ground level
AHRS Attitude Heading Reference System
AIP Aeronautical Information Publication
AIRAC Aeronautical Information Regulation and Control
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
AP Autopilot
APU Auxiliary Power Unit
A/P airplane (US), aeroplane (ICAO)
AR Authorization Required
ARINC Aeronautical Radio Inc.
ARTCC Air Route Traffic Control Centers
ASDA Association for Scientific Development of Air Traffic Management in Europe[1]
ASAS Airborne Separation Assurance System
ASI Airspeed Indicator
ASL Above sea level
ASM Airspace management
ATA Air Traffic Association
ATC Air Traffic Control
ATFM Air Traffic Flow Management
ATIS Automatic Terminal Information Service
ATM Air Traffic Management
ATN Aeronautical Telecommunication Network
ATPL Airline Transport Pilot Licence
ATS Air Traffic Services

B

Abbreviation Term
BC Back Course
BPR Bypass Ratio

C

Abbreviation Term
CAA Civil Aviation Authority
CAS Calibrated airspeed
CDU Control/Display Unit
CDI Course Deviation Indicator
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

D

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

E

Abbreviation Term
EAS Equivalent airspeed
EASA European Aviation Safety Agency
ECAM Electronic Centralised Aircraft Monitor
ECET End of civil evening twilight
EFIS Electronic Flight Instrument System
EGT Exhaust Gas Temperature
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
ETP Equal Time Point
EUROCAE European Organisation for Civil Aviation Equipment

F

Abbreviation Term
FAA U.S. Department of Transportations' Federal Aviation Administration
FADEC Full Authority Digital Engine Control
FAF Final Approach Fix
FANS Future Air Navigation System
FAP Final Approach Point
FATO Final Approach and Take Off
FD Flight Director
FDR Flight Data Recorder (also known as black box)
FEP Final End Point
FIR Flight Information Region FOO Flight Operation Officer
FL Flight Level
FMC Flight Management Computer (same as FMS)
FMS Flight Management System
FPL Filed Flight Plan
FSF Flight Safety Foundation
FSS Flight Service Station

G

Abbreviation Term
GCA Ground-controlled approach
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
G/A or GA Go-Around
G/S Glideslope
GS Groundspeed
GSE Ground Support Equipment

H

Abbreviation Term
H Heavy
HDG Heading
HL Height loss
HLD Hold (Hold altitude or speed or something else) (same as maintain, but not maintenance!)
HPA Human Powered Aircraft
HSI Horizontal Situation Indicator
HUD Head-up display
HYD Hydraulic
HYDIM Hydraulic Interface Module

I

Abbreviation Term
IAF Initial approach fix
IAP Instrument approach procedure
IAS Indicated airspeed
IATA International Air Transport Association
ICAO International Civil Aviation Organization
ICO Idle cut-off
IDT Identify (XPDR)
IF Intermediate Approach Fix
IFATCA International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers' Associations
IFR Instrument Flight Rules
ILS Instrument Landing System
IMC Instrument Meteorological Conditions
INS Inertial Navigation System
IRS Inertial Reference System
ISA International Standard Atmosphere
ISIS Integrated Standby Instrument System
ISFD Integrated Standby Flight Display
ITT Interstage Turbine Temperature

L

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

M

Abbreviation Term
MAC Mid-air collision
MAP Missed Approach Point
MATS Manual of Air Traffic Services
MDA/H Minimum Descent Altitude/Height
MEDEVAC Medical Evacuation
MEF Maximum Elevation Figure
METAR Meteorological Aerodrome Report (METAR)
MLS Microwave Landing System
MM Middle Marker
MOC Minimum Obstacle Clearance
MRO Maintenance Repair Overhaul
MP Manifoil Pressure
MSA Minimum Safe Altitude / Minimum Sector Altitude
MSL Mean Sea Level
MTOW Maximum Take-Off Weight
MZFW Maximum Zero-Fuel Weight

N

Abbreviation Term
NDB Non-Directional Beacon

O

Abbreviation Term
OBS Omni-Bearing Selector
OCA Obstacle Clearance Altitude
OCH Obstacle Clearance Height
OM Outer Marker
OBE Overcome By Events
OEM Original Equipment Manufacturer

P

Abbreviation Term
PANS-OPS Procedures for Air Navigation Services – Aircraft Operations
PAPI Precision Approach Path Indicator
PAR Precision Approach Radar
PBD Place Bearing Distance (RNAV waypoint)
PDG Procedure Design Gradient
PDAS Public Domain Aeronautical Software
PET Point of Equal Time
PF Pilot Flying
PFD Primary Flight Display
PFAF Precision Final Approach Fix
PNF Pilot Not Flying
PSR Point of Safe Return
PSU Personal Service Unit

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, i.e. altitude above MSL

R

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

S

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

T

Abbreviation Term
TAA Terminal Arrival Area
TACAN Tactical Air Navigation
TAF Terminal Aerodrome Forecast
TAM Total Airport Management
TAS True airspeed
TAR Terminal Approach Radar
TCA Terminal control area
TCAS Traffic Collision Avoidance System
TCH Threshold Crossing Height
TERPS Terminal Procedures
TFR Temporary Flight Restriction
TGL Temporary Guidance Leaflet
THR Runway Threshold
TOD Top of Descent
TO/GA Take-off/go around
TORA Take-off Run Available
TOW Take-off weight
TOWS Take-off warning system
TP Turning Point at Missed Approach
TRA Temporary Reserved Airspace
TRACON Terminal Radar Approach Control
TTAF Total Time Air Frame
TTSN Total Time Since New
TTSO Total Time Since Overhaul
TWR Tower
TWY Taxiway

U

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

V

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

V speeds

Abbreviation Term
Va Maneuvering speed
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
Vx Best angle of climb speed
Vy Best rate of climb speed

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

X

Abbreviation Term
XMIT Transmit
XPDR Transponder
XPNDR Transponder

Y

Abbreviation Term
Y Yaw or Yaw angle
Y/D Yaw Damper

Z

Abbreviation Term
Z Zulu Time (UTC)
ZFT Zero-Fuel Time
ZFW Zero-Fuel Weight

References

  1. ^ Association for Scientific Development of Air Traffic Management in Europe

See also