Aeronautical Terms
Aeronautical Information Services
A facility in Silver Spring, MD, established by FAA to operate a central aeronautical information service for the collection, validation, and dissemination of aeronautical data in support of the activities of government, industry, and the aviation community. The information is published in the National Flight Data Digest.
AFSS
Automated Flight Service Station
AGL
Above Ground Level
AHRS
Attitude Heading Reference System
AIM
Aeronautical Information Manual
AIRMET
Airmen’s Meteorological Information
AIS
Aeronautical Information Services
ALD
Available Landing Distance
ALS
Approach Light Systems
AMSL
Above Mean Sea Level
ANP
Actual Navigation Performance
AOCC
Airline Operations Control Center
AP
Autopilot System
APV
Approach with Vertical Guidance
ARENA
Areas Noted for Attention
ARFF IC
Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting Incident Commander
ARINC
Aeronautical Radio Incorporated
ARO
Airport Reservations Office
ARSA
Airport Radar Service Area
ARSR
Air Route Surveillance Radar
ARTCC
Air Route Traffic Control Center
ARTS
Automated Radar Terminal System
ASDE-X
Airport Surface Detection Equipment - Model X
ASOS
Automated Surface Observing System
ASR
Airport Surveillance Radar
ASRS
Aviation Safety Reporting System
ATC
Air Traffic Control
ATCRBS
Air Traffic Control Radar Beacon System
ATCSCC
Air Traffic Control System Command Center
ATCT
Airport Traffic Control Tower
ATD
Along-Track Distance
ATIS
Automatic Terminal Information Service
ATT
Attitude Retention System
AWC
Aviation Weather Center
AWOS
Automated Weather Observing System
AWSS
Automated Weather Sensor System
AWTT
Aviation Weather Technology Transfer
AWW
Severe Weather Forecast Alert
BAASS
Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies
BBS
Bulletin Board System
BC
Back Course
BECMG
Becoming group
C/A
Coarse Acquisition
CARTS
Common Automated Radar Terminal System (ARTS) (to include ARTS IIIE and ARTS IIE)
CAT
Clear Air Turbulence
CD
Controller Display
CDI
Course Deviation Indicator
CDR
Coded Departure Route
CERAP
Combined Center/RAPCON
CFA
Controlled Firing Area
CFIT
Controlled Flight into Terrain
CFR
Code of Federal Regulations
COA
Certificate of Waiver or Authorization
CPDLC
Controller Pilot Data Link Communications
CTAF
Common Traffic Advisory Frequency
CVFP
Charted Visual Flight Procedure
CVRS
Computerized Voice Reservation System
CWA
Center Weather Advisory
CWSU
Center Weather Service Unit
DA
Decision Altitude
DCA
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
DCP
Data Collection Package
DER
Departure End of Runway
DF
Direction Finder
DH
Decision Height
DME
Distance Measuring Equipment
DME/N
Standard DME
DME/P
Precision DME
DOD
Department of Defense
DP
Instrument Departure Procedure
DPU
Data Processor Unit
DRT
Diversion Recovery Tool
DRVSM
Domestic Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum
DUATS
Direct User Access Terminal System (shut down May 16, 2018).
DVA
Diverse Vector Area
DVFR
Defense Visual Flight Rules
DVRSN
Diversion
EDCT
Expect Departure Clearance Time
EFAS
En Route Flight Advisory Service
EFV
Enhanced Flight Visibility
EFVS
Enhanced Flight Visibility System
ELT
Emergency Locator Transmitter
EMAS
Engineered Materials Arresting System
EPE
Estimate of Position Error
ESV
Expanded Service Volume
ETA
Estimated Time of Arrival
ETD
Estimated Time of Departure
ETE
Estimated Time En Route
EWINS
Enhanced Weather Information System
EWR
Newark International Airport
FA
Area Forecast (Discontinued, replaced by Graphical Forecasts for Aviation)
FAA
Federal Aviation Administration
FAF
Final Approach Fix
FAROS
Final Approach Runway Occupancy Signal
FAWP
Final Approach Waypoint
FB
Fly-by
FCC
Federal Communications Commission
FD
Flight Director System
FDC
Flight Data Center
FDE
Fault Detection and Exclusion
FIR
Flight Information Region
FIS
Flight Information Service
FISDL
Flight Information Services Data Link
FLIP
Flight Information Publication
FMS
Flight Management System
FMSP
Flight Management System Procedure
FO
Fly-over
FPA
Flight Path Angle
FPNM
Feet Per Nautical Mile
FPV
Flight Path Vector
FSDO
Flight Standards District Office
FSS
Flight Service Station
GBAS
Ground Based Augmentation System
GEO
Geostationary Satellite
GLS
GNSS Landing System
GNSS
Global Navigation Satellite System
GNSSP
Global Navigation Satellite System Panel
GPS
Global Positioning System
GRI
Group Repetition Interval
GSD
Geographical Situation Display
GUS
Ground Uplink Station
HAT
Height Above Touchdown
HDTA
High Density Traffic Airports
HEMS
Helicopter Emergency Medical Services
HIRL
High Intensity Runway Lights
HIWAS
Hazardous Inflight Weather Advisory Service. Discontinued on January 8, 2020.
