Abbreviations, Initials and meaning

ACC – area Control Center

Area Control Center (ACC), also known as a Center, is a facility responsible for controlling instrument flight rules aircraft en route in a particular volume of airspace (a Flight Information Region) at high altitudes between airport approaches and departures

A Center typically accepts traffic from, and ultimately passes traffic to, the control of a Terminal Control Center or of another Center. Most Centers are operated by the national governments of the countries in which they are located. The general operations of Centers worldwide, and the boundaries of the airspace each Center controls, are governed by the ICAO

ADF – Automatic Direction Finder

An Automatic Direction Finder (ADF) is a marine or aircraft radio-navigation instrument which automatically and continuously displays the relative bearing from the ship or aircraft to a suitable radio station

AIP – Aeronautical Information Publication – פמ"ת

An Aeronautical Information Publication (or AIP) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization as a publication issued by or with the authority of a state and containing aeronautical information of a lasting character essential to air navigation. It is designed to be a manual containing thorough details of regulations, procedures and other information pertinent to flying aircraft in the particular country to which it relates. It is usually issued by or on behalf of the respective civil aviation administration

AIREP - Aircraft Report

An aircraft report (AIREP), colloquially air report, is a message from an in-flight aircraft to a ground station. These reports describe weather conditions in the upper layers of the atmosphere. AIREPs are prepared in conformity with requirements for position and operational and/or meteorological reporting and are also the name for coding of the report, being encoded according to the AFMAN manual 15-124 pages 32-35

An AIREP normally consists of the aircraft's identifier, position (latitude, longitude, and altitude), date and time, flight level, ETA over its next reporting point, destination ETA fuel remaining, and meteorological information. AIREPs are usually reported at intervals of 10 degrees longitude and are used primarily by airline class aircraft (class A) due to the increased tendency of these aircraft to fly at higher altitudes (i.e. better fuel efficiency Contents of routine air-reports

Routine air-reports transmitted by voice or datlink, when ADS is not being applied, shall give informatiorelating to such of the following elements as are necessary focompliance with:

Section 1.— Position information:

1) Aircraft identification

2) Position

3) Time

4) Flight level or altitude

5) Next position and time over

6) Ensuing significant point

Section 2.— Operational information:

7) Estimated time of arrival

8) Endurance

Section 3.— Meteorological information:

9) Air temperature

10) Wind direction

11) Wind speed

12) Turbulence

13) Aircraft icing

14) Clouds

15) Humidity (if available

AIS - Aeronautical Information Service

The aeronautical information service (AIS). The objective of the aeronautical information service is to ensure the flow of information necessary for the safety, regularity and efficiency of international air navigation

The manner in which aeronautical information is gathered and managed is governed by Annex 15 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation (ICAO Annex 15), which defines how an aeronautical information service shall receive and/or originate, collate or assemble, edit, format publish/store and distribute specified aeronautical information/data. The goal is to satisfy the need for uniformity and consistency in the provision of aeronautical information/data that is required for operational use by international civil aviation

ALT – Altitude

Altitude is the elevation of an object from a known level or datum (plural: data). Common data are mean sea level. In aviation, altitude is measured in fee

AMSL – Above Mean Sea Level

The term above mean sea level (AMSL) refers to the elevation (on the ground) or altitude (in the air) of any object, relative to the average sea level datum

Approach – approach control

to come near or nearer to גישה – לאזור מבוקר או שדה תעופה או צלע סופית וכו .

ATC – Air Traffic Control

Air traffic control (ATC) is a service provided by ground-based controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and in the air. The primary purpose of ATC systems worldwide is to separate aircraft to prevent collisions

To organize and expedite the flow of traffic

To provide information and other support for pilots when able

ATE – Actual Time En-route

Actual Time En Route (ATE) - Term used in flight planning/following to document actual time spent flying between points

ATIS – Automatic terminal information service

ATS – Air Traffic Service

The prime objective of air traffic services, is to prevent collisions between aircraft, whether taxiing on the maneuvering area, taking off, landing en route or in the holding pattern at the destination aerodrome

AVC – automatic volume control

Automatic gain control (AGC) is an adaptive system found in many electronic devices. The average output signal level is fed back to adjust the gain to an appropriate level for a range of input signal levels

