Aeronautical Terms beginning with A
ACAR
Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System
ACARS
Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System
Accelerate-Go Distance
The distance required to accelerate to V1 with all engines at takeoff power, experience an engine failure at V1, and continue the takeoff on the remaining engine(s). The runway required includes the distance required to climb to 35 feet by which time V2 speed must be attained.
Accelerate-Stop Distance
The distance required to accelerate to V1 with all engines at takeoff power, experience an engine failure at V1, and abort the takeoff and bring the airplane to a stop using braking action only (use of thrust reversing is not considered).
Accelerate-Stop Distance Available
The runway plus stopway length declared available and suitable for the acceleration and deceleration of an airplane aborting a takeoff.
Accelerate-Stop Distance Available [ICAO]
The length of the take-off run available plus the length of the stopway if provided.
Accelerometer
A part of an inertial navigation system (INS) that accurately measures the force of acceleration in one direction.
ACLS
Automatic Carrier Landing System
Actual Calculated Landing Time
ACLT is a flight’s frozen calculated landing time. An actual time determined at freeze calculated landing time (FCLT) or meter list display interval (MLDI) for the adapted vertex for each arrival aircraft based upon runway configuration, airport acceptance rate, airport arrival delay period, and other metered arrival aircraft. This time is either the vertex time of arrival (VTA) of the aircraft or the tentative calculated landing time (TCLT)/ACLT of the previous aircraft plus the arrival aircraft interval (AAI), whichever is later. This time will not be updated in response to the aircraft’s progress.
Actual Navigation Performance (ANP)
A measure of the current estimated navigational performance. Also referred to as Estimated Position Error (EPE).
AFCS
Automatic Flight Control System
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.
Air Carrier District Office
An FAA field office serving an assigned geographical area, staffed with Flight Standards personnel serving the aviation industry and the general public on matters related to the certification and operation of scheduled air carriers and other large aircraft operations.
Air data computer (ADC)
An aircraft computer that receives and processes pitot pressure, static pressure, and temperature to calculate very precise altitude, indicated airspeed, true airspeed, and air temperature.
Airport Arrival Rate (AAR)
A dynamic input parameter specifying the number of arriving aircraft which an airport or airspace can accept from the ARTCC per hour. The AAR is used to calculate the desired interval between successive arrival aircraft.
Airport Departure Rate (ADR)
A dynamic parameter specifying the number of aircraft which can depart an airport and the airspace can accept per hour.
Airport Reservation Office
Office responsible for monitoring the operation of slot controlled airports. It receives and processes requests for unscheduled operations at slot controlled airports.
Alpha Mode Of Operation
The operation of a turboprop engine that includes all of the flight operations, from takeoff to landing. Alpha operation is typically between 95 percent to 100 percent of the engine operating speed.
Altitude engine
A reciprocating aircraft engine having a rated takeoff power that is producible from sea level to an established higher altitude.
AOCC
Airline Operations Control Center
APC
Auxiliary Performance Computer
Appropriate Authority
A. Regarding flight over the high seas: the relevant authority is the State of Registry.
B. Regarding flight over other than the high seas: the relevant authority is the State having sovereignty over the territory being overflown.
APU
Auxiliary Power Unit.
Arrival Aircraft Interval
An internally generated program in hundredths of minutes based upon the AAR. AAI is the desired optimum interval between successive arrival aircraft over the vertex.
Arrival Center
The ARTCC having jurisdiction for the impacted airport.
Arrival Delay
A parameter which specifies a period of time in which no aircraft will be metered for arrival at the specified airport.
ATC Preferred Route Notification
URET notification to the appropriate controller of the need to determine if an ATC preferred route needs to be applied, based on destination airport.
Attitude and heading reference system (AHRS)
A system composed of three-axis sensors that provide heading, attitude, and yaw information for aircraft. AHRS are designed to replace traditional mechanical gyroscopic flight instruments and provide superior reliability and accuracy.
Attitude director indicator (ADI)
An aircraft attitude indicator that incorporates flight command bars to provide pitch and roll commands.
Axial Flow Compressor
A type of compressor used in a turbine engine in which the airflow through the compressor is essentially linear. An axial-flow compressor is made up of several stages of alternate rotors and stators. The compressor ratio is determined by the decrease in area of the succeeding stages.
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