Pilot/Controller Glossary

4/3/14

PCG V−2

VFR MILITARY TRAINING ROUTES− Routes

used by the Department of Defense and associated

Reserve and Air Guard units for the purpose of

conducting low-altitude navigation and tactical

training under VFR below 10,000 feet MSL at

airspeeds in excess of 250 knots IAS.

VFR NOT RECOMMENDED

− An advisory

provided by a flight service station to a pilot during

a preflight or inflight weather briefing that flight

under visual flight rules is not recommended. To be

given when the current and/or forecast weather

conditions are at or below VFR minimums. It does

not abrogate the pilot’s authority to make his/her own

decision.

VFR-ON-TOP

− ATC authorization for an IFR

aircraft to operate in VFR conditions at any

appropriate VFR altitude (as specified in 14 CFR and

as restricted by ATC). A pilot receiving this

authorization must comply with the VFR visibility,

distance from cloud criteria, and the minimum IFR

altitudes specified in 14 CFR Part 91. The use of this

term does not relieve controllers of their responsibil-

ity to separate aircraft in Class B and Class C airspace

or TRSAs as required by FAAO JO 7110.65.

VFR TERMINAL AREA CHARTS−

(See AERONAUTICAL CHART.)

VFR WAYPOINT−

(See WAYPOINT.)

VHF−

(See VERY HIGH FREQUENCY.)

VHF OMNIDIRECTIONAL RANGE/TACTICAL

AIR NAVIGATION−

(See VORTAC.)

VIDEO MAP− An electronically displayed map on

the radar display that may depict data such as airports,

heliports, runway centerline extensions, hospital

emergency landing areas, NAVAIDs and fixes,

reporting points, airway/route centerlines, bound-

aries, handoff points, special use tracks, obstructions,

prominent geographic features, map alignment

indicators, range accuracy marks, minimum vector-

ing altitudes.

VISIBILITY− The ability, as determined by

atmospheric conditions and expressed in units of

distance, to see and identify prominent unlighted

objects by day and prominent lighted objects by

night. Visibility is reported as statute miles, hundreds

of feet or meters.

(Refer to 14 CFR Part 91.)

(Refer to AIM.)

a.

Flight Visibility− The average forward horizon-

tal distance, from the cockpit of an aircraft in flight,

at which prominent unlighted objects may be seen

and identified by day and prominent lighted objects

may be seen and identified by night.

b.

Ground Visibility− Prevailing horizontal visi-

bility near the earth’s surface as reported by the

United States National Weather Service or an

accredited observer.

c.

Prevailing Visibility− The greatest horizontal

visibility equaled or exceeded throughout at least half

the horizon circle which need not necessarily be

continuous.

d.

Runway Visibility Value (RVV)− The visibility

determined for a particular runway by a transmis-

someter. A meter provides a continuous indication of

the visibility (reported in miles or fractions of miles)

for the runway. RVV is used in lieu of prevailing

visibility in determining minimums for a particular

runway.

e.

Runway Visual Range (RVR)− An instrumen-

tally derived value, based on standard calibrations,

that represents the horizontal distance a pilot will see

down the runway from the approach end. It is based

on the sighting of either high intensity runway lights

or on the visual contrast of other targets whichever

yields the greater visual range. RVR, in contrast to

prevailing or runway visibility, is based on what a

pilot in a moving aircraft should see looking down the

runway. RVR is horizontal visual range, not slant

visual range. It is based on the measurement of a

transmissometer made near the touchdown point of

the instrument runway and is reported in hundreds of

feet. RVR is used in lieu of RVV and/or prevailing

visibility in determining minimums for a particular

runway.

1.

Touchdown RVR− The  RVR visibility

readout values obtained from RVR equipment

serving the runway touchdown zone.

2.

Mid-RVR− The RVR readout values obtained

from RVR equipment located midfield of the runway.