Pilot/Controller Glossary

4/3/14

PCG N−2

NAVIGATIONAL AID− Any visual or electronic

device airborne or on the surface which provides

point-to-point guidance information or position data

to aircraft in flight.

(See AIR NAVIGATION FACILITY.)

NBCAP AIRSPACE−

(See NATIONAL BEACON CODE ALLOCATION

PLAN AIRSPACE.)

NDB−

(See NONDIRECTIONAL BEACON.)

NEGATIVE

− “No,” or “permission not granted,” or

“that is not correct.”

NEGATIVE CONTACT

− Used by pilots to inform

ATC that:

a.

Previously issued traffic is not in sight. It may

be followed by the pilot’s request for the controller to

provide assistance in avoiding the traffic.

b.

They were unable to contact ATC on a

particular frequency.
NFDC−

(See NATIONAL FLIGHT DATA CENTER.)

NFDD−

(See NATIONAL FLIGHT DATA DIGEST.)

NIGHT− The time between the end of evening civil

twilight and the beginning of morning civil twilight,

as published in the Air Almanac, converted to local

time.

(See ICAO term NIGHT.)

NIGHT [ICAO]− The hours between the end of

evening civil twilight and the beginning of morning

civil twilight or such other period between sunset and

sunrise as may be specified by the appropriate

authority.

Note: Civil twilight ends in the evening when the

center of the sun’s disk is 6 degrees below the
horizon and begins in the morning when the center
of the sun’s disk is 6 degrees below the horizon.

NO GYRO APPROACH

− A radar approach/vector

provided in case of a malfunctioning gyro-compass

or directional gyro. Instead of providing the pilot

with headings to be flown, the controller observes the

radar track and issues control instructions “turn

right/left” or “stop turn” as appropriate.

(Refer to AIM.)

NO GYRO VECTOR

−

(See NO GYRO APPROACH.)

NO TRANSGRESSION ZONE (NTZ)

− The NTZ is

a 2,000 foot wide zone, located equidistant between

parallel runway final approach courses in which

flight is not allowed.
NONAPPROACH CONTROL TOWER− Author-

izes aircraft to land or takeoff at the airport controlled

by the tower or to transit the Class D airspace. The

primary function of a nonapproach control tower is

the sequencing of aircraft in the traffic pattern and on

the landing area. Nonapproach control towers also

separate aircraft operating under instrument flight

rules clearances from approach controls and centers.

They provide ground control services to aircraft,

vehicles, personnel, and equipment on the airport

movement area.
NONCOMMON ROUTE/PORTION− That segment

of a North American Route between the inland

navigation facility and a designated North American

terminal.
NONCOMPOSITE SEPARATION− Separation in

accordance with minima other than the composite

separation minimum specified for the area con-

cerned.
NONDIRECTIONAL BEACON− An L/MF or UHF

radio beacon transmitting nondirectional signals

whereby the pilot of an aircraft equipped with

direction finding equipment can determine his/her

bearing to or from the radio beacon and “home” on or

track to or from the station. When the radio beacon is

installed in conjunction with the Instrument Landing

System marker, it is normally called a Compass

Locator.

(See AUTOMATIC DIRECTION FINDER.)
(See COMPASS LOCATOR.)

NONMOVEMENT AREAS− Taxiways and apron

(ramp) areas not under the control of air traffic.
NONPRECISION APPROACH−

(See NONPRECISION APPROACH

PROCEDURE.)

NONPRECISION APPROACH PROCEDURE− A

standard instrument approach procedure in which no

electronic glideslope is provided; e.g., VOR,

TACAN, NDB, LOC, ASR, LDA, or SDF

approaches.
NONRADAR− Precedes other terms and generally

means without the use of radar, such as:

a.

Nonradar Approach. Used to describe instru-

ment approaches for which course guidance on final