hot refuel

en-verb

hot refuel (third-person singular simple present hot refuels, present participle hot refueling or hot refuelling, simple past and past participle hot refueled or hot refuelled)

hot refuels (present singular third-person)
hot refueling (participle present)
hot refuelling (participle present)
hot refueled (participle past)
hot refueled (past)
hot refuelled (participle past)
hot refuelled (past)

The plane's APU was broken and the airport didn't have ground starting equipment, so we had to hot refuel the bird - if we'd shut both engines down, we wouldn't have been able to get them started again.

(aviation) To refuel an aircraft while one of its engines is running.


hot refuel

Hot refuels require the fueling crew to take great care to avoid getting sucked into the operating engine.

(aviation) An instance of hot refueling.


spool up

spool up (third-person singular simple present spools up, present participle spooling up, simple past and past participle spooled up)

spools up (present singular third-person)
spooling up (participle present)
spooled up (participle past)
spooled up (past)

The large rotational inertia of the heavy compressor and turbine rotors makes the engine slow to spool up from idle.

(aviation, of a turbine engine) To increase in rotational speed, producing an increase in thrust.


spool down

spool down (third-person singular simple present spools down, present participle spooling down, simple past and past participle spooled down)

spools down (present singular third-person)
spooling down (participle present)
spooled down (participle past)
spooled down (past)

All ground personnel MUST be made aware that big jet engines take a considerable time to spool down. We don't want any more mechanics getting sucked in or catapulted across the apron.

(aviation, of a turbine engine) To decrease in rotational speed, producing a decrease in thrust.


GBAS

ground-based augmentation system
w:ground-based augmentation system

(aviation) Initialism of ground-based augmentation system, a system for improving the precision and accuracy of GPS signals to allow their use for low-visibility instrument approaches.


GLS

(aviation) Initialism of GBAS landing system.


ZELL

(aviation, military, historical) Initialism of zero-length launch.


cruise-climb

cruise-climb (third-person singular simple present cruise-climbs, present participle cruise-climbing, simple past and past participle cruise-climbed)

cruise-climbs (present singular third-person)
cruise-climbing (participle present)
cruise-climbed (participle past)
cruise-climbed (past)
cruise climb (alternative)

For a transatlantic crossing, the Concorde would be assigned a ~15,000-foot block of altitude; it started out at flight level 450 and gradually cruise-climbed up to between FL570 and FL600 over the mid-Atlantic before beginning to descend.

(aviation, usually intransitive, of an aircraft) To slowly but continuously climb during cruise flight as the aircraft's weight decreases due to fuel burnoff (done because flight at higher altitudes is more efficient but requires a lighter aircraft).


cruise-climb

cruise-climbs (plural)
cruise climb (alternative)

A cruise-climb is more efficient than the standard step climb, but is rarely used since it's much harder for ATC to manage.

(aviation) An instance of cruise-climbing.


step climb

step climb (third-person singular simple present step climbs, present participle step climbing, simple past and past participle step climbed)

step climbs (present singular third-person)
step climbing (participle present)
step climbed (participle past)
step climbed (past)
step-climb (alternative)

The flight plan called for step climbing from an initial cruising altitude of FL330 to the final altitude of FL350 halfway through the flight.

(aviation, usually intransitive, of an aircraft) To periodically climb to higher and higher altitudes during cruise flight, as the aircraft becomes lighter from fuel burnoff, to take advantage of the reduced drag at higher altitudes; like cruise-climbing, but with the aircraft climbing in discrete steps instead of continuously.


step climb

step climbs (plural)
step-climb (alternative)

The step climb from FL340 through FL360 and FL380 to FL400 will reduce our fuel burn compared to if we cruised at FL340 for the whole flight.

(aviation) An instance of step climbing.


LOM

locator outer marker
locator outer marker#English

(aviation) Initialism of locator outer marker.


locator outer marker

en-noun

locator outer marker (plural locator outer markers)

(aviation, chiefly US) A ground-based radio navigation aid consisting of a pair of colocated radio beacons at the final approach fix of an ILS or IGS approach course: an NDB to guide aircraft to the approach fix, and an outer marker to alert aircraft as they pass over the station.


outer marker

(aviation) A type of marker beacon placed to indicate the final approach fix of an ILS or IGS approach, triggering a continuous sequence of visual and aural Morse code dashes from the marker beacon receiver in the cockpit of an aircraft flying over the marker.


NDB

non-directional beacon
nuclear depth bomb

(aviation) Initialism of non-directional beacon, a type of radiobeacon used in air navigation which transmits an omnidirectional radio signal containing no encoded information about the direction from an aircraft to the beacon.


middle marker

missed approach point
missed approach point

(aviation) A type of marker beacon placed to indicate the missed approach point of a Category I ILS or IGS approach (typically the point at which the glideslope descends through 200 feet AGL), triggering a continuous visual and aural sequence of alternating Morse code dots and dashes from the marker beacon receiver in the cockpit of an aircraft flying over the marker.


inner marker

(aviation) A type of marker beacon placed to indicate when an aircraft crosses the runway threshold of a Category II or Category III ILS or IGS approach, triggering a continuous visual and aural sequence of rapid-fire Morse code dots from the marker beacon receiver in the cockpit of an aircraft flying over the marker.


marker beacon

(aviation) A type of VHF radiobeacon which radiates in a tight cone pattern extending vertically from the transmitter; now generally only used to mark specific points along an ILS or IGS approach path, but formerly also commonly used to mark reporting points along en route airways.


fan marker

non-precision approach
non-precision approach

(aviation) An obsolescent type of marker beacon, usually used to mark en route airways but occasionally used as part of a non-precision approach, which radiates in a pattern that is considerably wider, from the perspective of an aircraft approaching the marker along the airway, than it is long (allowing an aircraft to pick up the signal from the marker even if slightly to one side of the airway's centerline).


ARFF

(aviation) Initialism of aircraft rescue and firefighting.


disreef

en-verb

disreef (third-person singular simple present disreefs, present participle disreefing, simple past and past participle disreefed)

disreefs (present singular third-person)
disreefing (participle present)
disreefed (participle past)
disreefed (past)

Once the SRBs decelerate following initial main-parachute deployment, the parachutes disreef in stages to gradually slow the boosters to a safe splashdown speed.

(aviation, space flight) To allow (a reefed parachute) to fully open.


TAT

total air temperature
w:total air temperature

(aviation) Initialism of total air temperature.


viff

viff (third-person singular simple present viffs, present participle viffing, simple past and past participle viffed)

viffs (present singular third-person)
viffing (participle present)
viffed (participle past)
viffed (past)

From the initial letters of "vectoring in forward flight".

(aviation, of an aircraft) To change direction by changing the direction of thrust from the engine(s).


viff

en-noun

viff (countable and uncountable, plural viffs)

(aviation, countable) A change in direction by changing the direction of thrust from the engine(s).

(aviation, uncountable) The ability to make such changes in direction.


BWB

(aviation) Initialism of blended wing-body.


Mach tuck

(aviation, aerodynamics) A change in an aircraft's pitching tendency at transonic speeds, often manifesting as a strong tendency to pitch down into a dive.


Mach tuck

en-verb

Mach tuck (third-person singular simple present Mach tucks, present participle Mach tucking, simple past and past participle Mach tucked)

Mach tucks (present singular third-person)
Mach tucking (participle present)
Mach tucked (participle past)
Mach tucked (past)
Mach-tuck (alternative)

(aviation, aerodynamics) To experience Mach tuck.


Vx

(aviation) The indicated airspeed at which an aircraft's maximum sustained angle of climb is the steepest.


Vyse

en-noun

Vyse (usually uncountable, plural Vyses)

(aviation) The indicated airspeed at which a multiengine aircraft's rate of climb with only one engine running is at a maximum.


soft-land

en-verb

soft-land (third-person singular simple present soft-lands, present participle soft-landing, simple past and past participle soft-landed)

soft-lands (present singular third-person)
soft-landing (participle present)
soft-landed (participle past)
soft-landed (past)
soft land (alternative)

Coordinate term: hard-land

The Spirit and Opportunity rovers were soft-landed on Mars in 2004.

The crate of supplies soft-landed in the drop zone under its parachute, allowing the soldiers to replenish their food and ammo for the next few days of fighting.

(transitive, intransitive, astronautics, aviation) To land (a vehicle or other payload) on the surface of a body in such a manner that it survives the landing mostly or entirely intact and is usable or able to operate, at least briefly, following touchdown.


feet dry

The aircraft headed “feet-dry” by the pilot's judicious use of rudders and afterburners.

Feet wet: Fighter direction brevity code used to report that a plane had left land ("feet dry") and was now over water.

1994, Paul T. Gillcrist, Tomcat!: The Grumman F-14 Story, page 196:


feet wet

Three minutes later, at 2015, Captain Brindel entered the CIC and was notified of TN 2202 “feet wet” (aviation terminology meaning that an aircraft is over water) in the northern Persian Gulf and heading south.

1997, Jeffrey L. Levinson, Randy L. Edwards, Missile Inbound: The Attack on the Stark in the Persian Gulf, page 71:

[…] when you'd crossed the coastline after departing the ship Roger Klondike twelve dash four, understand flight of three. Feet wet.

2008, David A. Ballentine, Gunbird Driver: A Marine Huey Pilot's War in Vietnam, page 56:


chosen instrument

en-noun

chosen instrument (plural chosen instruments)

(aviation) An airline selected by government to represent the country.


jet pipe

(especially aviation) A pipe at the back of a gas turbine out of which exhaust gases are discharged


oil burner route

oil burner route (plural oil burner routes)

In reference to the smoke trails that jet engines may leave behind at low altitudes.

(aviation, slang, military) A region of airspace in which military jets are authorized to carry out low-altitude training.


ground wallah

(UK, military, aviation, slang, dated) An officer who does not fly aircraft.


flight control

flight control (countable and uncountable, plural flight controls)

The airplane's primary flight controls comprise elevators and ailerons driven by manually-controlled servo tabs, and a hydraulically-powered rudder and spoilerons.

(aviation, countable) A system for controlling an aircraft's rotational or translational motion in one or more axes.

(aviation, by extension, uncountable) The process of controlling an aircraft's rotational or translational motion in one or more axes.


rolleron

(aviation) An aerodynamic control surface device, used to control against unwanted rolling (rotation) about the axis of movement. The moving wingtip is self-gyro-stabilized with a rolling bladed wheel catching the airstream, providing the gyroscopic moment.


RATOG

(British, aviation, military) Initialism of rocket-assisted take-off gear.


spooldown

At 1620:38, the captain stated, "gotta get it over again...at least upside down we're flyin." At 1620:49, the CVR recorded sounds similar to engine compressor stalls and engine spooldown. At 1620:54, the captain commanded deployment of the speedbrakes, and, about 1 second later, the first officer replied, "got it." At 1620:56.2, the captain stated, "ah here we go." The FDR recording ended at 1620:56.3, and the CVR recording ended at 1620:57.1.

