Pilot/Controller Glossary

4/3/14

PCG C−6

the pilot and the reported ground visibility at the

destination airport is at least 1 statute mile.

(Refer to AIM.)

CONTAMINATED RUNWAY− A runway is

considered contaminated whenever standing water,

ice, snow, slush, frost in any form, heavy rubber, or

other substances are present. A runway is contami-

nated with respect to rubber deposits or other

friction-degrading substances when the average

friction value for any 500-foot segment of the runway

within the ALD fails below the recommended

minimum friction level and the average friction value

in the adjacent 500-foot segments falls below the

maintenance planning friction level.

CONTERMINOUS U.S.− The 48 adjoining States

and the District of Columbia.

CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES− The 49 States

located on the continent of North America and the

District of Columbia.

CONTINUE− When used as a control instruction

should be followed by another word or words

clarifying what is expected of the pilot. Example:

“continue taxi,” “continue descent,” “continue

inbound,” etc.

CONTROL AREA [ICAO]− A controlled airspace

extending upwards from a specified limit above the

earth.

CONTROL SECTOR− An airspace area of defined

horizontal and vertical dimensions for which a

controller or group of controllers has air traffic

control responsibility, normally within an air route

traffic control center or an approach control facility.

Sectors are established based on predominant traffic

flows, altitude strata, and controller workload.

Pilot-communications during operations within a

sector are normally maintained on discrete frequen-

cies assigned to the sector.

(See DISCRETE FREQUENCY.)

CONTROL SLASH− A radar beacon slash repre-

senting the actual position of the associated aircraft.

Normally, the control slash is the one closest to the

interrogating radar beacon site. When ARTCC radar

is operating in narrowband (digitized) mode, the

control slash is converted to a target symbol.

CONTROLLED AIRSPACE− An airspace of

defined dimensions within which air traffic control

service is provided to IFR flights and to VFR flights

in accordance with the airspace classification.

a.

Controlled airspace is a generic term that covers

Class A, Class B, Class C, Class D, and Class E

airspace.

b.

Controlled airspace is also that airspace within

which all aircraft operators are subject to certain pilot

qualifications, operating rules, and equipment

requirements  in  14 CFR  Part 91  (for  specific

operating requirements, please refer to 14 CFR

Part 91). For IFR operations in any class of controlled

airspace, a pilot must file an IFR flight plan and

receive an appropriate ATC clearance. Each Class B,

Class C, and Class D airspace area designated for an

airport contains at least one primary airport around

which the airspace is designated (for specific

designations and descriptions of the airspace classes,

please refer to 14 CFR Part 71).

c.

Controlled airspace in the United States is

designated as follows:

1.

CLASS A− Generally, that airspace from

18,000 feet MSL up to and including FL 600,

including the airspace overlying the waters within 12

nautical miles of the coast of the 48 contiguous States

and Alaska. Unless otherwise authorized, all persons

must operate their aircraft under IFR.

2.

CLASS B− Generally, that airspace from the

surface to 10,000 feet MSL surrounding the nation’s

busiest airports in terms of airport operations or

passenger enplanements. The configuration of each

Class B airspace area is individually tailored and

consists of a surface area and two or more layers

(some Class B airspaces areas resemble upside-down

wedding cakes), and is designed to contain all

published instrument procedures once an aircraft

enters the airspace. An ATC clearance is required for

all aircraft to operate in the area, and all aircraft that

are so cleared receive separation services within the

airspace. The cloud clearance requirement for VFR

operations is “clear of clouds.”

3.

CLASS C− Generally, that airspace from the

surface to 4,000 feet above the airport elevation

(charted in MSL) surrounding those airports that

have an operational control tower, are serviced by a

radar approach control, and that have a certain

number of IFR operations or passenger enplane-

ments. Although the configuration of each Class C

area is individually tailored, the airspace usually

consists of a surface area with a 5 nautical mile (NM)

radius, a circle with a 10NM radius that extends no