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Pilot/Controller Glossary

8/15/19

PCG F

3

b.

Signal strength or quality of the received signal

falls below acceptable values.

FLAG ALARM

(See FLAG.)

FLAMEOUT

 An emergency condition caused by a

loss of engine power.

FLAMEOUT PATTERN

 An approach normally

conducted by a single-engine military aircraft
experiencing loss or anticipating loss of engine
power or control. The standard overhead approach
starts at a relatively high altitude over a runway
(“high key”) followed by a continuous 180 degree
turn to a high, wide position (“low key”) followed by
a continuous 180 degree turn final. The standard
straight-in pattern starts at a point that results in a
straight-in approach with a high rate of descent to the
runway. Flameout approaches terminate in the type
approach requested by the pilot (normally fullstop).

FLIGHT CHECK

 A call sign prefix used by FAA

aircraft engaged in flight inspection/certification of
navigational aids and flight procedures. The word
“recorded” may be added as a suffix; e.g., “Flight
Check 320 recorded” to indicate that an automated
flight inspection is in progress in terminal areas.

(See FLIGHT INSPECTION.)
(Refer to AIM.)

FLIGHT FOLLOWING

(See TRAFFIC ADVISORIES.)

FLIGHT INFORMATION REGION

 An airspace of

defined dimensions within which Flight Information
Service and Alerting Service are provided.

a.

Flight Information Service. A service provided

for the purpose of giving advice and information
useful for the safe and efficient conduct of flights.

b.

Alerting Service. A service provided to notify

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

FLIGHT INFORMATION SERVICE

 A service

provided for the purpose of giving advice and
information useful for the safe and efficient conduct
of flights.

FLIGHT INFORMATION SERVICE

BROADCAST (FIS

B)

 A ground broadcast service

provided through the ADS

B Broadcast Services

network over the UAT data link that operates on 978
MHz. The FIS

B system provides pilots and flight

crews of properly equipped aircraft with a cockpit
display of certain aviation weather and aeronautical
information.

FLIGHT INSPECTION

 Inflight investigation and

evaluation of a navigational aid to determine whether
it meets established tolerances.

(See FLIGHT CHECK.)
(See NAVIGATIONAL AID.)

FLIGHT LEVEL

 

A level of constant atmospheric

pressure related to a reference datum of 29.92 inches
of mercury. Each is stated in three digits that represent
hundreds of feet. For example, flight level (FL) 250
represents a barometric altimeter indication of
25,000 feet; FL 255, an indication of 25,500 feet.

(See ICAO term FLIGHT LEVEL.)

FLIGHT LEVEL [ICAO]

 A surface of constant

atmospheric pressure which is related to a specific
pressure datum, 1013.2 hPa (1013.2 mb), and is
separated from other such surfaces by specific
pressure intervals.

Note 1: A pressure type altimeter calibrated in

accordance with the standard atmosphere:

a.

When set to a QNH altimeter setting, will

indicate altitude;

b.

When set to a QFE altimeter setting, will

indicate height above the QFE reference datum;
and

c.

When set to a pressure of 1013.2 hPa 

(1013.2 mb), may be used to indicate flight levels.

Note 2: The terms ‘height’ and ‘altitude,’ used in

Note 1 above, indicate altimetric rather than
geometric heights and altitudes.

FLIGHT LINE

 A term used to describe the precise

movement of a civil photogrammetric aircraft along
a predetermined course(s) at a predetermined altitude
during the actual photographic run.

FLIGHT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

 A comput-

er system that uses a large data base to allow routes
to be preprogrammed and fed into the system by
means of a data loader. The system is constantly
updated with respect to position accuracy by
reference to conventional navigation aids. The
sophisticated program and its associated data base
ensures that the most appropriate aids are automati-
cally selected during the information update cycle.