2002 December 30, National Transportation Safety Board, “1.1 History of Flight”, in Aircraft Accident Report: Loss of Control and Impact with Pacific Ocean, Alaska Airlines Flight 261, McDonnell Douglas MD-83, N963AS, About 2.7 Miles North of Anacapa Island, California, January 31, 2000, archived from the original on 2022-06-16, page 9:

(aviation) The process of reduction of the rotational speed of a turbine engine, causing a reduction in thrust.


spoolup

(aviation) The process of increasing the rotational speed of a turbine engine, causing an increase in thrust.


ADIZ

Thursday morning began with reports of multiple warplane incursions into the ADIZ, and cyber-attacks targeting the websites of the president’s office and the ministries of foreign affairs and defence.

2022 August 5, Helen Davidson, “What the fallout from Pelosi’s visit means for Taiwan and China”, in The Guardian:

air defense identification zone
w:air defense identification zone

(military, aviation) Initialism of air defense identification zone.


mast bumping

(aviation) A dangerous condition where the mast of a helicopter contacts adjacent fixed structure while rotating, damaging the mast and potentially resulting in the separation of the main rotor from the helicopter.


budget airline

I'll be interested to see how this service does. It will be basic with fares to match, so will be akin to a budget airline taking on a flag-carrier.

2021 June 30, Philip Haigh, “Regional trains squeezed as ECML congestion heads north”, in RAIL, number 934, page 52:


wizzo

From the colloquial pronunciation of WSO (“weapon systems officer”).

These comments on the latest generation of High-Tech-Attack aircraft, the McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle, come front Captain Mark 'Bones' Wetzel, a senior Wizzo and a Flight Commander with the 334FW, the 'Fighting Eagles', part of the recently formed 4th Wing at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina.

1993, Andy Evans, Backseat Flyers: Navigation and Weaponry in the Modern Airplane, London: Arms and Armour Press, →ISBN, page 72:

But his vision had been good enough for the Backseater role, the Navigator, EWO, or Wizzo. As an Electronics Warfare Officer or Weapons Systems Officer he could still fly Gets or heavies), whatever his role finally ended up being upon graduation.

2013, F. P. Dorchak, Ero: A Novel, Wailing Loon, →ISBN, page 6:

The pilot explained the function and purpose of the screens and monitors and impressive equipment that were the responsibility of weapons systems officers, or "wizzos," as they were called.

2013, David Lyons, Blood Game: A Jock Boucher Thriller, New York, N.Y. […]: Emily Bestler Books, →ISBN, page 8:

"I wont put anyone else at risk," Gardiner promised. "Besides, Ray's got the stick, I'm just sitting wizzo."

2018, S. E. Soldwedel, Disintegration, Oakland, C.A.: Inkshares, Inc., →ISBN, page 327:

(aviation, slang) A weapon systems officer.


reporting point

reporting point (plural reporting points)

(aviation) A geographical reference point used to report the location of an aircraft


avcat

From aviation, aviation carrier (aircraft carrier), and aviation turbine fuel (avtur).

(US, military, aviation, nautical) Synonym of JP-5, the U.S. Navy jet fuel.


BFM

(military, aviation) Initialism of basic fighter maneuvers. The corpus of maneuvers and tactics expected of fighter aircraft and their pilots


BFM

(military, aviation) Initialism of basic fighter maneuver. A foundational maneuver or tactic used by fighter planes and fighter pilots.


EMAS

engineered materials arresting system
w:engineered materials arresting system

(aviation) Initialism of engineered materials arresting system.


IAF

(military, aviation) Any of several air forces

Any of several air forces
Initialism of Indian Air Force.

Any of several air forces
Initialism of Indonesian Air Force.

Any of several air forces
Initialism of Iraqi Air Force.

Any of several air forces
Initialism of Israeli Air Force.

Any of several air forces
Initialism of Italian Air Force.

(dated) Initialism of Iranian Air Force.

Any of several air forces
Initialism of Iranian Air Force.


preighter

(aviation) A freighter converted from a passenger aircraft.


gust lock

(aviation) A device used to lock the control surfaces of a parked aircraft in order to reduce the probability of flight-control damage resulting from strong or gusty winds.


blucket

Blend of blade + bucket; the use of bucket here refers to the inner, turbine portion of the blade.

mechanical engineering
mechanical engineering

(aviation, mechanical engineering) A type of turbine blade where the inner portion of the blade is driven by expanding exhaust gases from the engine core, while the outer portion extends into the bypass duct and serves as a fan blade; used on a few turbofans with rear-mounted fans.


thrust vectoring

(aviation, astronautics) The deflection of the exhaust nozzle(s) of a jet engine or rocket so as to alter the direction in which the engine produces thrust and help control the attitude and/or direction of flight of the vehicle using the engine.


VMO

(aviation) Maximum operating speed; the airspeed which an aircraft should not exceed in the course of routine operation.


Vxse

Vxse (usually uncountable, plural Vxses)

(aviation) The indicated airspeed at which a multiengine aircraft's maximum sustained angle of climb with only one engine running is the steepest.


ADIRU

(aviation) Acronym of air data inertial reference unit.


main gear

main gear (countable and uncountable, plural main gears)

(aviation) The primary landing gear of an aircraft, generally located slightly behind the aircraft's center of mass (or slightly ahead of it on a taildragger aircraft) and carrying the majority of the aircraft's weight.


wing gear

wing gear (usually uncountable, plural wing gears)

(aviation) Landing gear mounted in the roots of an aircraft's wings.


body gear

body gear (usually uncountable, plural body gears)

(aviation) Landing gear mounted in the lower part of an aircraft's fuselage, generally between or slightly behind the wings.


somatogravic illusion

somatogravic illusion (plural somatogravic illusions)

(aviation) An illusory perception of one's pitch angle, due to the effects of linear acceleration on the vestibular system of the inner ear.


flight nurse

flight attendant
flight attendant#English

registered nurse
registered nurse#English

(historical, aviation, occupations) The predecessor to flight attendants, who were registered nurses.

(aviation, medicine, occupations) A medical nurse specialized in working aboard air ambulances, medevac aircraft.


on instruments

We were on instruments for the descent through the clouds.

(aviation) (Flying) by reference to one's flight instruments, rather than by visual contact with the ground.


ECAM

electronic centralized aircraft monitor#English

(aviation) Acronym of electronic centralized aircraft monitor.


EICAS

engine-indicating and crew-alerting system#English

(aviation) Acronym of engine-indicating and crew-alerting system.


EFIS

electronic flight instrument system#English

(aviation) Acronym of electronic flight instrument system.


AAIB

AAIB (usually uncountable, plural AAIBs)

(aviation) An initialism of various aviation accident investigation organizations.

Air Accident Investigation Bureau (Malaysia)

Air Accident Investigation Bureau (Mongolia)

Air Accident Investigation Bureau of Singapore

Aircraft Accident Investigation Board (Iceland)

Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (India)

Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (Switzerland) (defunct)


decrab

en-verb

decrab (third-person singular simple present decrabs, present participle decrabbing, simple past and past participle decrabbed)

decrabs (present singular third-person)
decrabbing (participle present)
decrabbed (participle past)
decrabbed (past)

(aviation, ambitransitive) To align (an aircraft) with the runway, usually by means of rudder or rudderon input, immediately before, simultaneously with, or immediately after touchdown during a landing from a crabbed approach.


decrab

en-noun

decrab (usually uncountable, plural decrabs)

(aviation) The process of aligning an aircraft with the runway, usually by means of rudder or rudderon input, immediately before, simultaneously with, or immediately after touchdown during a landing from a crabbed approach.


crab angle

(aviation) The angle by which an aircraft's nose is pointed upwind of its groundtrack to compensate for crosswinds during an approach and landing.


edge control

Trailing edge control surface configurations may be composed of a full span, inboard partial-span, outboard tip partial-span, or up to six individual control surfaces, including side-by-side common edge control surfaces, and nested controls.

1975, Prediction of Unsteady Aerodynamic Loadings Caused by Leading Edge and Trailing Edge Control Surface Motions in Subsonic Compressible Flow, page 63:

(aviation) The management and manipulation of the edges of an aircraft's wings or control surfaces to enhance performance and stability.


jet blast

(aviation) The extremely powerful (often hurricane-force) winds behind a running jet engine.


joyhop

He was ready to demonstrate it last month when his test pilot, Marshall S. ("Maury") Boggs, who had made innumerable blind landings, crashed to death in broad daylight on a joyhop in California.

1933, Briton Hadden, Time, volume 21, page 29:

Compared to making both ends of the country meet back in those days, flying the “Hump” was just a joyhop.

1952, American Aviation, volume 16, page 67:


joyhop

en-verb

joyhop (third-person singular simple present joyhops, present participle joyhopping, simple past and past participle joyhopped)

joyhops (present singular third-person)
joyhopping (participle present)
joyhopped (participle past)
joyhopped (past)


transition altitude

en-noun

transition altitude (usually uncountable, plural transition altitudes)

(aviation) The altitude (which varies by country) above which an aircraft's barometric altimeters are set as if the sea-level atmospheric pressure were equal to 1013.25 hectopascals (regardless of the actual atmospheric conditions) and altitudes are reported as flight levels.


transition level

transition level (usually uncountable, plural transition levels)

(aviation) The lowest flight level above the transition altitude; depends on the transition altitude and the measured or calculated sea-level atmospheric pressure. The flight level at which a descending aircraft's barometric altimeters are reset from a constant setting of 1013.25 hectopascals to the setting corresponding to the actual measured or calculated atmospheric pressure at mean sea level.


transition layer

transition layer (usually uncountable, plural transition layers)

(aviation) The airspace above the transition altitude but below the transition level.


very light

(aviation) A size classification below that of sublight and above that of ultralight

very light aircraft
very light aircraft#English

A type of microlight, an aircraft type similar to ultralight or sailplane.

(aviation) An aircraft fitting the size classification


very light

(aviation) Peratining to the verylight classification


waterdrome

Blend of water + aerodrome. May be analyzed as water + -drome.

