Pilot/Controller Glossary

8/15/19

PCG A

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9

AIRPORT TAXI CHARTS

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(See AERONAUTICAL CHART.)

AIRPORT TRAFFIC CONTROL SERVICE

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  A

service provided by a control tower for aircraft
operating on the movement area and in the vicinity of
an airport.

(See MOVEMENT AREA.)
(See TOWER.)
(See ICAO term AERODROME CONTROL

SERVICE.)

AIRPORT TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER

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(See TOWER.)

AIRSPACE CONFLICT

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 Predicted conflict of an

aircraft and active Special Activity Airspace (SAA).

AIRSPACE FLOW PROGRAM (AFP)

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 AFP is a

Traffic Management (TM) process administered by
the Air Traffic Control System Command Center
(ATCSCC) where aircraft are assigned an Expect
Departure Clearance Time (EDCT) in order to
manage capacity and demand for a specific area of the
National Airspace System (NAS). The purpose of the
program is to mitigate the effects of en route
constraints. It is a flexible program and may be
implemented in various forms depending upon the
needs of the air traffic system.

AIRSPACE HIERARCHY

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 Within  the airspace

classes, there is a hierarchy and, in the event of an
overlap of airspace: Class A preempts Class B, Class
B preempts Class C, Class C preempts Class D, Class
D preempts Class E, and Class E preempts Class G.

AIRSPEED

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 The speed of an aircraft relative to its

surrounding air mass. The unqualified term
“airspeed” means one of the following:

a.

Indicated Airspeed

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 The speed shown on the

aircraft airspeed indicator. This is the speed used in
pilot/controller communications under the general
term “airspeed.”

(Refer to 14 CFR Part 1.)

b.

True Airspeed

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 The airspeed of an aircraft

relative to undisturbed air. Used primarily in flight
planning and en route portion of flight. When used in
pilot/controller communications, it is referred to as
“true airspeed” and not shortened to “airspeed.”

AIRSTART

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 The starting of an aircraft engine while

the aircraft is airborne, preceded by engine shutdown
during training flights or by actual engine failure.

AIRWAY

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 A Class E airspace area established in the

form of a corridor, the centerline of which is defined
by radio navigational aids.

(See FEDERAL AIRWAYS.)
(See ICAO term AIRWAY.)
(Refer to 14 CFR Part 71.)
(Refer to AIM.)

AIRWAY [ICAO]

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 A control area or portion thereof

established in the form of corridor equipped with
radio navigational aids.

AIRWAY BEACON

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 Used to mark airway segments

in remote mountain areas. The light flashes Morse
Code to identify the beacon site.

(Refer to AIM.)

AIT

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(See AUTOMATED INFORMATION

TRANSFER.)

ALERFA (Alert Phase) [ICAO]

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 A situation wherein

apprehension exists as to the safety of an aircraft and
its occupants.

ALERT

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 A notification to a position that there

is an aircraft-to-aircraft or aircraft-to-airspace
conflict, as detected by Automated Problem
Detection (APD).

ALERT AREA

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(See SPECIAL USE AIRSPACE.)

ALERT NOTICE (ALNOT)

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 A request originated

by a flight service station (FSS) or an air route traffic
control center (ARTCC) for an extensive commu-
nication search for overdue, unreported, or missing
aircraft.

ALERTING SERVICE

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 A service provided to notify

appropriate organizations regarding aircraft in need
of search and rescue aid and assist such organizations
as required.

ALNOT

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(See ALERT NOTICE.)

ALONG

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TRACK DISTANCE (ATD)

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 The hori-

zontal distance between the aircraft’s current position
and a fix measured by an area navigation system that
is not subject to slant range errors.

ALPHANUMERIC DISPLAY

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 Letters and numer-

als used to show identification, altitude, beacon code,
and other information concerning a target on a radar
display.

(See AUTOMATED RADAR TERMINAL

SYSTEMS.)