A Midair Collision is an airborne collision between two aircraft. A near midair collision (NMAC) is defined as an incident associated with the operation of an aircraft in which a possibility of collision occurs as a result of proximity of less than 500 feet to another aircraft, or a report is received from a pilot [...]
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Posted in ATC Terms, Video | Tagged ATC, Navigation, Safety
Electronic Flight Directors display cues to guide pilot or autopilot control inputs along a selected and computed flight path. The Flight Director receives inputs such as altitude, airspeed heading data and temperature data. The Flight Director receives information from an Air Data Computer and a flight data computer
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Posted in Avionics Terms, Video | Tagged Aircraft, Avionics, Navigation
Compass Rose – A small circle graduated in 360 increments, to show direction expressed in degrees. Most airports have a compass rose, which is a series of lines marked out on a ramp or maintenance run up area where there is no magnetic interference. Lines, oriented to magnetic north, are painted every 30° which is [...]
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Posted in Aviation Maintenance Terms | Tagged FAA Pilot's Handbook, Instruments, Maintenance, Navigation
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.
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Posted in Avionics Terms, Video | Tagged Altimeter, Avionics, FAA Pilot's Handbook, Navigation, Systems
Runway Status Lights are an Airport system that warns pilots and surface vehicles if it is unsafe to cross or enter a runway via a series of red lights embedded in the pavement.
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Posted in Airport Terms, ATC Terms | Tagged Airports, ATC, FAA, Navigation, Runway, Safety
Fail-passive automatic landing system are designed so that in the event of a failure there is no significant deviation of aircraft trim, flight path or
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Posted in Aviation Safety Terms | Tagged ATC, Avionics, Landing, Navigation, Safety
The Cone of Confusion is a cone-shaped volume of airspace directly above a VOR station where no signal is received, causing the CDI to fluctuate. VOR Cone-of-confusion indications: (1) Size of a VOR cone is negligible, meaning that station passage can be used as a recognizable fix (2) HSI VOR bearing pointer will be removed [...]
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Posted in Aircraft Navigation Terms, Avionics Terms | Tagged Aviation Error, Avionics, FAA Pilot's Handbook, Navigation
Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System – TCAS -An onboard system that detects the presence of some aircraft operating in the vicinity of the airplane by querying the transponders of nearby aircraft and presenting their locations and relative altitudes on a display. Alerts and warnings are issued when nearby aircraft are deemed to be a [...]
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Posted in Aircraft Navigation Terms, Avionics Terms | Tagged Aircraft, Avionics, Navigation
WRS - Wide-Area Ground Reference Station – Aviation Term – Abbreviation / Acronym
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Posted in Abbreviations and Acronyms, Aircraft Navigation Terms | Tagged Abbreviation, Acronym, GPS, Navigation
VNAV – Vertical Navigation – Aviation Term – Abbreviation / Acronym Vertical NAVigation in aviation is a function of autopilot which directs vertical movement of aircraft either according to pre-programmed FMS flight plan during cruise or according to ILS glideslope during approach.
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Posted in Abbreviations and Acronyms, Aircraft Navigation Terms, Avionics Terms | Tagged Abbreviation, Acronym, autopilot, Avionics, Navigation