(nautical, aviation) A facility for landing and launching aircraft, where the runway is the surface of a body of water.


bicycle landing gear

bicycle landing gear (countable and uncountable, plural bicycle landing gears)

(aviation) A form of landing gear having the main gear and nosegear located fore and aft of the center of gravity under the fuselage with outriggers on the wings.


tandem landing gear

tandem landing gear (countable and uncountable, plural tandem landing gears)

bicycle landing gear
bicycle landing gear#English

(aviation) Synonym of bicycle landing gear


boom path

(aviation) The narrow region under a supersonic aircraft's flight path, where the sonic boom is liable to be heard as it flies overhead.


boom corridor

(aviation) A restricted portion of airspace for supersonic aircraft, intended to reduce the potential coverage of their boom paths.


flat scissors

flat scissors (countable and uncountable, plural flat scissors)

(uncountable, aviation, military, with the) A form of the scissors defensive maneuver in dogfighting, involving turning one's aircraft towards that of the attacker and slowing in order to force the opponent to overshoot, without moving out of the initial plane of the attack; often continues, with the roles of attacker and defender alternating between the two aircraft, until one is either shot down or manages to escape.

(countable, aviation, military) An instance of the above dogfighting maneuver.


rolling scissors

rolling scissors (countable and uncountable, plural rolling scissors)

Remember: maintain your aircraft's energy, keep his tail on your line of sight, and relentlessly pursue the insufferable oaf that insulted your driving skills. If he gets behind you, break out the rolling scissors and force an overshoot.

2021 March 19, Bosnian Ape Society, 4:36 from the start, in Is Your Car Safe From Supermaneuverable Air-Defense Fighter Aircraft?, archived from the original on 2022-08-07:

(uncountable, aviation, military, with the) A form of the scissors defensive maneuver in dogfighting, involving pulling up, rolling one's aircraft towards that of the attacker, and pulling the nose of one's aircraft towards the attacker to force an overshoot, resulting in the two aircraft barrel-rolling around each other as each attempts to gain the advantage.


defensive spiral

defensive spiral (plural defensive spirals)

(aviation, military) A last-resort defensive maneuver in dogfighting used by an aircraft with critically-low kinetic energy, consisting of a rolling scissors performed straight down, using gravity to supply the kinetic energy needed to continue maneuvering, while attempting to either slow down enough to get behind the attacker or else trick the attacker into crashing into the ground.

basic fighter maneuvers#Defensive spiral


flat spin

(aviation) An especially dangerous type of spin (abnormal stalled flight mode) with a very high angle of attack (typically between 65° and 90°), such that the aircraft's nose is pointed near the horizon despite an extreme negative flightpath angle (gamma); typically unresponsive to flight control inputs and unrecoverable in most aircraft.


finger-four

(aviation) A flight formation used by fighter aircraft. It consists of four aircraft, and four such formations can be combined into a squadron.


SSME

Space Shuttle Main Engine
w:Space Shuttle Main Engine

(US, space science, aviation) Initialism of Space Shuttle Main Engine.


zoom climb

zoom climbs (plural)
zoom-climb (alternative)

(aviation) A climb at a rate of climb greater than the maximum climb rate using only the thrust of the aircraft's engines; a climb that sacrifices airspeed to gain altitude.


box man

[…] there have been an uncomfortably large number of incidents where a leader has flown his whole team into the ground. […] It had happened in the Luftwaffe with an F104 team, and many years later I saw it happen to the box man in the French Fouga Magister team at the Paris Air Show.

(aviation) The pilot flying behind the leader in a box formation.


missing man formation

missing man formation (plural missing man formations)

(aviation) An aerial salute to commemorate a deceased person, consisting of a formation of flying aircraft with a space where one plane should be flying.


narrow-cut

(aviation, petrochemistry, of jet fuel) Composed of moderately-heavy hydrocarbons with boiling points in the kerosene range, without a significant proportion of lighter, gasoline-type hydrocarbons; Jet A is an example of a fuel of this type.


wide-cut

(aviation, petrochemistry, of jet fuel) Composed of a mixture of hydrocarbons with a wide range of boiling points, including both moderately-heavy, higher-boiling kerosene-type molecules and lighter, lower-boiling, more-volatile gasoline-type molecules; Jet B or JP-4 is a fuel of this type.


anti-air

antiair (alternative)
anti air (alternative)

(military, aviation) Synonym of anti-aircraft


leaderman

From leader + man, a literal translation of the Russian лидировщик (lidirovščik).

(aviation) a foreign (usually Russian) navigator who helps guide an aircraft during its descent


Lufbery circle

Named after fighter ace Raoul Lufbery (1885–1918), though he was not the inventor.

(military, aviation) A defensive combat tactic in which multiple aircraft form a horizontal circle in the air when attacked, so that the armament of each aircraft offers a measure of protection to the others.


over the fence

Look up the recommended speed for the landing pattern. You'll find tables for varying loads. Okay so far. Now, note that a speed is established for the approach phase and another slower one for over the fence.

1955, Flying Safety, volume 11, page 23:

You can usually wait until you are "over the fence" before you chop the power.

1966, FAA Aviation News, volumes 5-7, page 11:

(aviation) Entering, or having entered, the airfield in preparation for landing.


ASB

(aviation) Initialism of anti-shock body.


anti-shock body

anti-shock body (plural anti-shock bodies)

(aviation) A pod, protuberance, or swelling used to adjust the variation in an aircraft's cross-sectional area along its length so as to better conform to the area rule, reducing wave drag at transonic speeds.


Sears-Haack body

Sears-Haack body (plural Sears-Haack bodies)

The derivation and shape were published independently by Wolfgang Haack in 1941 and William Sears in 1947.

(aeronautics) The shape with the lowest theoretical wave drag in supersonic flow, for a given body length and a given volume.


penguin trainer

penguin trainer (plural penguin trainers)

What the penguin trainers lacked in aerodynamic ability was more than made up in weight and strength, for it was their purpose to take all of the heavy shocks and general road work while the pilot was getting the feel of the controls.

1930, Flying Magazine, volume 1, number 1, page 36:

On its return to Hamble in 1930 the machine was equipped with twin metal floats and Mongoose engine as a penguin trainer for Air Service Training Ltd.

1965, Aubrey Joseph Jackson, Avro Aircraft Since 1908, page 184:

(UK, aviation, historical) A machine resembling an aeroplane but unable to fly, used for training pilots.


fuse plug

ACI's Hong Kong station manager was at a loss as to how best to proceed. Flight 103's brakes had been cooled with blowers, and the plane towed to its gate. It had three blown tires, one had burst on the runway when the aircraft's anti‑skid system failed and two had deflated when their red-hot brakes had overheated the tires and the fuse plugs had blown. The tire that had blown on the runway had disintegrated and punched two holes in the aircraft's undersurface. The holes were small, but they had to be fixed.

2018 February 8, Terry Liittschwager, chapter 30, in Wrongful Act, archived from the original on 2022-01-31:

(aviation) A component of an aircraft wheel held in place by a metal alloy with a low melting point, such that, if the wheel is severely overheated (for instance, by heavy braking), pressure is released from the wheel and tire/tyre in a controlled manner rather than risking an explosion of the wheel assembly.


dump and burn

(aviation) A maneuver involving dumping and burning.


dump and burn

en-verb

dump and burn (third-person singular simple present dumps and burns, present participle dumping and burning, simple past and past participle dumped and burned or dumped and burnt)

dumps and burns (present singular third-person)
dumping and burning (participle present)
dumped and burned (participle past)
dumped and burned (past)
dumped and burnt (participle past)
dumped and burnt (past)

(aviation, of an aircraft) To jettison fuel and then immediately ignite the cloud of jettisoned fuel using one's afterburners to create a large fireball behind the aircraft, typically as an airshow maneuver.


resolution advisory

en-noun

resolution advisory (plural resolution advisories)

(aviation) A TCAS warning directing the pilot of an aircraft to take immediate evasive action of a specified type (for instance: "INCREASE CLIMB, INCREASE CLIMB") to avoid a possible impending mid-air collision.


traffic advisory

traffic advisory (plural traffic advisories)

(aviation) A TCAS caution message alerting the pilot of an aircraft to the presence of nearby traffic which does not yet pose an imminent collision hazard.


airworthiness directive

airworthiness directive (plural airworthiness directives)

(aviation, law) A regulation issued by the civil aviation authority of a country or region, generally in response to the discovery of an unsafe condition affecting particular aircraft, requiring that certain actions (such as specified modifications or enhanced maintenance or inspection requirements) be performed on these aircraft in order for them to remain legally airworthy.


EAD

emergency airworthiness directive
w:emergency airworthiness directive

(aviation) Initialism of emergency airworthiness directive.


AVGP

(military, aviation) Abbreviation of aviation group.


hydroflight

(nautical, aviation) A method of tethered flight using an umbilicus to provide power and reaction mass via a hydrojet supplied from a surface pump on a body of water.


balked landing

(aviation) A go-around initiated after the aircraft has already touched down on the runway.


NMA

(aviation) Initialism of new midsize aircraft.

(aviation) Initialism of new mid-market aircraft.


crash axe

They further state the crash axe is a dangerous weapon, especially if it is put in the cabin. That point should be considered. There were two comments from ALPA: One comment was that they agreed with the proposal, thinking the crash axe has lost its effectiveness and that they would prefer a combination crash axe and pry bar. Gates Learjet commented that today's aircraft does not allow for a crash axe, and that the proposal is way too broad. They may support, or it would be okay if it was included in the aircraft operator 121 operations.

1976, First Biennial Operations Review, 1975-1976: Conference Summary, page 26:

Meanwhile, one of the loadmasters was trying to remove the filler cap from the utility system reservoir, but the cap was so hot it burned his hand. A second loadmaster used a crash axe to loosen the cap, then began passing back cans of spare hydraulic fluid to replenish the system.

Jack's mind raced as he tried to come up with a reason why this man would have a cockpit crash axe. He knew there was only one on board, and that it was stored in the cockpit. It wasn't unusual for pilots to be trapped in the cockpit after an accident. Even a minor “fender bender” could bend the airframe door enough to make the door inoperable.

2017 March 20, John Etzil, Airliner Down: An Aviation Thriller, Pier West llc, →ISBN:

(aviation) A lightweight fire axe carried in the cockpit of medium and large passenger aircraft and used to cut an escape route through aircraft wreckage after a crash, or to gain access to a hidden fire during flight.


FRUIT

(aviation) Acronym of false replies unsynchronized/uncorrelated in time.


ARTCC

air route traffic control center
w:air route traffic control center

(aviation) Initialism of air route traffic control center.


Gillham code

Named after Ronald Lionel Gillham, a signals officer.

(aviation) A zero-padded 12-bit binary code, a modified Gray code, used to transmit uncorrected barometric altitude between an encoding altimeter or analog air data computer and a digital transponder.


Gillham interface

Gillham interface (plural Gillham interfaces)

(aviation) The device used to transmit Gillham code.


forced induction

(mechanical engineering, automotive, aviation) The process of blowing compressed air into the cylinders of an internal combustion piston engine to increase the compression ratio and power of the engine, typically by using a turbocharger or supercharger.


skiplagging

Airlines do not like skiplagging because it costs them money.