HRR
Helicopter Rapid Refueling Procedures
HUD
Head-Up Display
Hz
Hertz
IAF
Initial Approach Fix
IAP
Instrument Approach Procedure
IAS
Indicated Air Speed
IAWP
Initial Approach Waypoint
ICAO
International Civil Aviation Organization
IF
Intermediate Fix
IFIM
International Flight Information Manual
IFR
Instrument Flight Rules
ILS
Instrument Landing System
ILS/PRM
Instrument Landing System/Precision Runway Monitor
IM
Inner Marker
IMC
Instrument Meteorological Conditions
INS
Inertial Navigation System
IOC
Initial Operational Capability
IR
IFR Military Training Route
IRU
Inertial Reference Unit
ITWS
Integrated Terminal Weather System
JFK
John F. Kennedy International Airport
kHz
Kilohertz
LAA
Local Airport Advisory
LAAS
Local Area Augmentation System
LAHSO
Land and Hold Short Operations
LAWRS
Limited Aviation Weather Reporting Station
LDA
Localizer Type Directional Aid
LDA/PRM
Localizer Type Directional Aid/Precision Runway Monitor
LGA
LaGuardia Airport
LIRL
Low Intensity Runway Lights
LLWAS
Low Level Wind Shear Alert System
LLWAS NE
Low Level Wind Shear Alert System Network Expansion
LLWAS-RS
Low Level Wind Shear Alert System Relocation/Sustainment
LNAV
Lateral Navigation
LOC
Localizer
LOP
Line-of-position
LORAN
Long Range Navigation System [Decommissioned in 2010]
LP
Localizer Performance
LPV
Localizer Performance with Vertical Guidance
LUAW
Line Up and Wait
LZ
Landing Zone
MAHWP
Missed Approach Holding Waypoint
MAP
Missed Approach Point
MAWP
Missed Approach Waypoint
MDA
Minimum Descent Altitude
MEA
Minimum En Route Altitude
MEARTS
Micro En Route Automated Radar Tracking System
METAR
Aviation Routine Weather Report
MHz
Megahertz
MIRL
Medium Intensity Runway Lights
MLS
Microwave Landing System
MM
Middle Marker
MOA
Military Operations Area
MOCA
Minimum Obstruction Clearance Altitude
MRA
Minimum Reception Altitude
MRB
Magnetic Reference Bearing
MSA
Minimum Safe Altitude
MSAW
Minimum Safe Altitude Warning
MSL
Mean Sea Level
MTI
Moving Target Indicator
MTOS
Mountain Obscuration
MTR
Military Training Route
MVA
Minimum Vectoring Altitude
MWA
Mountain Wave Activity
MWO
Meteorological Watch Office
NACO
National Aeronautical Charting Office
NAS
National Airspace System
NASA
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NAVAID
Navigational Aid
NAVCEN
Coast Guard Navigation Center
NCWF
National Convective Weather Forecast
NDB
Nondirectional Radio Beacon
NEXRAD
Next Generation Weather Radar
NFDC
National Flight Data Center
NGA
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
NM
Nautical Mile
NMAC
Near Midair Collision
NOAA
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NOPAC
North Pacific
NoPT
No Procedure Turn Required
NOTAM
Notice to Airmen
NPA
Nonprecision Approach
NRS
Navigation Reference System
NSA
National Security Area
NSW
No Significant Weather
NTAP
Notices to Airmen Publication
NTSB
National Transportation Safety Board
NTZ
No Transgression Zone
NWS
National Weather Service
OAT
Outside Air Temperature
OBS
Omni-bearing Selector
ODP
Obstacle Departure Procedure
OIS
Operational Information System
OM
Outer Marker
ORD
Chicago O’Hare International Airport
P/CG
Pilot/Controller Glossary
PA
Precision Approach
PAPI
Precision Approach Path Indicator
PAR
Precision Approach Radar
PC
Personal Computer
PDC
Pre-departure Clearance
PFD
Personal Flotation Device
PinS
Point-in-Space
PIREP
Pilot Weather Report
POB
Persons on Board
POFZ
Precision Obstacle Free Zone
POI
Principal Operations Inspector
PPS
Precise Positioning Service
PRM
Precision Runway Monitor
PT
Procedure Turn
QICP
Qualified Internet Communications Provider
RA
Resolution Advisory
RAA
Remote Advisory Airport
RAIM
Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring
RAIS
Remote Airport Information Service
RBDT
Ribbon Display Terminals
RCAG
Remote Center Air/Ground
RCC
Rescue Coordination Center
RCLS
Runway Centerline Lighting System
RCO
Remote Communications Outlet
RD
Rotor Diameter
REIL
Runway End Identifier Lights
REL
Runway Entrance Lights
RFM
Rotorcraft Flight Manual
RIL
Runway Intersection Lights
RLIM
Runway Light Intensity Monitor
RMI
Radio Magnetic Indicator
RNAV
