List of aviation, aerospace and aeronautical abbreviations

By Wikipedia,
the free encyclopedia,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeronautical_abbreviations

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

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
ATA	Air Traffic Association
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	Airline Transport Pilot Licence
ATS	Air Traffic Services

B

Abbreviation	Term
BC	Back Course
BFH	Big F*cking Hammer

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

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

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

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

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
GA	Go-Around
GS	Glideslope
GSE	Ground Support Equipment

H

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

I

Abbreviation	Term
IAF	Initial approach fix
IAP	Instrument approach procedure
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

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

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
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

N

Abbreviation	Term
NDB	Non-Directional Beacon

O

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

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

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

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

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

T

Abbreviation	Term
TAA	Terminal Arrival Area
TACAN	Tactical Air Navigation
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
THR	Runway Threshold
TOD	Top of Descent
TO/GA	Take-off/go around
TOW	Take-off weight
TP	Turning Point at Missed Approach
TRA	Temporary Reserved Airspace
TRACON	Terminal Radar Approach Control
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
V_fe	Maximum flaps extended speed
V_le	Maximum landing gear extension speed
V_lo	Maximum landing gear operating speed
V_mo	Maximum operating speed
V_ne	Never-exceed speed
V_no	Normal operating speed limit
V_s	stall 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

Z

Abbreviation	Term
Z	Zulu Time (UTC)

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Published in July 2009.

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