2023 November 24, “Skiplagging: Why some flyers love it and why airlines hate it”, in CNN:

(aviation) The practice of disembarking at a "hidden city" rather than continuing to one's ticketed destination, in order to save money on the airfare.


throwaway ticketing

(aviation) The purchase of a ticket with the intent to use only a portion of the included travel, in order to save on airfare.


Bitching Betty

Referring to the female voice used in such recordings.

(aviation, slang) A voice warning system in an aircraft.


ghost flight

The ghost flights, defined as those with no passengers or less than 10% of passenger capacity, operated from all 32 airports listed in the data.

2022 February 22, Damian Carrington, “Almost 15,000 ‘ghost flights’ have left UK since pandemic began”, in The Guardian:

Airlines may be denying that they run ghost flights, but they're certainly able to operate them during travel bans: they don't have to cancel flights even if pandemic restrictions mean their passengers can no longer travel.

2022 May, Sarah Barrell, “Ghost Flights: Are Empty Planes Haunting Our Skies?”, in National Geographic Traveler, →ISSN, page 143:

(aviation) An empty or near-empty flight run by an airline to fulfill contractual obligations.

(aviation) A flight in which the aircraft continues to fly after incapacitation of the pilots or crew.


air marker

air markers (plural)
airmarker (alternative)

(aviation, historical) A large sign painted on a roof indicating directions and distances to assist pilots in navigating.


flight instrument

flight instrument (plural flight instruments)

(aviation, usually in the plural) A device that measures and displays data concerning one or more aspects of the situation of an aircraft, such as its altitude, attitude, airspeed, etc.


instrument approach

instrument approach (plural instrument approaches)

(aviation) An approach (pre-landing procedure) using flight instruments for some or all navigation to the landing airport and runway, as opposed to one flown solely by visual reference to the ground.


precision approach

precision approach (plural precision approaches)

(aviation) An instrument approach using a guidance system that provides guidance in the vertical as well as the horizontal plane, such as ILS, PAR, or GLS.


non-precision approach

non-precision approach (plural non-precision approaches)

non-precision approaches (plural)
nonprecision approach (alternative)

(aviation) An instrument approach using a guidance system that provides only horizontal, and not vertical, guidance (such as VOR, NDB, or localizer navigation), requiring the pilot to manually maintain terrain clearance by flying at a predefined safe altitude for each segment of the approach by reference to their altimeter.


hammerhead turn

hammerhead turn (plural hammerhead turns)

(aviation) A turnaround maneuver in aerobatics.


stall angle

(aviation) The critical angle; the angle of attack beyond which an airfoil stalls (loses lift and gains drag).


stall speed

From how attempting to slow below this speed by pulling back on the nose will cause the aircraft to stall.

The aircraft configuration was such that there was little or no warning of the stall onset. The inboard slats were extended, and therefore, the flow separation from the stall would be limited to the outboard segment of the left wing and would not be felt by the left horizontal stabilizer. There would be little or no buffet. The DFDR also indicated that there was some turbulence, which could have masked any aerodynamic buffeting. Since the roll to the left began at V₂ + 6 and since the pilots were aware that V₂ was well above the aircraft's stall speed, they probably did not suspect that the roll to the left indicated a stall. In fact, the roll probably confused them, especially since the stickshaker had not activated.

1979 December 21, National Transportation Safety Board, “Aircraft and Flightcrew Performance”, in Aircraft Accident Report: American Airlines, Inc., DC-10-10, N110AA, Chicago-O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, Illinois, May 25, 1979, archived from the original on 2022-08-17, page 54:

(aviation) The airspeed at which the lift generated by an aircraft flying with an angle of attack equal to the stall angle (the point of maximum lift for a given airspeed) is exactly equal to the aircraft's weight; the minimum airspeed at which it is possible to maintain level unaccelerated flight.


(aviation) Stall speed in landing configuration, with all high-lift devices (flaps and/or slats) extended.


high-lift device

high-lift device (plural high-lift devices)

(aviation) A mechanical device or control surface which, when deployed or activated, increases the lift generated by an aircraft, allowing it to fly at lower airspeeds.


scavenge pump

The scavenge pump is designed to remove the last amounts of usable fuel from the CWT and pump it into the left inboard (No. 2) fuel tank. The intake opening for this pump is located very close to the bottom of the tank between the mid spar and SWB2. Although the scavenge pump removes fuel that is unobtainable by the jettison/override pumps, a small amount of residual fuel will remain in the fuel tank that the scavenge pump is not able to remove (unusable fuel). In the 747 CWT, the jettison/override and scavenge pumps are mounted on the rear spar such that the pump motor is external to the tank but contains fuel-cooled windings.

2000 August 23, National Transportation Safety Board, “1.6.2.2 747-100 Fuel Pump System Description”, in Aircraft Accident Report: In-flight Breakup Over the Atlantic Ocean, Trans World Airlines Flight 800, Boeing 747-131, N93119, Near East Moriches, New York, July 17, 1996, archived from the original on 2022-07-11, page 40:

(chiefly aviation) A fuel pump used to remove the last dregs of usable fuel from a fuel tank once the fuel level in the tank has fallen too low for the primary fuel pumps to be able to draw fuel from the tank.


dry bay

The compartment between SWB3 and the front spar was originally equipped with a bladder cell for water and plumbing to inject that water into the engines to increase engine thrust on takeoff. When the original engines were replaced with higher thrust engines, water for water injection was not needed, and the compartment between SWB3 and the front spar was converted to a dry bay. The accident airplane's water system had been deactivated, and the bladder cell and plumbing had been removed. In some later models of the 747 and in the military (E-4B) version, this dry bay has been modified to carry fuel.

2000 August 23, National Transportation Safety Board, “1.6.1.1 747-100 Wing Center Section and Center Wing Fuel Tank Description”, in Aircraft Accident Report: In-flight Breakup Over the Atlantic Ocean, Trans World Airlines Flight 800, Boeing 747-131, N93119, Near East Moriches, New York, July 17, 1996, archived from the original on 2022-05-04, page 16:

(aviation) An enclosed compartment immediately adjacent to a fuel tank but not itself used for fuel.


high-time

en-adj

high-time (comparative higher-time, superlative highest-time)

higher-time (comparative)
highest-time (superlative)

Boeing and the FAA conducted additional tests and research to further investigate why the rivets failed and what the possible repercussions of such a failure would be, including metallurgical examination of high-time bellcranks, material properties testing on old and new bellcranks, review of bellcrank failure rate data obtained from 767 operators, and examination of maintenance procedures to determine whether changes in procedures and/or intervals were warranted. The Safety Board monitored the FAA's and Boeing's tests and research into the bellcrank shear rivet failures.

2002 March 13, National Transportation Safety Board, “767 Bellcrank Anomalies”, in Aircraft Accident Brief: EgyptAir Flight 990, Boeing 767-366ER, SU-GAP, 60 Miles South of Nantucket, Massachusetts, October 31, 1999, archived from the original on 2022-05-11, page 18:

(mechanical engineering, especially aviation, of a vehicle or mechanical component) Having been in use for a (relatively) long time or a large number of operating cycles; nearing retirement or replacement age.


hot microphone

When the captain asked, "What's happening? What's happening?" at 0150:06, his words were not recorded by the hot microphone at the first officer's position; however, the hot microphone recorded the captain's subsequent remarks until it stopped recording cockpit conversation at 0150:25. (None of the relief first officer's comments during the accident sequence were recorded by the hot microphone. For additional information, see the section titled, "Audio Information Recorded by First Officer's Hot Microphone.")

2002 March 13, National Transportation Safety Board, “Events After the Command Captain Returned to the Cockpit”, in Aircraft Accident Brief: EgyptAir Flight 990, Boeing 767-366ER, SU-GAP, 60 Miles South of Nantucket, Massachusetts, October 31, 1999, archived from the original on 2022-05-11, page 62:

(electronics, especially aviation) A microphone that is activated (but not powered) by the sound of the user's voice, allowing it to pick up speech without having to be manually turned on, while still rejecting background noise unaccompanied by speech.


swept wing

(aviation) A wing that is angled backwards (or, occasionally, forwards) from its point of attachment to the fuselage, so that the wingtip is located further aft or forward than the wing root.


yaw damper

(aviation) A component of the flight control system of most swept-wing aircraft which suppresses the aircraft's natural Dutch roll tendency using carefully-timed automatic rudder inputs.


adverse yaw

(aviation) The phenomenon whereby rolling an aircraft to start a turn in one direction increases the drag on the upgoing wing on the outside of the turn, creating a tendency (especially at low airspeed and high angle of attack) for the aircraft to yaw out of the turn, and, instead, begin to turn in the direction opposite that desired.


wake turbulence

(aviation) The disturbances formed in the atmosphere behind an aircraft passing through the air, consisting primarily of a combination of wake vortices and jet blast or prop wash.


wake vortex

(aviation, aerodynamics) One of the paired vortices formed behind any heavier-than-air aircraft when producing lift, created by the velocity differential between the air being accelerated downwards by the wings (or other lifting surface), on the one hand, and the unaccelerated air beyond the aircraft's wingtips, on the other.


vacuum airship

(aviation, astronautics) A hypothetical airship that is evacuated rather than filled with a lighter-than-air gas such as hydrogen or helium.


airport system

(aviation) A collection of airports, heliports or other aviation facilities that serve a particular location.


on the deck

The HAWK is one of the Army's newest air defense weapons. It is capable of carrying a modern warhead and of destroying attackers flying "on the deck" at such ranges as to insure effective protection of defended areas.

1961, United States. Congress. House. Committee on Armed Services, Hearings ... on Sundry Legislation Affecting the Naval and Military Establishments (issues 10–32, page 1340)

The fighters were flying “on the deck” — as close to the water as possible — to avoid detection.

2008, Sydney Sharpe, Staying in the Game: The Remarkable Story of Doc Seaman, page 42:

(aviation) Flying at a very low altitude.


stopway

(aviation) A piece of land extending beyond the runway for use in case of an aborted takeoff.


eVTOL

(aviation) The electrified version of VTOL. Electric flight with vertical take-off and landing.


eSTOL

(aviation) The electrified version of STOL; electric flight with short take-off and landing.


eSTOVL

(aviation) The electrified version of STOVL; electric flight with short take-off and vertical landing.


eVSTOL

eVSTOLs (plural)
eV/STOL (alternative)
eSVTOL (alternative)
eS/VTOL (alternative)

(aviation) The electrified version of V/STOL. Electric flight with vertical or short take-off and landing.


CTOL

(aviation) Acronym of conventional take-off and landing. (taking off and landing horizontally from a conventional length runway in the usual distance)


eCTOL

(aviation) The electrified version of CTOL. Electric flight for conventional take-off and landing aircraft.


