Aviation Glossary

A small gas turbine engine in the aircraft tail that provides electrical power a...

A continuous broadcast of recorded airport information including weather, active...

Over-reliance on automated systems leading to reduced pilot monitoring and degra...

Airline Transport Pilot Certification Training Program required before taking th...

The runway length required to accelerate to V1 and then bring the aircraft to a ...

The tendency of the atmosphere to resist or enhance vertical motion. Stable air ...

The rate at which a parcel of air changes temperature as it rises or descends wi...

A principle stating that as the velocity of a fluid increases, its static pressu...

The runway length where the accelerate-stop distance equals the accelerate-go di...

The point at which an aircraft would balance if suspended. CG position affects s...

The curvature of an airfoil, specifically the asymmetry between the upper and lo...

Flight in which the ball in the slip-skid indicator is centered, meaning there i...

The height above ground level of the lowest broken or overcast cloud layer. Ceil...

Turbulence in cloud-free conditions, typically found near the jet stream and at ...

The intended direction of flight measured in degrees from north. The course may ...

A disruption of normal airflow through the engine compressor causing a stall of ...

Ice formation in the carburetor venturi and throttle body caused by fuel evapora...

A text-based communication system between ATC and pilots using data link instead...

A crash-protected device recording cockpit audio including crew conversations, r...

The engine whose failure would most adversely affect aircraft performance and ha...

A mode where engine igniters remain continuously energized to provide automatic ...

The fix, point, or route to which an aircraft is cleared by ATC. If the clearanc...

Regulations limiting the number of hours a pilot can fly and requiring minimum r...

A takeoff using less than maximum engine thrust to reduce engine wear, noise, an...

A curved instrument approach segment flown at a constant DME distance from a VOR...

A controlled emergency landing on water. Proper technique involves landing paral...

The movable surface on the horizontal stabilizer that controls pitch. Deflecting...

The maximum time an aircraft can remain airborne with a given fuel load. Maximum...

A gauge measuring the temperature of exhaust gases leaving the engine. EGT is us...

An altimeter that provides digitized altitude information to the transponder for...

Flight procedures with one engine inoperative in a multi-engine aircraft. Critic...

A series of events or errors that combine to cause an accident. Breaking any sin...

A hinged surface on the trailing edge of the wing that increases both lift and d...

A cloud at ground level that reduces visibility below 1 kilometer. Types include...

A computerized system that manages all aspects of engine performance. FADEC auto...

A geographical position determined by visual reference, by one or more radio nav...

A crash-protected device that records aircraft parameters including altitude, ai...

A flight for the purpose of repositioning an aircraft or delivering it to a new ...

The ratio of horizontal distance traveled to altitude lost in unpowered flight. ...

The vertical guidance component of an ILS providing a descent path typically set...

A satellite-based navigation system providing precise three-dimensional position...

The shortest distance between two points on the surface of a sphere. Long-haul f...

The international emergency frequency 121.5 MHz that all ATC facilities and many...

A deadly vestibular illusion where a pilot in a gradual bank does not sense the ...

An accelerometer measuring load factor in G units. Shows current, maximum positi...

A long-range radio communication system using frequencies between 2 and 30 MHz f...

Temperature measured between the high-pressure and low-pressure turbine stages. ...

A point defined by the crossing of two VOR radials, a VOR radial and a DME dista...

GPS-based lateral guidance for non-precision approaches. LNAV approaches use a m...

An ATC instruction authorizing an aircraft to taxi onto the runway and hold in t...

An electronic display showing navigation, weather, engine, traffic, and terrain ...

The lowest altitude providing at least 1000 feet of obstacle clearance within a ...

The lowest altitude at which ATC may issue radar vectors providing 1000 feet (20...

Permanent hearing damage from prolonged exposure to high noise levels in the coc...

The weight of the aircraft including crew, fluids, and standard equipment but ex...

A landing at a weight exceeding the maximum certificated landing weight. May be ...

Asymmetric propeller thrust that causes yaw, most noticeable at high power and h...

The indicated altitude when the altimeter is set to 29.92 inHg (1013.25 hPa). Us...

A weather observation made by a pilot during flight, reporting actual conditions...

An ICAO framework replacing sensor-specific navigation requirements with perform...

The international urgency call indicating a condition concerning the safety of t...

Airport lighting activated by radio transmissions on the CTAF frequency. Typical...

A sudden physical or mental inability of a pilot to perform duties. Can be subtl...

A course reversal maneuver used to establish an aircraft on an inbound approach ...

The direction of airflow relative to the aircraft, which is equal and opposite t...

The range over which the pilot of an aircraft on the runway centerline can see t...

The ratio of actual water vapor in the air to the maximum amount it could hold a...

The decision to abort a takeoff and bring the aircraft to a stop on the remainin...

The pilot repetition of an ATC clearance or instruction to confirm correct recep...

Sudden loss of cabin pressure due to structural failure or door seal breach at a...

An aerodynamic condition where the critical angle of attack is exceeded and the ...

The procedure to recover from a spin, typically involving: power idle, ailerons ...

An uncoordinated flight condition where the aircraft moves sideways toward the i...

A wing design where the leading edge is angled backward, delaying the onset of c...

Significant Meteorological Information advisory issued for hazardous weather phe...

A four-digit octal code set on the aircraft transponder for ATC identification. ...

An ATC authorization for VFR aircraft to operate within surface-based controlled...

An approach where the aircraft is in the proper landing configuration, on the co...

A published arrival procedure routing traffic from the enroute environment to an...

James Reason accident causation model where multiple defensive layers (like slic...

The maximum loads an aircraft structure is designed to withstand. Normal categor...

A specific departure time assigned to an aircraft by ATC flow control to manage ...

The transponder code indicating communication failure. When a pilot loses radio ...

Backup flight instruments providing essential data when primary systems fail. Ty...

The rate at which air temperature decreases with altitude. The standard lapse ra...

The time from loss of oxygen supply until a person can no longer take corrective...

The first 3000 feet of the runway or the first third of the runway, whichever is...

The actual height above mean sea level. True altitude is what the altimeter shou...

A narrowing of attention focus that causes a pilot to fixate on one task or inst...

The never-exceed speed, indicated by a red line on the airspeed indicator. Excee...

Rotation speed during takeoff at which the pilot applies back pressure to raise ...

Takeoff safety speed that must be attained by 35 feet above the runway. The mini...

Reference landing speed, typically 1.3 times VS0 for the landing weight and conf...

A system of lights beside the runway indicating approach angle. Two-bar VASI sho...

An airborne radar system that detects precipitation and turbulence ahead of the ...

The continued rotation of a failed engine propeller or fan driven by airflow. Wi...

A preflight consultation of current and forecast weather conditions obtained fro...