- Aileron: A hinged control surface on the wings of an aircraft that controls the roll or banking motion of the aircraft.
- Air Traffic Control (ATC): The ground-based service responsible for directing aircraft movements, providing guidance, and ensuring safe separation of aircraft in controlled airspace.
- Altitude: The vertical distance above a reference point, usually measured in feet or meters.
- Approach: The final phase of a flight where the aircraft descends and aligns with a specific runway for landing.
- Autopilot: An electronic system that automatically controls the aircraft’s flight, including maintaining altitude, heading, and speed.
- Aviation Weather: Weather conditions and forecasts specifically tailored for aviation purposes, including information on visibility, cloud cover, wind speed, and temperature.
- Bank: The angle at which an aircraft is tilted from its normal flight path during a turn.
- Cockpit: The enclosed area of an aircraft where the pilot and co-pilot sit to operate the aircraft’s controls.
- Crosswind: A wind that blows perpendicular to the aircraft’s direction of travel, requiring pilots to compensate during takeoff and landing.
- Glide slope: A radio signal transmitted from the ground that helps pilots maintain the correct vertical descent path during an approach for landing.
- Groundspeed: The actual speed of an aircraft relative to the ground, considering the aircraft’s airspeed and the effects of wind.
- IFR (Instrument Flight Rules): A set of regulations and procedures that govern the operation of aircraft under instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) when relying primarily on instruments for navigation.
- Landing gear: The undercarriage of an aircraft that supports the weight of the aircraft during landing and ground operations.
- Mach number: The ratio of an aircraft’s true airspeed to the speed of sound. Mach 1 is the speed of sound.
- Preflight Inspection: A thorough inspection of an aircraft before each flight to ensure it is in proper working condition and safe to fly.
- Runway: A designated area on an airport for aircraft takeoff and landing.
- Stall: A loss of lift due to exceeding the critical angle of attack, resulting in an abrupt loss of control and a rapid descent.
- Taxi: The movement of an aircraft on the ground under its own power, typically to and from the runway.
- Throttle: The control lever or knob that regulates the engine’s power output.
- VFR (Visual Flight Rules): A set of regulations and procedures that govern the operation of aircraft in visual meteorological conditions (VMC), allowing pilots to navigate by visual reference to the ground and landmarks.
- Wind shear: A sudden change in wind direction or speed over a short distance, which can affect aircraft performance during takeoff or landing.
- Yaw: The side-to-side movement of an aircraft around its vertical axis, controlled by the rudder.
- Zulu Time: Also known as Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), it is a standard time reference used in aviation, allowing for consistent timekeeping across different time zones.
- Airspeed: The speed of an aircraft relative to the air mass in which it is flying.
- Baggage Compartment: A designated area in an aircraft for storing passengers’ luggage and belongings.
- Center of Gravity: The point at which an aircraft’s weight is considered to be concentrated, affecting its stability and maneuverability.
- Clearance: Authorization from air traffic control for an aircraft to proceed under specific conditions, such as takeoff, landing, or change of altitude.
- Deadhead: The transportation of an airline crew member as a passenger to or from their duty location.
- Enroute: The phase of a flight between departure and arrival, usually referring to the portion of the flight conducted at cruising altitude.
- Flaps: Hinged sections on the trailing edge of an aircraft’s wings that can be extended or retracted to change the wing’s shape and increase lift.
- Fuel Capacity: The maximum amount of fuel an aircraft can carry.
- Ground Control: The air traffic control service responsible for directing aircraft movements on the ground, including taxiing, parking, and pushback.
- Holding Pattern: A predetermined racetrack-shaped flight pattern that aircraft may enter and fly while awaiting clearance to land.
- ILS (Instrument Landing System): A ground-based radio navigation system that provides precision guidance to aircraft during the approach and landing phase.
- Jetstream: A high-speed, narrow, and meandering air current in the atmosphere that can affect aircraft speed and fuel efficiency.
- Knot: A unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour, commonly used in aviation.
- Load Factor: The ratio of the load experienced by an aircraft’s structure to the aircraft’s weight.
- Magnetic Compass: An instrument that uses a magnetic needle to indicate the aircraft’s heading relative to magnetic north.
- NOTAM (Notice to Airmen): A notice containing essential information for pilots, including temporary changes or hazards to navigational aids, airspace restrictions, and airport conditions.
- Overhead Bin: Storage compartments located above passenger seats in the cabin for stowing carry-on baggage.
- Pitot Tube: A sensor located on the aircraft’s exterior that measures the dynamic pressure of the airflow, used to determine airspeed.
- Radar: An electronic system that uses radio waves to detect and track objects, including aircraft, for air traffic control and weather monitoring.