BCAR

(aviation, UK) Abbreviation of British Civil Airworthiness Requirements.


LLWAS

en-noun

LLWAS (usually uncountable, plural LLWASes)

(aviation, meteorology) Initialism of low-level windshear alert system.


ANU

en-adj

ANU (comparative more ANU, superlative most ANU)

more ANU (comparative)
most ANU (superlative)

(aviation) Initialism of airplane nose up.


core lock

The lack of core rotation on the accident airplane engines was similar to the instances of core lock experienced by CF34 engines during Bombardier’s acceptance testing, except that the accident airplane engines were exposed to more severe thermal distress than the engines on the production airplanes. Specifically, the accident airplane’s engines flamed out from high power and high altitude, whereas the engines installed on the production airplanes were shut down only after their internal temperatures were stabilized.

2007 January 9, National Transportation Safety Board, “2.2.3 Double Engine Failure”, in Aircraft Accident Report: Crash of Pinnacle Airlines Flight 3701, Bombardier CL-600-2B19, N8396A, Jefferson City, Missouri, October 14, 2004, archived from the original on 2022-03-15, page 49:

(aviation, mechanical engineering) Seizure of a turbine engine due to misalignment and loss of clearance between stationary and rotating components, caused by different components cooling and contracting at different rates following engine shutdown or flameout.


core lock

en-verb

core lock (third-person singular simple present core locks, present participle core locking, simple past and past participle core locked)

core locks (present singular third-person)
core locking (participle present)
core locked (participle past)
core locked (past)

As testimony during the Safety Board’s June 2005 public hearing on the Pinnacle Airlines accident indicated, neither Bombardier nor GE considered core lock to be a safety-of-flight issue. The manufacturers claimed that engines that passed the screening procedure, with or without grind-in rework, would not core lock as long as the 240-knot airspeed was maintained.

2007 January 9, National Transportation Safety Board, “1.18.2 Core Lock”, in Aircraft Accident Report: Crash of Pinnacle Airlines Flight 3701, Bombardier CL-600-2B19, N8396A, Jefferson City, Missouri, October 14, 2004, archived from the original on 2022-03-15, page 37:

(aviation, mechanical engineering, of a turbine engine) To experience core lock.


core locked

Engines that are found to be core locked are reworked using an in-flight "grind-in" procedure that was designed to remove seal material at the interference location. Engines that undergo grind-in rework are then rescreened for core lock. The grind-in procedure is as follows [...]

(aviation, mechanical engineering) Affected by core lock.


air host

(UK, aviation) A male flight attendant; a steward.


air steward

(Malaysia, Singapore, aviation) A male flight attendant


flight controller

en-noun

flight controller (plural flight controllers)

air traffic controller
air traffic controller#English


SEAD

(military, aviation) Acronym of suppression of enemy air defense(s).


roll the trucks

en-verb

roll the trucks (third-person singular simple present rolls the trucks, present participle rolling the trucks, simple past and past participle rolled the trucks)

rolls the trucks (present singular third-person)
rolling the trucks (participle present)
rolled the trucks (participle past)
rolled the trucks (past)

About 2211:04, the first officer contacted the ground controller to inform him that aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) was needed because of a cargo fire. The controller then confirmed that the first officer was reporting an aircraft fire and stated, about 2211:24, 'we're gonna roll the trucks right now.' Afterward, the pilots began the fire and evacuation checklist. The CVR recording ended about 2211:38.

2009 June 30, National Transportation Safety Board, “1.1 History of the Flight”, in Aircraft Accident Report: Ground Fire Aboard Cargo Airplane, ABX Air Flight 1611, Boeing 767-200, N799AX, San Francisco, California, June 28, 2008, archived from the original on 2022-06-22, page 3:

(aviation, slang, intransitive) To alert and deploy ARFF emergency vehicles to the scene of an aircraft accident, incident, or emergency landing on or near an airport.


derich

derich (third-person singular simple present deriches, present participle deriching, simple past and past participle deriched)

deriches (present singular third-person)
deriching (participle present)
deriched (participle past)
deriched (past)

The fuel derich system on each engine protected against severe turbine over-temperature. If the engine's EGT indicator reached 860 degrees Celsius while the system was armed, the air/fuel ratio in the engine was automatically reduced (deriched).

2019 [2008], Richard H. Graham, Flying the SR-71 Blackbird: In the Cockpit on a Secret Operational Mission, Motorbooks International, →ISBN, page 62:

(aviation, rare) To make the air–fuel ratio (of a jet engine or a carburetor) leaner (less rich).


load factor

FDR data indicated that, about 0915:36, the airplane experienced a 0.04 G drop in longitudinal load factor, a 0.07 G shift to the left in lateral load factor, and about a 0.3 G drop in normal (vertical) load factor. The airplane performance study found that these excursions were consistent with a wake turbulence encounter.

2004 October 26, National Transportation Safety Board, “1.1 History of Flight”, in Aircraft Accident Report: In-Flight Separation of Vertical Stabilizer, American Airlines Flight 587, Airbus Industrie A300-605R, N14053, Belle Harbor, New York, November 12, 2001, archived from the original on 2022-06-03, page 3:

(aviation) The acceleration experienced by an aircraft along a given axis at a particular instant in time.


wetted area

en-noun

wetted area (usually uncountable, plural wetted areas)

(hydrodynamics) The total surface area of a vehicle which interacts with the fluid through which the vehicle travels.

(aviation) The total surface area of an aircraft.


(aviation, military, US, historical) The original designation of the Lockheed XF-90, redesignated in 1948.


(aviation, military, historical, US) The original designation of the Curtiss P-60.


XQ

Kratos XQ-58 Valkyrie
w:Kratos XQ-58 Valkyrie

(aviation, military, US, historical) The original designation of the Kratos XQ-58 Valkyrie.


The load factor and engine N1 data fluctuations recorded on the FDR suggested that flight 587 encountered the wake of Japan Air Lines flight 47 for the second time between about 0915:50 and 0915:54 and that the motion of the airplane was affected by the wake vortex during this time.

2004 October 26, National Transportation Safety Board, “1.16.2.2 Flight 587 Simulation”, in Aircraft Accident Report: In-Flight Separation of Vertical Stabilizer, American Airlines Flight 587, Airbus Industrie A300-605R, N14053, Belle Harbor, New York, November 12, 2001, archived from the original on 2022-07-03, page 56:

(aviation) The rotational speed of the low-pressure spool of a multiple-spool gas turbine engine, expressed as a percentage of a certain reference rotational speed.


directional gyro

directional gyro (plural directional gyros)

/dəˈɹɛk.ʃɪ.nəl ˈd͡ʒaɪ.ɹoʊ/

(aviation) A gyroscopic flight instrument that provides heading information.


bleed air

(aviation) Compressed air taken from the compressor stage of a gas turbine upstream of its fuel-burning sections.


RVR

runway visual range
w:runway visual range

(aviation, meteorology) Initialism of runway visual range.


WEFT

(aviation) Acronym of wing(s), engine(s), fuselage(s), tail(s). A mnemonic for airplane identification, of most the most identifiable parts of the aeroplane, that can be used to distinguish one aircraft from another.


high yo-yo

When you have the airspeed advantage, you can execute a high yo-yo for increased maneuverability in a turn fight while conserving your energy. Now who's laughing?

2021 March 19, Bosnian Ape Society, 5:13 from the start, in Is Your Car Safe From Supermaneuverable Air-Defense Fighter Aircraft?, archived from the original on 2022-08-07:

(aviation, military) A dogfighting maneuver used by a rapidly-closing attacker to avoid an overshoot during a turn, involving pulling up into a climb to exchange airspeed for altitude and allow the attacker to make a slower, tighter turn and drop back down behind the defender.


low yo-yo

(aviation, military) A dogfighting maneuver used to increase the closure rate of the attacker during a turn, involving the attacker temporarily giving up some altitude to simultaneously increase airspeed and allow them to turn more steeply, enabling the attacker to cut across the defender's turn and catch up with the defender.


wet-leasing

The airline started wet-leasing its planes to carriers in Europe.

(aviation) The leasing of an airplane including crew, maintenance and insurance to another organisation, usually for a short period of time.


rolling takeoff

rolling takeoff (plural rolling takeoffs)

Correlation of the DFDR and CVR recordings disclosed that the flightcrew had set the flaps and stabilizer trim at 10° and about 5° aircraft noseup, respectively, for takeoff. A rolling takeoff was made, takeoff thrust was stabilized at 80 KIAS, and left rudder and right aileron were used to compensate for the right crosswind. The V₁ and V_R callouts were made about 2 sec after these speeds were recorded by the DFDR.

1979 December 21, National Transportation Safety Board, “1.11 Flight Recorders”, in Aircraft Accident Report: American Airlines, Inc., DC-10-10, N110AA, Chicago-O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, Illinois, May 25, 1979, archived from the original on 2022-08-17, page 4:

(aviation) A takeoff where the aircraft taxis into takeoff position and immediately starts to accelerate for takeoff, without stopping on the runway.


balloon tender

Coordinate term: balloon carrier

observation balloon
observation balloon#English

(aviation, nautical, historical) A ship used to support operations of a balloon or dirigible, particularly observation balloon operations


balloon carrier

balloon carrier (plural balloon carriers)

Coordinate term: balloon tender

(aviation, nautical, historical) A ship used to support carry a balloon or dirigible, and support its operation; particularly observation balloon operations


airship tender

Coordinate term: airship carrier

(aviation, nautical, historical) A ship used to support operations of a blimp or dirigible.


airship carrier

airship carrier (plural airship carriers)

Coordinate term: airship tender

(aviation, nautical, historical) A ship used to carry, deploy, and support the operations of a blimp or dirigible.


elephant walk

From elephant + walk. Coined in the United States Air Force during World War 2, in reference to the appearance of large numbers of taxiing heavy bombers.

(US, military aviation) The taxiing of multiple aircraft in close formation before a mass take-off.


heavy bomber

(military aviation) A large, long-range bomber, capable of carrying a heavy payload.


Schnellbomber

/ˈʃnɛlˌbɑmɚ/

Unadapted borrowing from German Schnellbomber, from schnell (“fast”) + Bomber (“bomber”).

ubor

(military aviation, historical) A type of German World War 2 bomber designed to outrun fighters as part of its defensive capability.


RSVM

(aviation) Initialism of reduced vertical separation minima (practice of reducing vertical separation when flying).


AWOS

(aviation) Acronym of automated weather observing system.


sUAS

To maximize the fidelity of the CFD wind simulation described in section 1.10.3, NTSB investigators conducted a mapping mission using an sUAS to obtain the imagery necessary to produce an accurate, photogrammetric 3-D model of the hangar, other buildings, and terrain near the area where the airplane was parked.

