Pilot/Controller Glossary

4/3/14

PCG T−4

navigational aids located within the boundaries of a

flight plan area (FPA). Three-letter identifiers are

assigned to each FSS/FPA and are annotated as tie-in

facilities in A/FDs, the Alaska Supplement, the

Pacific Supplement, and FAA Order JO 7350.8,

Location Identifiers. Large consolidated FSS

facilities may have many tie-in facilities or FSS

sectors within one facility.

(See FLIGHT PLAN AREA.)
(See FLIGHT SERVICE STATION.)

TIME GROUP− Four digits representing the hour

and minutes from the Coordinated Universal Time

(UTC) clock. FAA uses UTC for all operations. The

term “ZULU” may be used to denote UTC. The word

“local” or the time zone equivalent shall be used to

denote local when local time is given during radio and

telephone communications. When written, a time

zone designator is used to indicate local time; e.g.

“0205M” (Mountain). The local time may be based

on the 24-hour clock system. The day begins at 0000

and ends at 2359.

TIS−B−

(See TRAFFIC INFORMATION

SERVICE

−

BROADCAST.)

TMA−

(See 

TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT ADVISOR.)

TMPA−

(See TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

ALERT.)

TMU−

(See TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT UNIT.)

TODA−

(See TAKEOFF DISTANCE AVAILABLE.)

(See ICAO term TAKEOFF DISTANCE

AVAILABLE.)

TOI−

(See TRACK OF INTEREST.)

TOP ALTITUDE– In reference to SID published

altitude restrictions the charted 

“

maintain” altitude

contained in the procedure description or assigned by

ATC.

TORA−

(See TAKEOFF RUN AVAILABLE.)
(See ICAO term TAKEOFF RUN AVAILABLE.)

TORCHING− The burning of fuel at the end of an

exhaust pipe or stack of a reciprocating aircraft

engine, the result of an excessive richness in the fuel

air mixture.
TOTAL ESTIMATED ELAPSED TIME [ICAO]−

For IFR flights, the estimated time required from

take-off to arrive over that designated point, defined

by reference to navigation aids, from which it is

intended that an instrument approach procedure will

be commenced, or, if no navigation aid is associated

with the destination aerodrome, to arrive over the

destination aerodrome. For VFR flights, the

estimated time required from take-off to arrive over

the destination aerodrome.

(See ICAO term ESTIMATED ELAPSED TIME.)

TOUCH-AND-GO− An operation by an aircraft that

lands and departs on a runway without stopping or

exiting the runway.
TOUCH-AND-GO LANDING−

(See TOUCH-AND-GO.)

TOUCHDOWN−

a.

The point at which an aircraft first makes

contact with the landing surface.

b.

Concerning a precision radar approach (PAR),

it is the point where the glide path intercepts the

landing surface.

(See ICAO term TOUCHDOWN.)

TOUCHDOWN [ICAO]− The point  where the

nominal glide path intercepts the runway.

Note: Touchdown as defined above is only a datum

and is not necessarily the actual point at which the
aircraft will touch the runway.

TOUCHDOWN RVR−

(See VISIBILITY.)

TOUCHDOWN ZONE− The first 3,000 feet of the

runway beginning at the threshold. The area is used

for determination of Touchdown Zone Elevation in

the development of straight-in landing minimums for

instrument approaches.

(See ICAO term TOUCHDOWN ZONE.)

TOUCHDOWN ZONE [ICAO]− The portion of a

runway, beyond the threshold, where it is intended

landing aircraft first contact the runway.
TOUCHDOWN ZONE ELEVATION− The highest

elevation in the first 3,000 feet of the landing surface.

TDZE is indicated on the instrument approach