Cat – Clear Air Turbulence

Clear air turbulence weather, sometimes colloquially referred to as "air pockets", is the erratic movement of air masses in the absence of any visual cues, such as clouds. Clear-air turbulence is caused when bodies of air moving at widely different speeds meet; at high altitudes of around 7,000–12,000 metres (23,000–39,000 ft) this is frequently encountered around jet streams or sometimes near mountain ranges

Clear-air turbulence is impossible to detect either with the naked eye or with conventional radar, meaning that it is difficult to avoid. However it can be remotely detected with instruments that can measure turbulence with optical techniques, such as scintillometers or Doppler LIDARs

CAVOK – Ceiling And Visibility OK

Cloud And Visibility At Airfield/Airport Is Ok

CONTROL - area control center

CTR – Control Zone

A Control Zone (CTR) is an aviation term that describes a volume of controlled airspace, normally around an airport, which extends from the surface to a specified upper limit, established to protect air traffic operating to and from that airport. Because CTRs are, by definition, controlled airspace, aircraft can only fly in it after receiving a specific clearance from air traffic control. This means that ATC at the airport know exactly which aircraft are in that airspace, and can take steps to ensure aircraft are aware of each other, either using separation or by passing traffic information

CVFR – controlled visual Flight Rules

CVFR flight is used in locations where aviation authorities have determined that VFR flight should be allowed, but that ATC separation and minimal guidance are necessary. In this respect, CVFR is similar to Instrument flight rules (IFR) in that ATC will give pilots headings and altitudes at which to fly, and will provide separation and conflict resolution. However, pilots and aircraft do not need to be IFR rated to fly in CVFR areas, which is highly advantageous.

Delivery - clearance delivery

DF - direction finder

Direction finding (DF) refers to the establishment of the direction from which a received signal was transmitted. This can refer to radio or other forms of wireless communication. By combining the direction information from two or more suitably spaced receivers

DME – Distance Measuring Equipment

Distance measuring equipment (DME) is a transponder-based radio navigation technology that measures distance by timing the propagation delay of VHF or UHF radio signals

EET – Estimated Elapsed Time

ESTIMATED ELAPSED TIME [ICAO]- The estimated time required to proceed from one significant point to another

ELEV – elevation

The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, often the mean sea level. Elevation, or geometric height, is mainly used when referring to points on the Earth's surface, while altitude or geopotential height is used for points above the surface, such as an aircraft in flight or a spacecraft in orbit

ELT (ELBA) – Emergency locator transmitter

Distress radio beacons, also known as emergency beacons, ELT or EPIRB, are tracking transmitters which aid in the detection and location of boats, aircraft, and people in distress. Strictly, they are radiobeacons that interface with Cospas-Sarsat, the international satellite system for search and rescue (SAR). When activated such beacons send out a distress signal that, when detected by non-geostationary satellites, can be located by trilateration. In the case of 406 MHz beacons which transmit digital signals, the beacons can be uniquely identified almost instantly (via GEOSAR), and furthermore, a GPS or GLONASS position can be encoded into the signal, which provides instantaneous identification of the registered user and its location. Frequently, by using the initial position provided via the satellite system, SAR aircraft and ground search parties can home in on the distress signals from the beacons and come to the aid of the concerned boat, aircraft, or people

FAA – Federal Aviation Administration

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is an agency of the United States Department of Transportation with authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S

FIC – Flight Information Center

Flight Information Centres (FICs) are a clearing houses for flight-related information

FIR - Flight Information Region

describe airspace with specific dimensions, in which a Flight Information Service and an alerting service are provided. It is the largest regular division of airspace in use in the world today.

