Aeronautical Terms beginning with S
SAAAR
Special Aircraft and Aircrew Authorization Required
SCAT-1 DGPS
Special Category I Differential GPS
Scheduled Time Of Arrival (STA)
A STA is the desired time that an aircraft should cross a certain point (landing or metering fix). It takes other traffic and airspace configuration into account. A STA time shows the results of the TMA scheduler that has calculated an arrival time according to parameters such as optimized spacing, aircraft performance, and weather.
Second in command
A pilot who is designated to be second in command of an aircraft during flight time.
Shaft Horse Power (SHP)
Turboshaft engines are rated in shaft horsepower and calculated by use of a dynamometer device. Shaft horsepower is exhaust thrust converted to a rotating shaft.
SHF
Super High Frequency
Shock Waves
A compression wave formed when a body moves through the air at a speed greater than the speed of sound.
Simulated Flameout
A practice approach by a jet aircraft (normally military) at idle thrust to a runway. The approach may start at a runway (high key) and may continue on a relatively high and wide downwind leg with a continuous turn to final. It terminates in landing or low approach. The purpose of this approach is to simulate a flameout.
Single Engine Absolute Ceiling
The altitude that a twin-engine airplane can no longer climb with one engine inoperative.
Speed Adjustment
An ATC procedure used to request pilots to adjust aircraft speed to a specific value for the purpose of providing desired spacing. Pilots are expected to maintain a speed of plus or minus 10 knots or 0.02 Mach number of the specified speed. Examples of speed adjustments are: a. “Increase/reduce speed to Mach point (number.)” b. “Increase/reduce speed to (speed in knots)” or “Increase/reduce speed (number of knots) knots.”
Spool
A shaft in a turbine engine which drives one or more compressors with the power derived from one or more turbines.
Staging/Queuing
The placement, integration, and segregation of departure aircraft in designated movement areas of an airport by departure fix, EDCT, and/or restriction.
Standardized Taxi Routes
Coded taxi routes that follow typical taxiway traffic patterns to move aircraft between gates and runways. ATC issues clearances using these coded routes to reduce radio communication and eliminate taxi instruction misinterpretation.
Stick Puller
A device that applies aft pressure on the control column when the airplane is approaching the maximum operating speed.
Stick Pusher
A device that applies an abrupt and large forward force on the control column when the airplane is nearing an angle of attack where a stall could occur.
Stick Shaker
An artificial stall warning device that vibrates the control column.
Strain Sensor
A device that converts a physical phenomenon into an electrical signal. Strain sensors in a wheel axle sense the amount the axle deflects and create an electrical signal that is proportional to the force that caused the deflection.
Strapdown system
An INS in which the accelerometers and gyros are permanently “strapped down” or aligned with the three axes of the aircraft.
Super High Frequency
The frequency band between 3 and 30 gigahertz (GHz). The elevation and azimuth stations of the microwave landing system operate from 5031 MHz to 5091 MHz in this spectrum.
Synchro
A device used to transmit indications of angular movement or position from one location to another.
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