2019 February 14, National Transportation Safety Board, “1.13 Effective New Investigation Techniques”, in Aircraft Accident Report: Runway Overrun During Rejected Takeoff, Ameristar Air Cargo, Inc., dba Ameristar Charters, flight 9363, Boeing MD-83, N786TW, Ypsilanti, Michigan, March 8, 2017, archived from the original on 2022-07-02, page 46:

(aviation) Initialism of small unmanned aircraft system.


oblique wing

(aviation) A variable geometry wing concept, where the wing is designed to rotate on center pivot, so that one tip is swept forward while the opposite tip is swept aft.


ram air turbine

en-noun

ram air turbine (plural ram air turbines)

(aviation) A small wind turbine mounted on an aircraft and used to generate electrical or hydraulic power from the force of air moving past the aircraft.


power dive

(aeronautics) A steep dive in an aircraft accelerated by an engine delivering thrust at or near full power.


power-egg

(aeronautics) A complete unitized modular engine installation, consisting of engine and all ancillary equipment, which can be swapped between suitably designed equipment.


XLR

(aviation) Initialism of extra long range.


VFR direct

(aviation) While flying under visual flight rules, finding one's own route without formal reliance on navigation aids, defined fixes, or the like.


T/D

The pilots landed at the airport after reaching their T/D

(aviation) Initialism of top of descent.


aircoach

Aircoaches are big money-makers for the five or six airlines that use them. They do a near-capacity business on midnight runs for passengers who don't mind the night-flying and who like the lower prices.

1949, Kiplinger's Personal Finance, volume 3, number 9, page 4:

Does Eastern Airlines, for instance, put the same number of seats in their aircoaches that you do, in the same type aircraft?

1956, United States. Congress. House. Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, Civil Air Policy, page 415:

(aviation) An airliner offering relatively cheap but cramped passenger flights.

an Ireland-based company providing express coach services to airports


airstop

(aviation) A designated landing site for helicopters.


tailskid

(aviation) A piece of metal or wood used, like a tailwheel, to support the tail of an aircraft on the ground.


AEW&C

(US, aviation, military) Initialism of airborne early warning and control.


static port

(aviation) A port on the side or belly of an airplane, used to measure the ambient air pressure for determination of altitude.


line abreast

(nautical, military, aviation, of ships or aircraft) Arranged or proceeding side-by-side.


truck beam

[A Boeing 777 main landing gear assembly] comprises a shock strut, at the top of which is the MLG trunnion; at the lower end is a truck beam with three axles and six wheels. The truck beam rotates in pitch about a pivot at the base of the shock strut and a truck position actuator tilts the truck when the aircraft is airborne.

2010 February 9, Air Accidents Investigation Branch, “1.6.13 Landing gear”, in Report on the accident to Boeing 777-236ER, G-YMMM, at London Heathrow Airport on 17 January 2008, archived from the original on 2022-04-12, page 28:

(aviation) A fore-and-aft horizontal beam at the lower end of the gear strut of a multi-axle landing gear bogie, upon which are mounted the multiple axles of the bogie.


CMCA

cruise missile carrier aircraft
cruise missile carrier aircraft#English

(military, aviation) Initialism of cruise missile carrier aircraft. A cargoplane loaded with cruise missiles, that are dropped out the rear cargo door to launch while airborne


MIPCC

mass injection and pre-compressor cooling technology#English

(aviation) Initialism of mass injection and pre-compressor cooling technology. A type of water injection cooling for jet engines


arsenal plane

(military, aviation) A cargoplane filled with munitions, that are deployed when airborne by dropping them out the rear door, and having the weapons perform any necessary targetting and maneuvering by themselves.


wild weasel

Genericization of the codename Wild Weasel of the first aircraft tasked with the anti-SAM role in the USAF during the Vietnam War. From the dancing of weasels in the wild and their behavior of hunting snakes, contrasted with the maneuvering of the wild weasel aircraft and their hunting of SAMs.

surface-to-air missile
surface-to-air missile

anti-radiation missile
anti-radiation missile

(US, military, aviation) An attack airplane specialized for attacking anti-aircraft defenses (AADs), typically surface-to-air missile (SAM) sites and radar control stations, typically with anti-radiation missiles (ARMs).


combat air patrol

combat air patrol (plural combat air patrols)

(military, aviation) A patrolling force of fighter aircraft tasked with covering and screening a friendly asset (such as an aircraft carrier or a flight of bombers) in order to defend it from incoming hostile aircraft.


air denial

(military, aviation) A situation in aerial warfare wherein one's air force is significantly outmatched in the air by an enemy air force, but is nevertheless able to contest control of the air and prevent the enemy from achieving air supremacy.

(military, aviation) The strategies used by the weaker air force in this situation.


lockpin

The pulling force exerted by the arms will then cause the spring-loaded lockpin retract collar to contact two fiberglass catches in the receptacle.

1970, US Bureau of Naval Personnel, Aviation Structural Mechanic E 1 & C., page 270:

The lockpin housing contains a bushing for the parking lockpin mechanism and a bonded nylon strap.

1989, US Department of the Army, Aviation Unit and Intermediate Maintenance Manual, page 3-54:

These safety lockpins, when engaged, prevent the main locking pins from disengaging, regardless of hydraulic pressure.

2008, US Navy, Grumman F6F Hellcat Pilot's Flight Operating Instructions, →ISBN, page 16:

(chiefly aviation) A pin used to lock a mechanism and prevent it from moving.


piddle pack

(aviation, aerospace) A urine collection device used as a toilet by the crew of an aircraft or spacecraft.


innage

(aeronautics) The amount of fuel remaining in the fuel tanks of an aircraft following a flight.


bringback

en-adj

bringback (comparative more bringback, superlative most bringback)

more bringback (comparative)
most bringback (superlative)

(military, aviation) Pertaining to return payload weight for aircraft from aircraft carriers.


alternate aerodrome

en-noun

alternate aerodrome (plural alternate aerodromes)

alternate aerodromes (plural)
alternate airport (alternative)
alternate airfield (alternative)

If an emergency landing is made elsewhere than at an international aerodrome or a designated alternate aerodrome, the pilot in command shall report the landing as promptly as possible by telephone or most convenient means to the nearest Customs office.

1979 January, “Regulations Concerning Airport Use”, in United States of America Aeronautical Information Publication:

An aircraft operated in IFR flight shall carry an amount of fuel that is sufficient to allow the aircraft [...] where an alternate aerodrome is specified in the flight plan or flight itinerary, to fly and execute an approach and a missed approach at the destination aerodrome, to fly and land at the alternate aerodrome and then to fly for a period of 45 minutes [...]

2022, A. J. D. Fafard, “Pre-flight and Fuel Requirements”, in Canadian Air Law for Pilots:

(aviation) An aerodrome to which a flight may proceed if landing at the intended destination becomes impossible or inadvisable.


downpointer

During one session , the subject used a canopy-mounted downpointer to estimate position in space relative to the ground, and in the other session the subject used a joystick-controlled, inside-out, aircraft attitude indicator.

1989, Aviation Space and Environmental Medicine, page 492:

(aviation) An indicator that points toward the ground.


exhaust velocity

exhaust velocity (plural exhaust velocities)

The lighter the molecules, the higher will be the exhaust velocity; and we already know from the rocket equation that the exhaust velocity is the most important measure of an engine's performance.

2004, Martin J. L. Turner, Expedition Mars, Springer Science & Business, →ISBN, page 134:

(aeronautics) The speed with which the exhaust gases leave the rocket engine.


super light

(aviation) An aircraft classification above light and below submid.

(aviation) An aircraft fitting that class


TIS-B

(aviation) Abbreviation of broadcast traffic information system.


ADS-R

automatic dependent surveillance - rebroadcast#English

(aviation) rebroadcast ADS: Initialism of automatic dependent surveillance - rebroadcast. (rebroadcasting of ADS automated transmission of GPS location information from an aircraft via an ADS station)


HAF

Hellenic Air Force
w:en:Hellenic Air Force

(military, aviation) Abbreviation of Hellenic Air Force. The air force of Greece

Honduran Air Force
w:en:Honduran Air Force

(military, aviation) Abbreviation of Honduran Air Force. The air force of Honduras

w:en:Headquarters, United States Air Force

(US, military, aviation) Abbreviation of Headquarters, Air Force. (United States Air Force Headquarters) The general staff bureau of the United States Air Force


UHB

UHB (countable and uncountable, plural UHBs)

(aviation) Abbreviation of ultrahigh bypass jet engine (“propfan”).


PLAAF

People's Liberation Army Air Force
w:en:People's Liberation Army Air Force

People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China#English

(aviation, military) Abbreviation of People's Liberation Army Air Force. The national air force of the People's Republic of China.


Black Tulip

Black Tulips (plural)
black tulip (alternative)

black+tulip. Calque of Russian Чёрный тюльпан (Čórnyj tjulʹpan). From the use of the aircraft as a means to repatriate corpses of fallen soldiers. From the use of black tulips and other flowers to border obituaries. Originating as a nickname used by Soviet aircrews of the repatriation transport missions during the Afghan War, and popularized by Alexander Rezenbaum in a popular Soviet song, before migrating into English.

calque

Чёрный тюльпан

(military, aviation) Synonym of Antonov An-12 (“Soviet-era turboprop cargoplane”)


FLI

en-noun

FLI (countable and uncountable, plural FLIs)

(aviation) Initialism of first limit indicator.


course-correct

en-verb

course-correct (third-person singular simple present course-corrects, present participle course-correcting, simple past and past participle course-corrected)

course-corrects (present singular third-person)
course-correcting (participle present)
course-corrected (participle past)
course-corrected (past)

(transitive, aviation, nautical) To alter the current course of an aircraft or other vessel to ensure it is directed towards the intended destination.


chiefie

And did you know the Chiefie said that one of our kites went in the drink last night?

Avoiding the Taceval man's gaze the 'chiefie' winked and pulled a face.

2017, Richard Pike, Phantom Boys, volume 2:


Frise aileron

Developed by Leslie George Frise (1897–1979) of the Bristol Aeroplane Company.

(aviation) A kind of aileron that pivots on an offset hinge when pressure is applied to the control wheel or control stick, so as to project the leading edge of the aileron into the airflow and generate drag.


air staff

(military, aviation) The chief commander, flag officers, and bureau in charge of a military's air branch. The headqaurters general staff of an air force.


RIMCAS

(aviation) Acronym of runway incursion monitoring and collision avoidance system.


GCAS

(aviation) Acronym of ground collision avoidance system.


flightmare

flightmares (plural)
flight-mare (alternative)

Blend of flight + nightmare. Compare also frightmare.

She glanced, for the first time since this flightmare started, to the man sitting in the aisle seat beside her.