GS – Ground Speed

GROUND - Surface movement control

hPa – Hecto-Pascal

The pascal is the unit of pressure, stress. It is a measure of force per unit area, defined as one newton per square metre. In everyday life, the pascal is perhaps best known from meteorological barometric pressure reports, where it occurs in the form of hectopascals (1 hPa ≡ 100 Pa) contexts. One hectopascal is equivalent to one millibar; one atmosphere is exactly equal to 1013.25 hPa

HDG – Heading

הזווית שבין כיוון המטוס לבין הצפון

IAS – Indicated Air Speed

Indicated airspeed (IAS) is the airspeed read directly from the airspeed indicator on an aircraft, driven by the pitot-static system

ICAO – International Civil Aviation Organization

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a major agency of the United Nations, codifies the principles and techniques of international air navigation and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth. Its headquarters are located in the Quartier International of Montreal, Canada

ID – identification

זיהוי, הזדהות

IFR – Instrument Flight Rules

Instrument flight rules (IFR) are regulations and procedures for flying aircraft by referring only to the aircraft instrument panel for navigation

Even if nothing can be seen outside the cockpit windows, an IFR-rated pilot can fly while looking only at the instrument panel. An IFR-rated pilot can also be authorized to fly through clouds, using Air Traffic Control procedures designed to maintain separation from other aircraft. Training is normally done in simulated IFR conditions with training aids such as blockalls to help a pilot concentrate only on the instrument panel

ILS – Instrument Landing System

An instrument landing system (ILS) is a ground-based instrument approach system that provides precision guidance to an aircraft approaching and landing on a runway, using a combination of radio signals and, in many cases, high-intensity lighting arrays to enable a safe landing during instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), such as low ceilings or reduced visibility due to fog, rain, or blowing snow

IMC – Instrument Metro Condition

ISA – International Standard Atmosphere

The International Standard Atmosphere (ISA) is an atmospheric model of how the pressure, temperature, density, and viscosity of the Earth's atmosphere change over a wide range of altitudes. It consists of tables of values at various altitudes, plus some formulas by which those values were derived

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO), publishes the ISA as an international standard, ISO 2533:1975.[1] Other standards organizations such as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the United States Government, publish extensions or subsets of the same atmospheric model under their own standards-making authority

KIAS – Knots Indicated Air Speed

Indicated airspeed (IAS) is the airspeed read directly from the airspeed indicator on an aircraft, driven by the pitot-static system. An aircraft's indicated airspeed in knots is typically abbreviated KIAS for Knots-Indicated Air Speed

KTAS - Knots True Air Speed

airspeed (TAS) of an aircraft is the speed of the aircraft relative to the air-mass in which it is flying. An aircraft's true airspeed in knots is typically abbreviated

KTAS for Knots-True Air Speed

MSL – Mean Sea Level

Mean sea level (MSL) is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface (such as the halfway point between the mean high tide and the mean low tide used as a standard in reckoning land elevation

Navaid – Navigation Aidתחנת קרקע המשדרת אות לנווט מטוסים -

NDB – Non Directional Beacon

An L/MF or UHF radio beacon transmitting nondirectional signals whereby the pilot of an aircraft equipped with direction finding equipment can determine his bearing to or from the radio beacon and "home" on or track to or from the station

NOTAM – Notice to Airmen

NOTAM or NoTAM is the quasi-acronym for a "Notice To Airmen". NOTAMs are created and transmitted by government agencies under guidelines specified by Annex 15: Aeronautical Information Services of the Convention on International Civil Aviation. A NOTAM is filed with an aviation authority to alert aircraft pilots of any hazards en route or at a specific location. The authority in turn provides a means of disseminating relevant NOTAMs to pilots

PAPI – Precision Approach Path Indicator

The PAPI is an instrument helping to carry out a correct approach (in the vertical plane) on an aerodrome or an airport. It is generally located approximately 300 meters beyond the landing threshold of the runway

The Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI) is a light system positioned beside the runway that consists of two, three, or four boxes of lights that provide a visual indication of an aircraft's position on the glidepath for the associated runway. The FAA standard for the PAPI is the same as the ICAO's standard Visual Approach Slope Indicator

The PAPI is usually located on the left or right side of the runway(at 90˚ to the runway centre line which are typically spaced at 9 metres apart.)

