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Absolute Altitude - ✔✔Actual height above the surface of the earth, either land or water. Absolute Ceiling - ✔✔The altitude where a particular airplane's climb rate reaches zero. Adiabatic Cooling - ✔✔A process of cooling the air through expansion. For example, as air moves up a slope it expands with the reduction of atmospheric pressure and cools as it expands. Adiabatic Heating - ✔✔A process of heating dry air through compression. For example, as air moves down a slope it is compressed, which results in an increase in temperature.
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Advection Fog - ✔✔Fog resulting from the movement of warm, humid air over a cold surface. Agonic Line - ✔✔Line along which the variation between true and magnetic values is zero. Air Density - ✔✔The density of the air in terms of mass per unit volume. Dense air has more molecules per unit volume than less dense air. The density of air decreases with altitude above the surface of the earth and with increasing temperature. Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) - ✔✔A facility established to provide air traffic control service to aircraft operating on IFR flight plans within controlled air- space, principally during the enroute phase of flight.
Alert Area - ✔✔Special use airspace which may contain a high volume of pilot training activities or an unusual type of aerial activity. Altimeter - ✔✔A flight instrument that indicates altitude by sensing pressure changes. Altimeter Setting - ✔✔The barometric pressure setting used to adjust a pressure altimeter of variations in existing atmospheric pressure and temperature. Altitude - ✔✔Height expressed in units of distance above a reference plane, usually above mean sea level or above ground level. Angle of Attack - ✔✔The angle between the airfoil's chord line and the relative wind.
Annual inspection - ✔✔Recurring examination of an aircraft that is required to maintain its airworthiness. Angle of Incidence - ✔✔The angle between the chord line of the wing and the longitudinal axis of the airplane. Arm - ✔✔The distance from the reference datum at which a weight may be located. Used in weight balance calculation to determine moment. Aspect ratio - ✔✔Span of a wing divided by its average chord. Automated Surface Observation System (ASOS) - ✔✔Weather reporting system which provides surface observations every minute via digitized voice broadcasts and printed reports.
Basic Radar Service - ✔✔A radar service for VFR aircraft which includes safety alerts, traffic advisories, and limited radar vectoring, as well as aircraft sequencing at some terminal locations. Bearing - ✔✔The horizontal direction to or from any point, usually measured clockwise from true north (true bearing), magnetic north (magnetic bearing), or some other reference point, through 360 degrees. Best Angle-Of-CLimb Airspeed (VsubX) - ✔✔The airspeed which produces the greatest gain in altitude for horizontal distance traveled. Best Rate-Of-Climb Airspeed (VsubY) - ✔✔The airspeed which produces the maximum gain in altitude per unit of time.
Blast Pad - ✔✔An area associated with a runway where propeller blast can dissipate without creating a hazard to others. It cannot be used for landing, takeoffs, or taxiing. Bracketing - ✔✔A navigation technique which uses a series of turns into a crosswind to regain and maintain the desired course. Calibrated Airspeed (CAS) - ✔✔Indicated airspeed of an aircraft, corrected for installation and instrument errors. Calibrated Altitude - ✔✔Indicated altitude corrected to compensate for instrument error. Camber - ✔✔The curve of an airfoil section from the leading edge to the trailing edge.
Centrifugal Force - ✔✔An apparent force, that opposes centripetal force, resulting from the effect of inertia during a turn. Chord - ✔✔An imaginary straight line between the leading and trailing edges of an airfoil section. Class - ✔✔(1) As used with respect to the certification, ratings, privileges, and limitations of airmen, means a classification of aircraft within a category having similar operation characteristics (single-engine land, multi-engine land, single- engine sea, multi-engine sea, gyroplane, helicopter, airship, and free balloon). (2) As used with respect to certification of aircraft means a broad grouping of aircraft having similar characteristics of propulsion, flight, or landing (airplane, rotorcraft, glider, balloon, landplane, and seaplane). Class "A" Airspace - ✔✔Controlled airspace covering the 48 contiguous United States and Alaska, within 12 nautical miles of the coasts, from 18,000 feet MSL up to and including FL600, but not including airspace less than 1,500 feet AGL.