- Rudder: A movable control surface on an aircraft’s vertical stabilizer that controls yaw or the aircraft’s left and right movement.
- SID (Standard Instrument Departure): A published departure procedure that provides a standard routing for aircraft departing from a specific airport.
- Terminal Control Area (TCA): A controlled airspace surrounding major airports, typically with defined altitude and communication requirements for aircraft.
- Uncontrolled Airport: An airport that does not have air traffic control services. Pilots communicate with each other using common radio frequencies.
- VFR Corridor: A designated airspace route for visual flight rules aircraft to fly through controlled airspace without requiring a specific clearance.
- Wake Turbulence: Turbulent air currents produced by an aircraft’s wingtip vortices, which can pose a hazard to following aircraft, especially smaller ones.
- X-wind: Abbreviation for crosswind, referring to a wind blowing perpendicular to the aircraft’s direction of travel.
- Yoke: The control column or wheel in the cockpit that pilots use to control the aircraft’s pitch and roll movements.
- Zero Fuel Weight: The total weight of an aircraft, including its structure, systems, crew, passengers, and cargo, but excluding fuel.
- Aerodrome: A term used to
- refer to an airport or airfield, including its runways, taxiways, and associated facilities.
- Ballast: Additional weight carried in an aircraft to maintain proper balance and stability, especially during flight testing or when cargo is not evenly distributed.
- Clearance Delivery: The air traffic control frequency or service responsible for providing initial clearances to aircraft before departure.
- Direct-To: A navigation instruction given to pilots to fly directly to a specific fix, waypoint, or destination without following a predefined route.
- Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT): A device installed in an aircraft that, when activated, transmits a distress signal to aid in locating the aircraft in case of an emergency.
- Flight Data Recorder (FDR): A device installed in an aircraft to record various flight parameters and data, often referred to as the “black box.”
- Glide Ratio: The distance an aircraft can travel horizontally for a given change in altitude during unpowered flight.
- Headwind: A wind blowing opposite to the aircraft’s direction of travel, resulting in increased groundspeed and extended flight time.
- Instrument Rating: An additional qualification beyond a private pilot license that allows a pilot to fly an aircraft using only instruments for navigation and guidance.
- Jet Bridge: An enclosed, movable walkway that connects the terminal building to an aircraft’s door, allowing passengers to board and deplane directly from the terminal.
- Mach Trim: An automatic system that adjusts the aircraft’s control surfaces to maintain stable flight at high speeds, accounting for changes in air density.
- NOTOC (Notification to Captain): A document providing information about the location and nature of dangerous goods or hazardous materials being carried on an aircraft.
- Pilots-in-Command (PIC): The pilot responsible for the safe operation and navigation of an aircraft during a flight.
- Runway Incursion: A situation where an unauthorized aircraft, vehicle, or person enters an active runway without proper clearance, posing a collision risk.
- Stall Speed: The minimum airspeed at which an aircraft can maintain level flight before it experiences a stall.
- Tailwind: A wind blowing in the same direction as the aircraft’s travel, resulting in increased groundspeed and potentially reduced flight time.
- Unicom: A non-towered radio frequency used for pilot-to-pilot communications at airports without air traffic control services.
- VMC (Visual Meteorological Conditions): Weather conditions that allow for flight under visual flight rules, characterized by good visibility and clear skies.
- Wake Turbulence Separation: Minimum time or distance required between aircraft to avoid encountering the turbulent wake generated by larger aircraft.
- Yaw Damper: An electronic or hydraulic system that helps stabilize an aircraft’s yawing motion caused by various factors, such as engine torque or wind gusts.
- ZFW (Zero Fuel Weight): The maximum weight of an aircraft excluding fuel, but including passengers, cargo, and other operational items.
- Angle of Attack: The angle between the oncoming airflow and a reference line on the aircraft’s wing, determining its lift characteristics.
- Base Leg: The segment of the traffic pattern flown at a constant altitude and constant distance from the runway, before turning onto the final approach.
- Center of Lift: The point along the wing’s chord line where the total lift force acts, influencing the aircraft’s balance and stability.
- Dead Reckoning: The process of estimating an aircraft’s position by calculating its heading, groundspeed, and elapsed time since the last known position.
- Elevator: The primary control surface on the tail of an aircraft that controls its pitch or nose-up/-down movement.
- FBO (Fixed-Base Operator): A commercial business located at an airport that provides various services, such as fueling, aircraft maintenance, and pilot amenities.
- GPS (Global Positioning System): A satellite-based navigation system that provides precise position information for aircraft navigation.
- Holding Speed: A specific airspeed at which an aircraft is flown while in a holding pattern, usually expressed in knots or nautical miles per hour.