Units are identical and can be seen up to five miles during the day and twenty miles at night. It has two or four lights installed in a single row instead of far and near bars that would be characteristic of Visual Approach Slope Indicator (VASI

Each box of lights is equipped with an optical apparatus that splits light output into two segments, red and white. Depending on the angle of approach, the lights will appear either red or white to the pilot. Ideally the total of lights will change from white to half red, moving in succession from the runway side to the outer side. The pilot will have reached the normal glidepath (usually 3 degrees) when there is an even split in red and white lights. If an aircraft is beneath the glidepath, red lights will outnumber white; if an aircraft is above the glidepath, more white lights are visible

POB – Persons On Board

RT - Radio Telephony

SID - Standard Instrument Departure Procedure. A planned IFR air traffic control departure procedure published for pilot use in graphic and textual form

SIGMET – Significant Meteo

SIGMET - warning of severe weather conditions (active thunderstorms, hail, severe turbulence, icing etc.) issued my Met offices

SSR – Secondary Surveillance Radar

Secondary surveillance radar (SSR) is a radar system used in air traffic control (ATC), which not only detects and measures the position of aircraft but also requests additional information from the aircraft itself such as its identity and altitude. Unlike primary radar systems, which measure only the range and bearing of targets by detecting reflected radio signals, rather like seeing an object in a beam of light, SSR relies on its targets being equipped with a radar

transponder

Transponder in telecommunication, has the following meanings

An automatic device that receives, amplifies, and retransmits a signal on a different frequency (see also broadcast translator)

An automatic device that transmits a predetermined message in response to a predefined received signal

A receiver-transmitter that will generate a reply signal upon proper electronic interrogation

Tower - Aerodrome Control

TAS – True Air Speed

True airspeed (TAS) of an aircraft is the speed of the aircraft relative to the airmass in which it is flying

TMA – Terminal Area - terminal area control

A Terminal Control Area (TCA) or Terminal Manoeuvring Area (TMA) is an aviation term to describe a volume of controlled airspace set up at the confluence of airways in the vicinity of one or more major airports to protect traffic climbing out from and descending into the airports. As such it is a larger version of a

Control Area

UIC – Upper Flight Information Region

UTC – Coordinated Universal Time

VASI – Visual Approach Slope Indicator

The Visual Approach Slope Indicator (VASI) is a system of lights on the side of an airport runway threshold that provides visual descent guidance information during the approach to a runway. These lights may be visible from up to eight kilometers (five miles) during the day and up to 32 kilometers (20 miles) or more at night

Basic visual approach slope indicators consist of two sets of lights. One set marks the start of the runway, while the other is set up some seven meters (twenty feet) behind the first. Each set of lights is designed so that the lights appear as either white or red, depending on the angle at which the lights are viewed. When the pilot is approaching the lights at the proper angle, meaning the pilot is on the glide slope, the first set of lights appears white and the second set appears red. When both sets appear white, the pilot is flying too high, and when both appear red he is flying too low. This is the most common type of visual approach slope indicator system.

VFR – Visual Flight Rules

Visual flight rules (VFR) are a set of regulations which allow a pilot to operate an aircraft in weather conditions generally clear enough to allow the pilot to see where the aircraft is going. Specifically, the weather must be better than Basic VFR Weather Minimums, as specified in the rules of the relevant aviation authority

VMC – Visual Meteo. Condition

מז"א נאות לטיסת ראיה או מכשירים

VOR – VHF Omnidirectional Range

VOR, short for VHF Omni-directional Radio Range, is a type of radio navigation system for aircraft. A VOR ground station broadcasts a VHF radio composite signal including the station's identifier, voice (if equipped), and navigation signal. The identifier is morse code. The voice signal is usually station name, in-flight recorded advisories, or live flight service broadcasts. The navigation signal allows the airborne receiving equipment to determine a magnetic bearing from the

station to the aircraft (direction from the VOR station in relation to the Earth's magnetic North at the time of installation). VOR stations in areas of magnetic compass unreliability are oriented with respect to True North. This line of position is called the "radial" from the VOR. The "intersection" of two radials fromdifferent VOR stations on a chart provides an approximate position of the aircraft

WX – Weather

XPDR - Transponder

Transponder in telecommunication, has the following meanings

An automatic device that receives, amplifies, and retransmits a signal on a different frequency (see also broadcast translator

An automatic device that transmits a predetermined message in response to a predefined received signal

A receiver-transmitter that will generate a reply signal upon proper electronic interrogation