Browse the Glossary

System Safety Assessment

Aviation Glossary

Safety assessments are a primary means of compliance for systems that are critical to safe flight and operation. Safety assessments proceed in a stepwise, data-driven manner. Functional hazard assessments are performed to identify the failure conditions associated with each airplane function, and system functional hazard analyses are performed for system-level functions. The bottom-up verification starts [...]

Class I Navigation as described in Part 121 OpSpecs and VFR Class I Navigation

Aviation Glossary

Class I navigation is any en route flight operation or portion of an operation that is conducted entirely within the designated Operational Service Volumes (or ICAO equivalents) of ICAO standard airway navigation facilities (VOR, VOR/DME, NDB). Class I navigation also includes en route flight operations over routes designated with an “MEA GAP” (or ICAO equivalent). [...]

Available Landing Distance (ALD)

Aviation Glossary

ALD is that portion of a runway available for landing and roll-out for aircraft cleared for land and hold short operations (LAHSO). This distance is measured from the landing threshold to the hold-short point.

Auto Flight Guidance System (AFGS)

Aviation Glossary

Aircraft systems, such as an autopilot, auto throttles, displays, and controls, that are interconnected in such a manner so as to allow the crew to automatically control the aircraft’s lateral and vertical flightpath and speed. A flight management system is sometimes associated with an AFGS.

Airways Navigation Facilities

Aviation Glossary

Airways navigation facilities are those ICAO Standard Navigation Aids (VOR, VOR/DME, and/or NDB) which are used to establish the en route airway structure within the sovereign airspace of ICAO member states. These facilities are also used to establish the degree of navigation accuracy required for air traffic control and Class I navigation within that airspace.

Air Ambulance Operations

Aviation Glossary

(a) Air transportation of a person with a health condition that requires medical personnel as determined by a health care provider; or (b) Holding out to the public as willing to provide air transportation to a person with a health condition that requires medical personnel as determined by a health care provider including, but not [...]

Air Ambulance Aircraft

Aviation Glossary

An aircraft used in air ambulance operations. The aircraft must be equipped with at least medical oxygen, suction, and a stretcher, isolette, or other approved patient restraint/containment device. The aircraft need not be used exclusively as an air ambulance aircraft and the equipment need not be permanently installed.

Kollsman Window – Altimeter Adjustment – Barometric Pressure Setting Window

Kollsman Window Altimeter

Kollsman Window – Altimeter – Paul Kollsman invented the first accurate Barometric Altimeter wiith an accuracy of a few feet. Prior to Kollsman’s invention, altimeters could only determine an airplane’s altitude within a few hundred feet. Kollsman’s invention was used on the first “Blind Flight” conducted by James “Jimmy” Doolittle proving the ability to fly using only instruments.