Aviation Glossary
Technology / Aviation Glossary
Above Ground Level (AGL): Altitude expressed as feet above the ground or terrain. It is usually set to indicate the airport field elevation during the pre-takeoff checklist.
Absolute Altitude: The measureable height of an aircraft above the actual terrain.
Absolute Ceiling: The maximum altitude above sea level at which an aircraft can maintain level flight under Standard Air conditions.
Accelerated Stall: Any stall made to occur at other than 1g.
Accessory Group: Mechanical and electrical units mounted on an engine necessary for its operation, such as starter, magnetos, fuel pumps, etc.
Adcock Range: National low-frequency radio navigation system (c.1930-c.1950) replaced by an omnirange (VOR) system. It consisted of four segmented quadrants broadcasting Morse Code 'A' (dot-dash) and 'N' . . . View Full Definition
Adiabatic Lapse Rate: The rate at which ascending air cools and descending air warms, given that no heat is added or taken away. The rate for dry air (DALR) is based on 5.4° F per 1000' altitude (1° per 100 meter . . . View Full Definition
Adjustable Stabilizer: a kind of horizontal stabilizer that can be adjusted in flight to trim the airplane, thereby allowing the airplane to fly hands-off at any given airspeed.
Adverse Yaw: Yaw generated when the ailerons are used. The lifting wing generates more drag, causing an airplane to yaw (or turn) toward it.
Aileron: The movable areas of a wingform that control or affect the roll of an aircraft by working opposite one another—up-aileron on the right wing and down-aileron on the left wing. French: aileron . . . View Full Definition
Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ): The area of airspace over land or water, extending upward from the surface, within which the ready identification, the location, and the control of aircraft are required in the interest of n . . . View Full Definition
Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC): 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 e . . . View Full Definition
Air Speed Indicator: An instrument or device that measures the air speed of an aircraft through an air mass, but not its ground speed.
Air Taxi: An aircraft operator who conducts operations for hire or compensation in accordance with FAR Part 135 in an aircraft with 30 or fewer passenger seats and a payload capacity of 7,500# or less . . . View Full Definition
Air Traffic Control (ATC): A service operated by the appropriate authority to promote the safe, orderly, and expeditious flow of air traffic.
Airfoil: The shape of any flying surface, but principally a wing, as seen in side-view ('cross-section'). Its characteristics are Center of Pressure (CP), DRAG (CD), LIFT (CL), Lift-Drag Ratio (L/D), . . . View Full Definition
Airframe: the structure of an aircraft without the powerplant. It is generally considered to consist of five principle units - the fuselage, wings, stabilizers, flight control surfaces, and landing gear.
Airport Traffic Control Tower (ATCT): 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 ar . . . View Full Definition
Airspeed Indicator: An instrument or device that measures the airspeed of an aircraft through an air mass but not its groundspeed.
Alclad: Trademark name of Alcoa for high-strength sheet aluminum clad with a layer (approximately 5.5% thickness per side) of high-purity aluminum, popularly used in airplane manufacture.
Alphabet (Phonetic): Devised for reasons of clarity in aviation voice radio, this is the current NATO version in global use: ALFA, BRAVO, CHARLEY, DELTA, ECHO, FOXTROT, GOLF, HOTEL, INDIA, JULIET, KILO, LIMA, MI . . . View Full Definition
Altimeter: An adjustable aneroid-barometric cockpit instrument used to measure an aircraft's altitude.
Altimeter Setting: A reference setting on the altimeter so that the instrument indicates an accurate altitude.
Amphibian: A SEAPLANE or FLOATPLANE with retractable wheels for use on land, as well. The latter spelling was used in the '20s and '30s but has since fallen out of favor.
Angle Of Attack: The acute angle at which a moving airfoil meets the airstream.
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