Class "B" Airspace - ✔✔Controlled Airspace designated around certain major airports, extending from the surface or higher to specified altitudes where ATC provides radar separation for all IFR and VFR aircraft. For operation in Class B Airspace, all aircraft must receive an ATC clearance to enter, and are subject to the rules and pilot/equipment requirements listed in FAR Part 91. Class "C" Airspace - ✔✔Controlled airspace surrounding designated airports where ATC provides radar vectoring and sequencing for all IFR and VFR aircraft. Participation is mandatory, and all aircraft must establish and maintain radio contact with ATC, and are subject to the rules and pilot/equipment requirements listed in FAR Part 91. Class "D" Airspace - ✔✔Controlled airspace around at least one primary airport which has an operation control tower. Aircraft operators are subject to the rules and equipment requirements specified in FAR Part 91.
Clearing Turns - ✔✔Turns consisting of at least a 180 degree change in direction allowing a visual check of the airspace around the airplane to avoid conflicts while maneuvering. Cold Front - ✔✔The boundary between two air masses where cold air is replacing warm air. Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) - ✔✔A frequency designed for the purpose of carrying out airport advisory practices while operating to or from an uncontrolled airport. The CTAF may be a UNICOM, MULTICOM, FSS, or tower frequency and it is identified in appropriate aeronautical publications. Compass Heading - ✔✔Aircraft heading read from the compass. Compass heading is derived by applying correction factors for variation, deviation, and wind to true course.
Complex Airplane - ✔✔An airplane with retractable landing gear, flaps, and a controllable-pitch propeller. Condensation - ✔✔A change of state of water from a gas (water vapor) to a liquid. Condensation Nuclei - ✔✔Small particles of solid matter in the air on which water vapor condenses. Cone of Confusion - ✔✔The cone-shaped area above a VOR station in which there is no signal and the TO/FROM flag momentarily flickers to OFF (or a similar indication). Controlled Airport - ✔✔An airport which has an operation control tower, sometimes called a tower airport.
Coriolis Force - ✔✔A deflective force that is created by the difference in rotational velocity between the equator and the poles of the earth. It deflects air to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern hemisphere. Course - ✔✔The intended or desired direction of flight in the horizontal plane measured in degrees from true or magnetic north. Crosswind Component - ✔✔A wind component which is at a right angle to the runway or the flight path of an aircraft. Dead Reckoning - ✔✔A type of navigation based on the calculations of time, speed, distance, and direction. Density Altitude - ✔✔Pressure altitude corrected for nonstandard temperature.
Deposition - ✔✔The direct transformation of a gas to a solid state, where the liquid state is bypassed. Detonation - ✔✔An uncontrolled explosive ignition of the fuel/air mixture within the cylinder's combustion chamber. Deviation - ✔✔A compass error caused by magnetic disturbances from electrical and metal components in the airplane. The correction for this error is displayed on a compass correction card placed near the magnetic compass in the airplane. Dewpoint - ✔✔The temperature at which air reaches a state where it can hold no more water. Dihedral - ✔✔The upward angle of an airplane's wings with respect to the horizontal. Dihedral contributes to lateral stability of an airplane.
Empennage - ✔✔The section of the airplane which consists of the vertical stabilizer, the horizontal stabilizer, and the associated control surfaces. Empty Field Myopia - ✔✔The normal tendency of the eye to focus at only 10 to 30 feet when looking into a field devoid of objects, contrasting colors, or patterns. Evaporation - ✔✔The transformation of a liquid to a gaseous state, such as the change of water to water vapor. Flight Restricted Zone (FRZ) - ✔✔Airspace in which general aviation flight is generally prohibited. Flight Service Station (FSS) - ✔✔An air traffic service facility that provides a variety of services to pilots, including weather briefings, opening and closing flight plans, and search and rescue operations.
Freezing Level - ✔✔A level in the atmosphere at which the temperature is 32 degrees F (0 degrees C). Front - ✔✔The boundary between two different air masses. Fuselage - ✔✔The cabin or cockpit, is located in the fuselage. It may also provide room for cargo and attachment points for other major airplane components. Global Positioning System (GPS) - ✔✔A satellite-based radio positioning, navigation, and time-transfer system. Great Circle - ✔✔The largest circle which can be drawn on the earth's surface. A great circle's plane must pass throughout the center of the earth dividing it into two equal parts.
