Questions tagged [terminology]
For questions about words, phrases, and definitions that are specific to aviation or used in a different way in aviation. (Questions about standard words, phrases, and abbreviations used by pilots and ATC specifically in radio transmissions should usually use the [phraseology] tag instead.)
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What is the name for the spherical type of attitude indicator that also shows heading?
Is there a special name for the type of attitude indicator or artificial horizon that is more or less a complete sphere and includes lines to show the aircraft heading? I've seen them in the cockpits ...
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Is there a name for change in attitude with respect to time?
I'm in the process of writing a flight-dynamics software program, but I'm not sure what to call the derivatives of the aircraft attitude. If it was in one dimension, they would be the "angular ...
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What is the difference between position and navigation lights on light training aircraft?
What is the difference between position and navigation lights on light training aircraft (or general)? When I search for both, I find the same lights: red on the left, green on the right, and white on ...
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What exactly is the interval and duration of occurrence represented by the acronym TEMPO?
What exactly is the interval and duration of occurrence represented by the acronym TEMPO? When we look at this How to interpret BECMG and TEMPO in TAF? question, we see the following in the answer ...
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What is "negative geometric washout"?
I read that the wing of a hang glider should be tightened with cables so that it has a "negative washout", but I didn't really find anything about what this means
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Why is there a FAF database identifier with the code [FS044] even though it says no FAF and why is there an RNAV fix symbol for that point?
Why is there a FAF database identifier with the code [FS044] even though it says no FAF and why is there an RNAV fix symbol for that point? The code [FS044] means FAF for the approach (What is the ...
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Which values do "PANS-OPS" and "Standard" labels represent in the minimum table seperately? (minimums, circle-to-land values, aircraft categories...)
What is the difference between these two labels and which values do they represent in the minimum table exactly? ("PANS-OPS" and "Standard") What are the values that Standard and ...
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What values will I use for circle-to-land in categories A and B? RVR 1800m or RVR 2200m?
What values will I use for circle-to-land in categories A and B? RVR 1800m or RVR 2200m? And if I am using them, why are the visibility values such as 1500m-1600m determined?
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What is meant by the sentence, "It relates to aircraft handling speeds and circling area development."?
What exactly is meant by the sentence:
It relates to aircraft handling speeds and circling area development.
For which values does the phrase "aircraft handling speeds and circling area ...
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What exactly does the expression "higher straight-in minimums" describe as "higher" relative to which value?
What does the description of note 1 that I marked in the image mean? What exactly does the expression "higher straight-in minimums" describe as "higher" relative to which value? ...
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What is the name of the pedal assembly in an aircraft cockpit?
I'm proofreading a document about rudder control systems and client insists on calling the pedal assembly under the pilot's feet the "rudder". Would this ever be used?
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Should people flying UAVs be called "Operators" or "Pilots"?
I'm wondering if there is any formal/official definition* pertaining to the title given to people controlling Unmanned Aerial Vehicles? Are they "more" correctly titled Operators or Pilots?
*As set ...
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What is meant by "Fox Two"?
Numerous Movies, Video Games, and TV shows featuring fighter pilots depict the pilots calling out "Fox Two" on the radio as they fire a missile.
The transmission (as depicted, I'm not sure ...
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Why is it common to speak of "Concorde" rather than "the Concorde"?
"Suppose you were researching a book on the history of Boeing B-17."
"Suppose you were researching a book on the history of the Boeing B-17."
Which of those sentences sounds more ...
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What is the difference between a spin and an uncontrolled roll in an high speed dive?
A comment I had on another (now deleted) question states that Air china 006 didn't spin. For me it was a spin (unwanted roll due to asymmetrical stall). The comment states it was "it was a slow ...
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What is the origin of the "Pickle" switch for release of ordnance?
I am looking for proper proof of the theory that it is called so due to the Norden sight of the B17, which was said to assist the bomber in putting a bomb into a pickle jar, and hence it stuck.
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(In English) is there a way/shorthand to refer to the minutes part of a plane's landing time? (I.e. omitting the hour)
For example, if a plane lands at 17:34, is it possible (in English) to only report the minutes (34) portion of the time? If so, how?
The reason/context for the question: I'm trying to translate ...
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Does “balls to the wall” mean “full speed ahead” or “full speed ahead and nosedive”?
Full speed ahead: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/balls_to_the_wall
Full speed ahead and nosedive: https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2006/02/why-we-say-balls-to-the-wall.html
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What is the relation between body-frame, body-fixed-frame and vehicle-frame?
When I first came across these three terms, I thought they were all the same. A frame attached to the body of a plane and centered at its center-of-mass with the frame's $\left\{\hat{\mathbf{i}},\hat{\...
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What is the difference between a vertical stabilizer and a rudder?
I saw two questions on locating these surfaces ahead of CG:
Vertical Stabilizer and Rudder
How are these the same or different control surfaces?
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What is the correct terminology for the ICON A5's wing configuration?
The ICON A5 would seem to be a "conventional" (if we stretch the limits of the term) high-wing monoplane.
But what about these things right here:
The protrusions from the hull, circled in ...
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What does "Get a bearing on" mean?
In Top Gun (1986), a flight got hit by a missile:
Airboss: Get a bearing on Hollywood and Wolfman
and launch the rescue helicopter immediately.
What does "Get a bearing on" mean?
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What does "with information Alpha" mean? [duplicate]
In Top Gun Maverick (2022), Lt Pete Maverick speaks on comm:
Lt Pete Maverick: Tower, this is Darkstar. We are taxiing with
information Alpha.
Traffic Controller: Darkstar, you are clear to taxi.
...
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What is the difference between centre of pressure, aerodynamic centre and neutral point?