2011, Joe Shrader, Eden Falls, page 118:

I was so grateful to see my children that day, and even Jake was a sight for sore eyes after the “flightmare” from hell.

2015, Mary Helen Hensley, Promised by Heaven:

The flightmare continues as I elbow my way through chuckleheads in pleated khakis or gamey business suits with phones clipped to their belts, parents who are wrangling several unruly kids hopped up on M&Ms, and reunited couples engaged in serious tonsil hockey.

2015, Jennifer Worick, Things I Want to Punch in the Face, page 15:

(travel, aviation) An unpleasant flight or experience during air travel.


stallproof

en-adj

stallproof (comparative more stallproof, superlative most stallproof)

more stallproof (comparative)
most stallproof (superlative)

(aviation) Resistant to going into a stall.


spinproof

spinproof (comparative more spinproof, superlative most spinproof)

more spinproof (comparative)
most spinproof (superlative)

(aviation) Resistant to going into a spin.


rockaire

rockaires (plural)
rockair (alternative)

(astronautics, aviation, dated) An air-launched rocket

(space science, dated) An aeroplane-launched sounding rocket

An air-launched rocket
An aeroplane-launched sounding rocket

(astronautics, dated) An airplane-launched space rocket

An air-launched rocket
An airplane-launched space rocket


equitime

(aviation) The point in time at which an aircraft is halfway from its origin to its destination.


bicycle gear

en-noun

bicycle gear (countable and uncountable, plural bicycle gears)

bicycle landing gear
bicycle landing gear#English

(aviation) Synonym of bicycle landing gear


VTO

(aviation) Initialism of vertical takeoff.


CFII

(US, aviation) certificated (or certified, informally) flight instructor, instrument (a CFI with an instrument rating, qualified to give instrument flight rules training)


OTU

Operational Training Unit
w:Operational Training Unit

(aviation) Initialism of Operational Training Unit.


MEI

(US, aviation) multiengine instructor (a CFI qualified to give training in multiengine aircraft)


rotary wing

(aviation) A primary lift surface that produces lift in rotation, such as found in helicopters.


mean sea level

mean sea level (countable and uncountable, plural mean sea levels)

(aviation, meteorology, oceanography) The mean altitude of the ocean surface, averaged over all high and low tides at a particular location.


harrier carrier

harrier carrier (plural harrier carriers)

Blend of harrier + aircraft carrier. From the Hawker-Siddeley Harrier GR.1/2/3 & AV-8A and the McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II, the Harrier jump jet named after the harrier bird.

aircraft carrier
aircraft carrier#English

(nautical, military, aviation, slang) A small light fast aircraft carrier specialized in operating VTOL aircraft, used for controlling sea lanes, convoy escort, and anti-submarine patrol (ASW).

en:Hawker-Siddeley Harrier
en:McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II


lightning carrier

lightning carrier (plural lightning carriers)

Blend of lightning + aircraft carrier. From the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, the Lightning II jump jet, itself named after WWII Lockheed P-38 Lightning I, in turn, named after the lightning bolt and lightning.

(nautical, military, aviation, slang) A small light fast aircraft carrier specialized in operating VTOL aircraft, used for controlling sea lanes, convoy escort, and, anti-submarine patrol (ASW)

en:Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II
en:Lockheed P-38 Lightning


unicom

unicoms (plural)
UNICOM (alternative)
Unicom (alternative)

(aviation) An air-ground communication facility operated by a private agency (not air traffic control) to provide advice at uncontrolled aerodromes and airports and to provide non-flight services such as requesting a taxi.


PNE

(international standards, aviation) IATA airport code for Northeast Philadelphia Airport, which serves Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.


hurricane hunter

hurricane hunter (plural hurricane hunters)

(aviation, meteorology) An aircraft used to fly through hurricanes, or into the eye of hurricanes, to collect meteorological data, and sea surface data.

(aviation, meteorology) A member of the aircrew of such aircraft.


airmark

Coordinate term: landmark

(aviation) A recognizable natural or man-made feature used for aerial navigation.


airmark

en-verb

airmark (third-person singular simple present airmarks, present participle airmarking, simple past and past participle airmarked)

airmarks (present singular third-person)
airmarking (participle present)
airmarked (participle past)
airmarked (past)

(aviation) To mark airport names or identifiers so that they can be seen from the sky, to aid pilots in navigation.


Palam

Transliteration of Hindustani پَالَم / पालम (pālam).

Air India suffered the loss of a DC-3 on the Delhi-Bombay night mail run on May 9. The aircraft crashed approximately 20 miles south of Palam Airport, Delhi. The crew of four and all 14 passengers were killed.

1953, “News in Brief”, in Roland E. Dangerfield, editor, The Aeroplane, volume 84, page 668:

South West Delhi
South West Delhi#English

A neighbourhood of South West Delhi district, Delhi, India.

(aviation) The international airport of Delhi, India, officially Indira Gandhi International Airport.


wheelpants

(aviation) fairings around the wheels of fixed landing gear


Concordski

From Concorde (supersonic airliner) + -ski as a satirical coinage, due to being a Soviet aircraft with very similar role and visual profile, and as an allusion to the alleged Soviet industrial espionage of Concorde which was purported to have made the aircraft's design and construction possible.

(aviation, historical, humorous) The Tupolev Tu-144 (a Soviet supersonic airliner).

Soviet Union
Soviet industrial espionage of Concorde


radar cross section

en-noun

radar cross section (plural radar cross sections)

Alternative form: (abbreviation) RCS

(telecommunications, aviation) A measure of the detectability of an object by radar.


squawk sheet

(aviation, slang) A pilot's report of problems encountered with an aircraft during flight.


equisignal

instrument landing system
instrument landing system

(aviation, historical) A merged signal composed of two separate signals of differing amplitudes, indicating that the aircraft is on course, in certain instrument landing systems. When off course, the two signals can be heard separately.


Shannon stopover

Shannon stopover (plural Shannon stopovers)

(Ireland, aviation, historical) A compulsory stopover at Shannon Airport that was imposed on airline flights from North America which intended to visit another airport in the Republic of Ireland (such as Dublin), which applied to all flights from 1986 to 1993, then half of all flights until its abolition in 2007.


horizontal stabilizer

horizontal stabilizer (plural horizontal stabilizers)

Coordinate term: vertical stabilizer


tkof

tkof (countable and uncountable, plural tkofs)


outside loop

(aviation, aerobatics) An aerobatic maneuver in which a vertical circle is entered from straight and erect level flight, canopy pointing out of the loop.


block time

block time (countable and uncountable, plural block times)


flight time

(aviation) The total amount of time spent piloting aircraft, serving as the primary measure of a pilot's experience.


Rozière balloon

Rozière balloon (plural Rozière balloons)

(aeronautics) A type of hybrid balloon that has separate chambers for a nonheated lifting gas as well as for a heated lifting gas.


compound balloon

For the purpose of avoiding the difficulty which attended Blanchard's balloon in keeping her up, the constructed a compound balloon. This was arranged by suspending a fire balloon underneath the hydrogen balloon.

1850, John Wise, A System of Aeronautics, page 55:

I may remark that this had been previously done, for Pilatrede Rozier had lost his life and that of two of his companions in attempting to cross the channel in a compound balloon with the Charliere above and the Montgolfiere below.

1895, Transactions of the Liverpool Engineering Society, page 16:

(aeronautics) A variation of the hot-air balloon that is lifted by two separate balloons of different types, usually suspended one over the other.


Zap flap

Named after its inventor, Edward F. Zaparka.

(aeronautics) A kind of flap whose leading edge is mounted on a track, while a point at mid-chord on the flap is connected via an arm to a pivot just above the track. When the flap's leading edge moves aft along the track, the triangle formed by the track, the shaft and the surface of the flap (fixed at the pivot) gets narrower and deeper, forcing the flap down.


Krueger flap

(aeronautics) A kind of lift enhancement device to be fitted to the leading edge of an aircraft wing.


Fowler flap

(aeronautics) A split flap that slides backwards before hinging downward, thereby increasing first chord, then camber. It may or may not form part of the upper surface of the wing.


Fairey-Youngman flap

Fairey-Youngman flap (plural Fairey-Youngman flaps)

(aeronautics) A kind of flap that drops down before sliding aft and then rotating up or down.


gate time

(travel, aviation) The moment in time at which an aircraft pulls back from the gate, or passes a certain point on the track.

(travel, aviation) A prescheduled time at which a flight will enter a new area of controlled airspace.


elapsed flying time

elapsed flying time (countable and uncountable, plural elapsed flying times)

(travel, aviation) The amount of time that an aircraft spends in the air.


middle of the market

(aviation, business) The market for airliners whose specification falls between narrowbody and widebody.


quicksilver horizon

quicksilver horizon (plural quicksilver horizons)

(aviation) A type of artificial horizon made from mercury.


time of useful consciousness

(aviation, pulmonology) The amount of time a person is able to function effectively in an environment of inadequate oxygen supply.


actual flying time

actual flying time (countable and uncountable, plural actual flying times)

(business, travel, aviation) The total amount of time that an aircraft is in the air, excluding its time on the ground.


severe clear

The term became popular after 9/11, in reference to the weather on that day.

(aviation) Weather so bright that visibility is practically unhindered.


wingbox

(aviation) The primary load-carrying structure of the wing of a fixed-wing aircraft.


long sell

en-verb

long sell (third-person singular simple present long sells, present participle long selling, simple past and past participle long sold)

long sells (present singular third-person)
long selling (participle present)
long sold (participle past)
long sold (past)

(transitive, ditransitive, intransitive, aviation, travel, dated) (in a GDS) To reserve a flight by typing the required computer commands with the itinerary details together and entering the command once, rather than selecting from displayed availability.


aircraft station

en-noun

aircraft station (plural aircraft stations)

(radio, aeronautics) A radio station broadcast from an aircraft.


hard landing

hard landing (countable and uncountable, plural hard landings)

(aviation) An excessively-forceful touchdown, potentially causing damage to the aircraft.


hard-land

en-verb

hard-land (third-person singular simple present hard-lands, present participle hard-landing, simple past and past participle hard-landed)

hard-lands (present singular third-person)
hard-landing (participle present)
hard-landed (participle past)
hard-landed (past)
hard land (alternative)

Coordinate term: soft-land

(transitive, intransitive, astronautics, aviation) To land (a vehicle or other payload) on the surface of a body in such a manner that it does not survive the landing mostly or entirely intact and is unusable or unable to operate, even briefly, following touchdown.


