Aeronautical Terms beginning with A
Abeam Fix
A fix, NAVAID, point, or object positioned approximately 90 degrees to the right or left of the aircraft track along a route of flight. Abeam indicates a general position rather than a precise point.
Accelerate-Stop Distance Available (ASDA)
The runway plus stopway length declared available and suitable for the acceleration and deceleration of an airplane aborting a takeoff.
Aircraft Approach Category
A grouping of aircraft based on reference landing speed (VREF), if specified, or if VREF is not specified, 1.3 Vso (the stalling speed or minimum steady flight speed in the landing configuration) at the maximum certificated landing weight.
Airport Diagram
A full-page depiction of the airport that includes the same features of the airport sketch plus additional details such as taxiway identifiers, airport latitude and longitude, and building identification. Airport diagrams are located in the U.S. Terminal Procedures booklet following the instrument approach charts for a particular airport.
Airport/Facility Directory (A/FD)
Regional booklets published by the National Aeronautical Charting Office. Title changed to Chart Supplement. (NACO) that provide textual information about all airports, both VFR and IFR. The A/FD includes runway length and width, runway surface, load bearing capacity, runway slope, airport services, and hazards such as birds and reduced visibility.
Airport Sketch
Depicts the runways and their length, width, and slope, the touchdown zone elevation, the lighting system installed on the end of the runway, and taxiways. Airport sketches are located on the lower left or right portion of the instrument approach chart.
Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC)
A facility established to provide air traffic control service to aircraft operating on IFR flight plans within controlled airspace and principally during the en route phase of flight
Air Traffic Service (ATS)
Air traffic service is an ICAO generic term meaning variously, flight information service, alerting service, air traffic advisory service, air traffic control service (area control service, approach control service, or aerodrome control service).
Approach End of Runway (AER)
The first portion of the runway available for landing. If the runway threshold is displaced, use the displaced threshold latitude/longitude as the AER.
Approach Fix
From a database coding standpoint, an approach fix is considered to be an identifiable point in space from the intermediate fix (IF) inbound. A fix located between the initial approach fix (IAF) and the IF is considered to be associated with the approach transition or feeder route.
Approach Gate
An imaginary point used by ATC to vector aircraft to the final approach course. The approach gate is established along the final approach course 1 NM from the final approach fix (FAF) on the side away from the airport and is located no closer than 5 NM from the landing threshold.
Area Navigation (RNAV)
A method of navigation that permits aircraft operations on any desired course within the coverage of station referenced navigation signals or within the limits of self contained system capability.
Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS)/Automated Weather Sens
The ASOS/AWSS is the primary surface weather observing system of the U.S.
Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS)
A weather observing system that provides minute-by-minute weather observations such as temperature, dew point, wind, altimeter setting, visibility, sky condition, and precipitation. Some ASOS stations include a precipitation discriminator which can differentiate between liquid and frozen precipitation.
Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS)
A suite of sensors which measure, collect, and disseminate weather data. AWOS stations provide a minute-by minute update of weather parameters such as wind speed and direction, temperature and dew point, visibility, cloud heights and types, precipitation, and barometric pressure. A variety of AWOS system types are available (from AWOS 1 to AWOS 3), each of which includes a different sensor array.
Automated Weather Sensor System (AWSS)
The AWSS is part of the Aviation Surface Weather Observation Network suite of programs and provides pilots and other users with weather information through the Automated Surface Observing System. The AWSS sensor suite automatically collects, measures, processes, and broadcasts surface weather data.
Automated Weather System
Any of the automated weather sensor platforms that collect weather data at airports and disseminate the weather information via radio and/or landline. The systems currently consist of the Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS), Automated Weather Sensor System (AWSS) and Automated Weather Observation System (AWOS).
Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B)
A surveillance system that continuously broadcasts GPS position information, aircraft identification, altitude, velocity vector, and direction to all other aircraft and air traffic control facilities within a specific area. Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) information will be displayed in the cockpit via a cockpit display of traffic information (CDTI) unit, providing the pilot with greater situational awareness. ADS-B transmissions will also provide controllers with a more complete picture of traffic and will update that information more frequently than other surveillance equipment.
Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS)
A recorded broadcast available at most airports with an operating control tower that includes crucial information about runways and instrument approaches in use, specific outages, and current weather conditions, including visibility.
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