Aeronautical Terms beginning with A

AAR

Airport Acceptance Rate or Airport Arrival Rate. The number of arrivals an airport is capable of accepting each hour.

AC, A/C or ACFT

Aircraft

ADZY or ADVZY

Advisory

AFP

An AFP is a traffic management (TM) process administered by the ATCSCC. Aircraft are assigned specific airspace arrival slots utilizing flight schedule monitor (FSM) to manage capacity and demand for a specific area of the National Airspace System (NAS). AFPs support the TM mission and mitigate the effects of en route constraints. Please see the AFP Advisory circular for more details.

ARPT

Airport

ARSR

Air Route Surveillance Radar. Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) radar used primarily to detect and display an aircraft´s position while en route between terminal areas. The ARSR enables controllers to provide radar air traffic control service when aircraft are within the ARSR coverage. In some instances, ARSR may enable an ARTCC to provide terminal radar services similar to but usually more limited than those provided by a radar approach control.

ARTCC

Air Route Traffic Control Center. A facility established to provide air traffic control service to aircraft operating on IFR flight plans within controlled airspace and principally during the en route phase of flight. When equipment capabilities and controller workload permit, certain advisory/assistance services may be provided to VFR aircraft. There are 20 ARTCCs in the continental U.S.

ASR

Airport Surveillance Radar. Approach control radar used to detect and display an aircraft´s position in the terminal area. ASR provides range and azimuth information but does not provide elevation data. Coverage of the ASR can extend up to 60 miles.

ATC

Air Traffic Control. A service operated by appropriate authority to promote the safe, orderly and expeditious flow of air traffic.

ATCSCC

Air Traffic Control System Command Center

ATCT

Airport Traffic Control Tower. A terminal facility that uses air/ground communications, visual signaling, and other devices to provide ATC services to aircraft operating in the vicinity of an airport or on the movement area. Authorizes aircraft to land or takeoff at the airport controlled by the tower or to transit the Class D airspace area regardless of flight plan or weather conditions (IFR or VFR). A tower may also provide approach control services (radar or nonradar).