English bunt

(aviation, aerobatics) An aerobatic maneuver consisting of a half of an outside loop starting from upright, and then straight and erect level flight.


inside loop

(aviation, aerobatics) An aerobatic maneuver in which a vertical circle is entered from straight and erect level flight, with a positive pitching movement used at all points in the loop to draw the circle.


doctor killer

From the epithet "forked-tail doctor killer," ascribed to the V-tail variant of the Beechcraft Bonanza aircraft due to the frequency of crashes and in-flight breakups attributed to wealthy amateur pilots, such as physicians.

(slang, aviation) A personal light aircraft attributed to a large number of serious accidents or fatal crashes.


clearance time

en-noun

clearance time (countable and uncountable, plural clearance times)

And when the pilot asks for an expect further clearance time, he is usually told, "Oh, you can expect your filed route after such and such," the fix to which you have been cleared.

1992 April, Howard Fried, “Eye of the Examiner”, in Flying Magazine, volume 119, number 4, page 50:

The amount of time it takes from the initiation of a process until it is completed.

(aviation) The amount of time from when a pilot requests the right to land at an airport and the tower allows the pilot to land.

There should be a maximum clearance time of 45 minutes for any passenger on any international arriving flight on any day of the year at any time of the day.

1988, United States. Congress. House. Committee on Appropriations. Subcommittee on the Treasury, Postal Service, and General Government Appropriations, Treasury, Postal Service, and General Government Appropriations for Fiscal Year 1989, page 132:

(travel, aviation) The amount of time it takes to get through customs.


RMAF

Royal Malaysian Air Force
w:Royal Malaysian Air Force

(Malaysia, military, aviation) Initialism of Royal Malaysian Air Force (“Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia”).

Royal Moroccan Air Force
w:Royal Moroccan Air Force

(military, aviation) Initialism of Royal Moroccan Air Force.


time charter

(business, aviation, nautical) A contract securing the cargo space of a ship or aircraft for a fixed time period.


grease it on

en-verb

grease it on (third-person singular simple present greases it on, present participle greasing it on, simple past and past participle greased it on)

greases it on (present singular third-person)
greasing it on (participle present)
greased it on (participle past)
greased it on (past)

(intransitive, aviation, slang) To perform a very soft landing.


greased landing

en-noun

greased landing (plural greased landings)


time front

(aviation, aerospace) A locus of points that represents the maximum ground distance from a point of departure that can be covered by an aircraft in a prescribed time interval.


primary time

primary time (countable and uncountable, plural primary times)

(military, aviation) The amount of time in which a pilot is actively controlling the aircraft, excluding time flown while instructing and evaluating.


show time

show time (countable and uncountable, plural show times)

(aviation, travel) The time prior to the departure of a scheduled aircraft in which the passenger service representatives at an airport terminal may begin the roll call for assigning seats.


P-factor

P-factor (countable and uncountable, plural P-factors)

(aviation) An aerodynamic phenomenon experienced by a moving propeller, whereby the propeller's center of thrust moves off-center when the aircraft is at a high angle of attack.


skiplag

en-verb

skiplag (third-person singular simple present skiplags, present participle skiplagging, simple past and past participle skiplagged)

skiplags (present singular third-person)
skiplagging (participle present)
skiplagged (participle past)
skiplagged (past)

Travellers who do decide to skiplag should always book one-way tickets, that way their return trip won't be cancelled if the airline does cancel their ticket.

2023 August 12, Rosie Frost, “What is Skiplagging? The cheap flight hack that airlines are cracking down on”, in Euronews:

(aviation) To disembark at a "hidden city" rather than continuing to one's ticketed destination.


skiplagger

Typically, a skiplagger books a less expensive flight that has two or more legs rather than buy the more costly direct flight. But it’s a connecting city – not the final city of the flight – that has been the skiplagger's covert destination all along.

2023 November 24, “Skiplagging: Why some flyers love it and why airlines hate it”, in CNN:

(aviation) A traveller who disembarks at a "hidden city" rather than continuing to one's ticketed destination; one who practices skiplagging.


skiplagged

en-adj

skiplagged (comparative more skiplagged, superlative most skiplagged)

more skiplagged (comparative)
most skiplagged (superlative)

A last-minute skiplagged ticket from Birmingham, UK to New York, US could save you around €100.

(aviation) A traveller or ticket involved with the practice of skiplagging.


SAAF

South African Air Force
w:South African Air Force

(South Africa, military, aviation) Initialism of South African Air Force.


IRIAF

Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
w:Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force

(military, aviation) Initialism of Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force.


IIAF

Imperial Iranian Air Force
w:Imperial Iranian Air Force

(military, aviation, historical) Initialism of Imperial Iranian Air Force (1925 to 1979).


nose over

en-verb

nose over (third-person singular simple present noses over, present participle nosing over, simple past and past participle nosed over)

noses over (present singular third-person)
nosing over (participle present)
nosed over (participle past)
nosed over (past)

(intransitive, aviation) To crash by landing such that the nose of the plane hits the ground first, causing the plane to topple forward.


KAF

(Kenya, military, aviation) Initialism of Kenya Air Force


center stick

(aircraft, aviation) An aircraft cockpit arrangement where the control column is located in the center of the cockpit either between the pilot's legs or between the pilots' positions.


stick puller

(aircraft, aviation) A device that applies aft pressure on the control column when the airplane is approaching the maximum operating speed.


control wheel

stick

(aviation) Synonym of stick (“a wheel-like control mechanism with a handgrip on opposite sides, similar to the steering wheel of an automobile”)


air data

Meronyms: airspeed, altitude, bearing, groundspeed; pitch, roll, yaw

(engineering, aviation) Information regarding an aircraft's flight parameters that is collected by sensors on the aircraft.


crossover airspeed

en-noun

crossover airspeed (usually uncountable, plural crossover airspeeds)

(aviation) The point at which an aircraft's calibrated airspeed and Mach value equal its true airspeed.


noise footprint

noise footprint (plural noise footprints)

(aviation) Of a flying aircraft, the ground area beneath it in which the noise exceeds a specified level.


parasite aircraft

parasite aircraft (usually uncountable, plural parasite aircrafts)

(aviation) A component of a composite aircraft which is carried aloft and air-launched by a larger carrier aircraft or mother ship to support the primary mission of the carrier.


air-launch

en-verb

air-launch (third-person singular simple present air-launches, present participle air-launching, simple past and past participle air-launched)

air-launches (present singular third-person)
air-launching (participle present)
air-launched (participle past)
air-launched (past)

(aviation) To release a missile, rocket, parasite aircraft or other aircraft payload from a mother ship or launch aircraft.


air-launched

(aviation) Of a rocket or missile, launched from an aircraft while in flight.


inertial reference

Moreover, one terminal of M is connected to the inertial reference (IR).

1974, Jose Behar Cruz, Mac Elwyn Van Valkenburg, Signals in Linear Circuits, page 532:

This goal leads to an experiment system design which combines hardward from many technology areas: an optical telescope and IR sensors; and advanced angular intertial reference; a flexible multi-level of actuation digital control system; digital tracking processors which incorporate real-time image analysis and a pulsed, diode-pumped solid state tracking laser.

1995, “The High Altituted Balloon Experiment Demonstration of Acquisition, Tracking, and Pointing Technologies”, in Scientific and Technical Aerospace Reports, page 2841:

To address this potential unsafe condistion and as an interim solution, EASA issued Emergency AD 2009-0012-E […] to require implementation of an aircraft Flight Manual (AFM) operation procdure, to isolate both the Inertial Reference (IR) and ADR in case a faulty IR is detected .

2013, Federal Register - Volume 78, Issue 220, page 68348:

(aviation, military) Any of various devices found in airplanes, missiles, satellites, guns, etc. that sense and calculate data such as linear acceleration and turning rate around each axis and which send that data on to other systems.


BINGO

(US, aviation slang, chiefly military, primarily of fuel) Alternative letter-case form of bingo (“just sufficient to return to base”)


range safety

(aviation, astronautics) The ensuring of the monitoring of the flight paths of missiles and launch vehicles, as well as the enforcement of strict guidelines for rocket construction and ground-based operations.


range safety system

en-noun

range safety system (plural range safety systems)

(aviation, astronautics) A system that reduces the risk to the public by ensuring flight safety by monitoring the flight paths of missiles and launch vehicles.


cargo aircraft

(aviation) A fixed-wing aircraft that is designed or converted for the carriage of cargo rather than passengers.


full-stop landing

full-stop landing (plural full-stop landings)

(aviation) A landing in which the aircraft comes to a full stop (rather than performing a go-around or touch-and-go).


non-forecast airlift

non-forecast airlift (plural not attested)

(military, aviation) A special flight that is tasked to meet an unpredicted desired effect.


homebuild

(aeronautics) An item designed to be assembled by amateurs.


super stall

(aviation, aeronautics) A type of stall, where airflow detaches not only from the main lifting wing, but also from the horizontal control surfaces of the tail and/or canard as well; resulting in loss of control over pitch and ineffectual elevators; being a stall of all the horizontal aerofoil surfaces of an aircraft.


en-route

(aviation) Alternative spelling of en route


landing roll

(aviation) The distance from the point of touchdown to the point of deceleration where the aircraft can be brought to a complete stop or exit the runway.


snap roll

(aviation, aeronautics) A type of maneuver in which an aircraft makes a sharp roll of 360° about its longitudinal axis.


rudder roll

(aeronautics, aviation) A type of aerial maneuver resembling the barrel roll but differs in that the application of backstick pressure is usually very high and that aileron input is held neutral throughout the maneuver.


vortex generator

vortex generator (plural vortex generators)

(aviation, aeronautics) An aerodynamic device, consisting of a small vane usually attached to a lifting surface (or airfoil, such as an aircraft wing) or a rotor blade of a wind turbine.


wing fence

(aviation, aeronautics) A fixed aerodynamic device attached to an aircraft wing.


variable sweep

(aviation, aeronautics) A type of sweep that can be varied during a flight according to certain requirements.


dual-capable aircraft

dual-capable aircraft (countable and uncountable, plural dual-capable aircrafts)

(aviation, military) Any type of aircraft that can perform both conventional and nuclear missions.


pickle switch

(aviation) A handheld electronic switch used for releasing bombs.


ghost plane

(aviation) An aeroplane that is flying after its pilots become incapacitated.


instrument flying

(aviation) Guiding an airplane based only on instruments in the control panel.


antiflap

(engineering, aviation) Preventing a component from flapping.


cageable

en-adj

cageable (comparative more cageable, superlative most cageable)

more cageable (comparative)
most cageable (superlative)

a cageable gyro

(aviation) Able to be caged, or immobilized.


VTOSL

(aviation) Abbreviation of vertical takeoff and short landing.


SVTOL

(aviation) Acronym of short vertical takeoff and landing.


V/STOVL

(military, aviation) Acronym of vertical/short takeoff and vertical landing.


Etihad

United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates

(aviation) Etihad Airways (one of the flag carrier airlines of the United Arab Emirates)