A Glossary Of Flying Terms

A complete glossary of all aviation terms is beyond the remit of this site. However you will find here all of the aviation terms you are likely to encounter as you start to fly.

AFISO

Aerodrome Flight Information Service Operator. A type of air traffic controller who is authorised to give information but not instruction

Aileron

Fixed to the wing tip, this moving aerofoil is there to allow the areoplane to turn left or right.

Altimeter

An aneroid barometer instrument calibrated to indicate height above a given datum. Can be set to give height above ground, altitude (height above sea level) or a flight level in accordance with the International standard pressure setting.

Altitude

Height of Aircraft above sea level - this is not the same as height above the ground!

Angle of Attack

Angle between the chord line of an aerofoil and the relative airstream

AOPA

Aircraft Owners & Pilot's Association

Apron

An area of the aerodrome designed to facilitate the safe movements of aircraft on the ground

Artificial Horizon

The master instrument, operated by gyroscope to give the pilot information about aircraft attitude - essential when flying in poor visibility or at night.

ASI

Airspeed Indicator

ATC

Air Traffic Control

ATCO

Air Traffic Controller

ATPL

Air Transport Pilot's Licence

C of A

Certificate of Airworthiness (refers to the aircraft not the pilot!)

CAA

Civil Aviation Authority

Camber

The curvature of the surface of an aerofoil that causes lift

Centre of Gravity

The point in the aircraft through which the sum of the weights of the parts which make up the aircraft may be assumed to pass whatever the attitude of the aircraft. This will become very important when you start making calculations to carry passengers.

CFI

Chief Flying Instructor

Control Column

May be yoke or stick type, operates the ailerons and elevator

CPL

Commercial Pilot's Licence

Drag

The total resistance of an aeroplane along its line of flight

Drift

The movement of an aeroplane in a horizontal plane through the influence of a cross-wind

Dual

Flight and flight time recorded when under instruction

E. 1

Flight Engineer

Elevator

Control surface hinged to the trailing edge of the tailplane to provide longitudinal control. Movement of the tail plane causes the aircraft to climb or descend

FI

Flying Instructor

Fix

The point of intersection of two position lines drawn on a map to determine the location of an aeroplane

Flap

A hinged surface, usually at the trailing edge of a wing, used to increase the lift of a wing at slow speeds, to steepen the glide and to act as an air brake during the approach and landing

Flare

The action of "holding the aircraft off", to reduce the descent rate, during landing

GFT

General Flight Test

Great Circle

The shortest line joining two points on the earth's surface

Ground Speed

The speed of an aeroplane relative to the earth's surface

IAS

The airspeed as shown by an airspeed indicator

IATA

International Air Traffic Association

ICAN

International Commission for Air Navigation

IFR

Instrument Flight Rules

ILS

Instrument Landing System

IMC

Instrument Meteorological Conditions

Induced Drag

Wing drag associated with lift

International Standard Atmosphere

An imaginary atmosphere that assumes at mean sea level a temperature of 15° C and a pressure of 1,013·2 millibars, and a fall in temperature of 6·5°C per 1,000m of increased height from sea level up to 11,000m, above which height the temperature is assumed constant at 56·5°C

IR

Instrument Rating

Isotherm

A line on a weather map drawn through points of equal temperature

JAA

Joint Aviation Authority

JAR

Joint Aviation Requirements

Katabatic Wind

A local wind produced by the downward motion of cold air off high ground

Knot

A nautical unit of speed being equal to one nautical mile (6,080ft) per hour

Laminar Flow

Airflow free of turbulence

Landing

The act of bringing an aeroplane under full control into contact with the ground

Landing Run

The distance between the first point of contact with the ground and the point at which the aeroplane comes to rest

Lateral Axis

Straight line through the centre of gravity that runs parallel with the line that would run from wing tip to wing tip

Leading Edge

The forward edge of a streamline body or aerofoil

Lift

The component in a vertical, upward direction in straight and level flight of the resultant force created by the relative wind acting on the lifting surfaces of an aeroplane

Longitudinal Axis

Straight line through the centre of gravity that runs parallel with the line that would run from nose to tail

Magnetic Course

The angle (measured in a clockwise direction) between the course of an aeroplane and Magnetic North

Magnetic Track Angle

The angle (measured in a clockwise direction) between the track of an aeroplane and Magnetic North

MET

Meteorological information (weather reports)

Monocoque

A method of construction in which the skin carries the whole or the greater part of the main loads. Most modern training aircraft are of a monocoque design

N. 1

Navigator responsible for the navigation of the aircraft

N. 2

Navigator acting under the supervision of the Pilot in Command

N. U/T

Navigator under training

NATS

National Air Traffic Service

Navigation Light

Identifying lights on an aircraft can be used to identify the presence of an aircraft and its direction of movement, especially at night. A complete set of navigation lights comprise a red light on the port wingtip, a green light on the starboard wingtip and a white light at the tail

NDB

Non Directional Beacon

NFT

Navigation Flight Test

NOTAM

Notice to Airmen

NPPL

National Private Pilot's Licence

P. 1

Pilot in Command

P. 1/S

Pilot in Command Under supervision

P. 2

Second Pilot exercising the privileges of his licence as a required member of the operating crew

P. U/U

Student Pilot; Pilot under training

Pitch

The angle by which the nose of an aircraft is inclined up or down from the horizontal

Pitot Tube

A tube with an open end, exposed to the airstream. This is part of an airspeed indicator.

Port

The left side (looking forward) of the aircraft.

PPL

Private Pilot's Licence

PPR

Prior Permission Required

Profile Drag

Sum of the drag caused by surface friction and pressure

QDM

Request magnetic heading to steer towards…..with no wind

QDR

Request magnetic bearing from

QFE

Setting on the subscale of the altimeter so that the instrument shows height above the reference elevation being used

QNE

The indicated reading on an altimeter when the subscale is set to 1013.2

QNH

Setting on the subscale of the altimeter so that the instrument shows elevation or altitude above sea level

QTE

True great circle bearing to an aircraft from a station

R/T

Radio Telephony

Rudder

Normally hinged to the fin, this vertical moving surface is for directional management and blance of the aircraft.

Rwy

Runway

SATCO

Senior Air Traffic Controller

Solo

Flight and Flight time recorded when unaccompanied by a supervising pilot

Squawk

Transmit via Transponder

Stall

This is nothing to do with the engine! The wing of an aeroplane is said to stall when the smooth flow over the top surface breaks down and degenerates into turbulence. The amount of lift generated suddenly drops as does the wing. It is essential that pilot's learn how to recover from a spin.

Starboard

Right-hand side of an aeroplane when looking forward.

T. 1

Licensed Radiotelephony operator

T. U/T

Radiotelephony operator under training

Tab

Usuallyy set in the trailing edge of a control surface, a tab is a small hunged flap that is used to regulate the control surface. This regulation helps ensure the plane is properly trimmed when the controls are centralised.

Tailplane

The horizontal, fixed tail surface of a plane

Take off

The movement of aircraft from a position of rest to the moment they are airborne

TAS

The speed of an aeroplane through the air in which it is flying

Thr

Threshold

TODA

Take of distance available

TORA

Take Off Run Available

Track

A course followed across the surface of the earth by the centre of gravity of an aeroplane. This is not always the course set. The track is influenced by wind and pilot error.

Transponder

Radio Signal Transmitter

Turn Indicator

This orientation instrument registers the variation of the route of a plane to right or left.

VFR

Visual Flight Rules

Visibility

The distance at which objects may be clearly seen