Area Navigation
RNP
Required Navigation Performance
ROC
Required Obstacle Clearance
RPAT
RNP Parallel Approach Runway Transitions
RVR
Runway Visual Range
RVSM
Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum
RWSL
Runway Status Light
SAAAR
Special Aircraft and Aircrew Authorization Required
SAM
System Area Monitor
SAR
Search and Rescue
SAS
Stability Augmentation System
SBAS
Satellite-based Augmentation System
SCAT-1 DGPS
Special Category I Differential GPS
SDF
Simplified Directional Facility
SFL
Sequenced Flashing Lights
SFR
Special Flight Rules
SIAP
Standard Instrument Approach Procedure
SID
Standard Instrument Departure
SIGMET
Significant Meteorological Information
SM
Statute Mile
SMGCS
Surface Movement Guidance Control System
SNR
Signal-to-noise Ratio
SOIA
Simultaneous Offset Instrument Approaches
SOP
Standard Operating Procedure
SPC
Storm Prediction Center
SPS
Standard Positioning Service
STAR
Standard Terminal Arrival
STARS
Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System
STMP
Special Traffic Management Program
SWSL
Supplemental Weather Service Locations
TA
Traffic Advisory
TAA
Terminal Arrival Area
TAC
Terminal Area Chart
TACAN
Tactical Air Navigation
TAF
Aerodrome Forecast
TAS
True Air Speed
TCAS
Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System
TCH
Threshold Crossing Height
TD
Time Difference
TDLS
Tower Data Link System
TDWR
Terminal Doppler Weather Radar
TDZ
Touchdown Zone
TDZE
Touchdown Zone Elevation
TDZL
Touchdown Zone Lights
TEC
Tower En Route Control
THL
Takeoff Hold Lights
TIBS
Telephone Information Briefing Service - Discontinued in the CONUS in September 2018 and in Alaska on Jan 1, 2020.
TIS
Traffic Information Service
TIS-B
Traffic Information Service-Broadcast
TLS
Transponder Landing System
TPP
Terminal Procedures Publications
TRSA
Terminal Radar Service Area
TSO
Technical Standard Order
TWEB
Transcribed Weather Broadcast - Discontinued in the CONUS in September 2018 and in Alaska on Jan 1, 2020.
TWIB
Terminal Weather Information for Pilots System
U.S.
United States
UA
Unmanned Aircraft
UAS
Unmanned Aircraft System
UAV
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
UFO
Unidentified Flying Object
UHF
Ultrahigh Frequency
USCG
United States Coast Guard
UTC
Coordinated Universal Time
UWS
Urgent Weather SIGMET
VAR
Volcanic Activity Reporting
VASI
Visual Approach Slope Indicator
VCOA
Visual Climb Over the Airport
VDA
Vertical Descent Angle
VDP
Visual Descent Point
Vei
Instrument flight never exceed speed, utilized instead of Vne for compliance with maximum limit speed requirements for instrument flight
VFR
Visual Flight Rules
VGSI
Visual Glide Slope Indicator
VHF
Very High Frequency
VIP
Video Integrator Processor
VMC
Visual Meteorological Conditions
Vmini
Instrument flight minimum speed, utilized in complying with minimum limit speed requirements for instrument flight
VNAV
Vertical Navigation
Vne
Never exceed speed
VOR
Very High Frequency Omni-directional Range
VORTAC
VHF Omni-directional Range/Tactical Air Navigation
VOT
VOR Test Facility
VR
VFR Military Training Route
Vref
The reference landing approach speed, usually about 1.3 times Vso plus 50 percent of the wind gust speed in excess of the mean wind speed.
Vso
The stalling speed or the minimum steady flight speed in the landing configuration at maximum weight.
VTF
Vector to Final
VV
Vertical Visibility
VVI
Vertical Velocity Indicator
Vy
Speed for best rate of climb
Vyi
Instrument climb speed, utilized instead of Vy for compliance with the climb requirements for instrument flight
WA
AIRMET
WAAS
Wide Area Augmentation System
WAC
World Aeronautical Chart Discontinued on June 25, 2015
WFO
Weather Forecast Office
WGS-84
World Geodetic System of 1984
WMO
World Meteorological Organization
WMS
Wide-Area Master Station
WMSC
Weather Message Switching Center
WMSCR
Weather Message Switching Center Replacement
WP
Waypoint
WRS
Wide-Area Ground Reference Station
WS
SIGMET
WSO
Weather Service Office
WSP
Weather System Processor
WST
Convective Significant Meteorological Information
Copyright © 2002-2026 Touring Machine Company. All Rights Reserved.