I have just started learning some aerospace concepts, and I am not able to understand the difference between the three terms centre of pressure, aerodynamic centre and neutral point. What are their ...
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What does "mode-four check" mean?
I heard this line in Top-Gun (1986):
Voodoo 1: Mustang, when you get the chance, can you give me a
mode-four check?
What does "mode-four check" mean?
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What does "Zero for twenty" mean?
In Top Gun (1986), a flight got hit by a missile:
Pilot: I'm hit! I'm hit! We're coming apart! I can't control it! Hold on!
Zero for twenty! We're going down!
What ...
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Jettison and Dump fuel - Do they have separate meanings?
According to the definitions, is there any difference between Jettison and Dump fuel? Does one of them use a different procedure, or they are simply synonyms?
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What is Density Altitude?
I'm trying to get a deep understanding of the term: Density Altitude.
So I have read the explanations in my instruction book, and online articles.
One source explained it differently then the other ...
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Terminology: is the "normal acceleration" (nz) considered to be 1 G, or 0, when an aircraft is at rest on the ground with fuselage horizontal?
This is meant to be a question about terminology, not a request for an explanation of the underlying physics at play.
When an airplane is in constant-speed straight-and-level upright flight with the ...
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How is expected approach time phrased in ATC communications?
For example, does an air traffic controller say the full phrase ("expected approach time XX minutes") or are there other conventions?
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How do pilots refer to an aeronautical/aviation chart in casual terms?
How do you refer casually to an aeronautical chart? For example, in casual conversation between pilots and/or other related personnel, do you say the entire phrase? Or is it just something like "...
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What’s the difference between “Bandit” and “Bogey”
When I was watching Top Gun Maverick, the EWAC called the 2 incoming SU-57s “bandits”, but when Maverick says it he says “bogies incoming“. (Correct me if that isn’t what they said).
So why don’t they ...
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What does "CATs three and four" mean?
I heard this line in Top Gun (1986) film:
Airboss: Ready Willard and Simkin off CATs three and four.
What does "CATs three and four" mean?
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What do air traffic controllers call themselves? Or how are ATCs referred? "Controller"? "ATC"? "Control"?
What do air traffic controllers call themselves? Or how are ATCs referred? Is it "controller"? "ATC"? "Control"? For example, if I wanted to say an airport has a shortage ...
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What would an ATC command telling a pilot to maintain a certain speed until a certain distance from the destination sound like?
For example, instructing an aircraft to maintain a speed of 200 knots until it is 10 nautical miles from the destination / runway threshold?
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Do these sound like plausible ATC communications (specifically in China, if that's relevant)?
Working on a small translation project that involves civil aviation. The setting is a Chinese airport. Same idea as my other question -
Do these seem like plausible radio communication dialogue ...
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Do these phrases sound like actual things that could be said during radio communications between pilots and ATCs?
I'm working on some translations and want to make sure that I'm not making things up with the radio communications.
Here are a few sentences I would appreciate help with. Bold font indicates areas I'm ...
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In the context of aerodynamics, what is a polar?
Many aerodynamics discussions (including several on this site) talk about "polars" without ever explaining what they actually are.
As with any technical term common to a field, once the ...
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Why do "angels" mean MSL, not AGL?
In military aviation, crews will sometimes refer to "angels" meaning MSL altitude. However, one might guess that it is a pronunciation of AGL (AnGeL), above ground level. Did it originally mean AGL ...
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What other quasi-homophones are shunned in aviation, just as "climb" is preferred to "ascend"? [closed]
What other Rhymes does aviation spurn? ascend vs. descend are Quasi-Homophones, because they are stems that share the root -cend from Latin scandere.
What about increase vs. decrease? Again, they ...
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Why do we call moving an aircraft on the ground "taxi"?
We all know what "taxi" means to general public -- a car which carries you from A to B in exchange for your paying a fare.
"Taxi" also means to drive an aircraft on the ground. Why do we call it that?...
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"Selected/commanded," "indicated," what's the third word?
Aviation terminology, in my understanding of it, makes a useful distinction between something being "selected" or "commanded" and "indicated."
For example, if I flip the ...
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What is the difference between Fly-By and Short-Turn?
By all definitions that my team and I have found, fly-by and short-turn (with respect to military unmanned air vehicle waypoint based flight) mean the same thing. Briefly, this allows the pilot to ...
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What does the term "Thru Pax" mean?
I am trying to find the meaning for a group of words used by professionals in the airline industry and this was one of them.
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What is the origin of the term "pax"?
Pax in commercial transport is used as something like persons or passengers, in the context of counting people, e.g. 150 pax onboard.
(Amadeus capture, source)
I observed that in German writers tend ...
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Regarding N1 and N2, what does the "N" stand for?
I initially phrased this question in a comment to another question regarding what N1 and N2 mean, hoping it would be that sort of low-hanging fruit that is easily answerable and not worth a proper ...
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How to "address" a flight plan to additional stations
Airspace around the Swiss village of Davos is restricted as part of the World Economic Forum every year. The amendment to the Austrian AIP instructs pilots who would still like to cross the affected ...
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What is the difference between slice, segment and leg?
I have heard of the terms slice, segment and leg. Since I am a newbie in travel industry, I would like to know and understand the basic differences between the three.
Could someone please explain ...
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Difference between Maintenance planning document(MPD) and Maintenance Manual (AMM)
Could someone explain to a layman, relatively new to Aviation maintenance, the difference between the Maintenance planning document(s) (MPD) and the Maintenance manual (AMM). Is one a subset of the ...
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What is the difference between MOCA and OCA?
Can someone explain me the difference between minimum obstacle clearance altitude and obstacle clearance altitude? I read definitions in Doc 8168 but i don't really see the difference. I would be ...
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