A Glossary of Aviation Acronyms

A Glossary of Aviation Acronyms Aviation  Terms and Definitions

Aviation Jargon is sometimes a confusing and frustrating language and full three, four or more letter acronyms which can catch out even the knowledgeable! Sometime the picture is further confused by a single acronym having a number of meanings depending on the context in which it is used.

Take for example the acronym IFE, it has several meanings depending on the area of aviation it relates to, it can mean 'In- Flight Emergency', 'In-Flight Entertainment' or 'International Flight Engineers'. Confused ?

Hopefully you won't be with the Jargon Buster you may be able to successfully navigate the multitude of meanings.

The listing is in alphabetical order for easier navigation. We hope it helps.


Acronym           Meaning


A-VDGS Advanced-Visual Docking Guidance System
A/A Air to air
A/G Air/Ground
A&F IFALPA Administration & Finance Committee
A&P Airframe & Powerplant (US FAA)
AAA Aesean Airline Association
AAC Airline Administrative Communication
AACC Airport Associations Co-coordinating Council
AACO Arab Air Carriers Organization
AAIB Air Accidents Investigation Branch (UK)
AALPBH Association of Airline Pilots in Bosnia & Herzegovina
AAM Airbus Asset Management
AAME Association of Aviation Medical Examiners
AAP IFALPA Accident Analysis & Prevention Committee
AAPA Association of Asia Pacific Airlines
AASA Air Lines Association of Southern Africa
AASC Airport Authorities Steering Committee
AATF Airworthiness Assurance Task Force
ABET Airspace Behavioral Engineering Technology
ABM Abeam
ABV Above
AC Altocumulus
ACA Austrian Cockpit Association
ACAC Arab Civil Aviation Council
ACAMS Aircraft Condition Analysis and Management System
ACARS Aircraft Communications, Addressing, and Reporting System
ACARS MU Aircraft Communications and Reporting Systems Management Unit
ACAS Airborne Collision Avoidance System
ACCC Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
ACCS Air Command and Control System
ACDAC Asociacion Colombiana de Aviadores Civiles (Columbia)
ACG ATN/CNS Consultancy Group
ACH Air traffic control Flight Plan Change
ACI Airports Council International
ACIPLA Asociacian Civil de Pilotos de Lineas Aereas (Uruquay)
ACK Acknowledge
ACL Air Traffic Control Clearance (Service)
ACM Acceptable Means of Compliance
ACNZ Airways Corporation of New Zealand
ACRPWG Aircraft Crash Recovery Procedures Working Group
AD Aerodrome
ADEP Aerodrome of Departure
ADES Aerodrome of Destination
ADIRS Air Data Inertial Reference System
ADIS Automatic dependent surveillance and Data Link Interim System
ADISP Automated Data Interchange Systems Panel
ADIZ Air Defence Identification Zone
ADM Aeronautical Decision Making
ADO IFALPA Aircraft Design & Operation Committee
ADREP Aircraft Accident/Incident Data Reporting System (ICAO)
ADS Automatic Dependent Surveillance
ADS-B Automatic Data Surveillance Broadcast
ADS-C Automatic Data Surveillance Contract
ADSP Automatic Dependent Surveillance Panel (ICAO)
AEA Association of European Airlines
AEEC Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee
AEROSAT Aeronautical Satellite Council
AFA Association of Flight Attendants
AFC Air Traffic Control Frequency Change (Service)
AFCAC African Civil Aviation Commission
AFCS Automatic Flight Control System
AFIS Aerodrome Flight Information Service
AFM Aeroplane Flight Manual
AFN Air traffic Services Facilities Notification
AFP Area Forecast Panel
AFRAA African Airlines Association
AFS Aeronautical Fixed Service
AFTN Aeronautical Fixed Telecommunications Network
AGA Aerodromes, Air Routes and Ground Aids
AGAS European Action Group for ATM Safety
AGE IFALPA Aerodrome & Ground Environment Committee
AGL Above Ground Level
AI Application Interface
AIC Aeronautical Information Circular
AIDC Air traffic control Inter-Facility Ground/Ground Data Communications
AIDC ATS Interfacility Data Communication
AIDS Airborne Integrated Data Systems
AIG Accident Investigation & Prevention (ICAO Divisional)
AIM Aeronautical Information Management
AIM-FANS Airbus Interoperable Modular FANS
AIMS Aircraft Information Management System
AIP Aeronautical Information Publication
Air Report (message designator)
AIRAC Aeronautical Information Regulation & Control
AIRC Aeronautical Information & Control
AIRCOM Air Communications
AIREP Plain language form of Air Report
Airspace and Traffic Management
AIRSTRM Assuring the Implementation of Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radio-active Materials
AIS Aeronautical Information Services
AIXM Aeronautical Information eXchange Model
AL Approach Lights
ALPA Asociacion de Pilotos de Lineas Aereas (Argentina)
ALPA Japan Air Line Pilots' Association of Japan
ALPA-A Air Line Pilots' Association of Armenia
ALPA-E Air Line Pilots' Association of Ethiopia
ALPA-FYROM Air Line Pilots' Association of The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
ALPA-Int Air Line Pilots' Association - International
ALPA-K Air Line Pilots' Association of Korea
ALPA-M Airline Pilots' Association - Malta
ALPA-S Air Line Pilots' Association - Singapore
ALPA-SA Air Line Pilots' Association - South Africa
ALPA-SL Air Line Pilots' Association of Slovenia
ALPAP Air Line Pilots' Association of the Philippines
ALPL Association Luxembourgeoise des Pilotes de Ligne
ALR IFALPA's Airport Liaison Representative Program
ALRS Approach Lighting System
ALT Altitude (above mean sea level)
ALTN Alternate aerodrome
AMA Area Minimum Altitude
AMC Air Traffic Control Microphone Check
AMCP Aeronautical Mobile Communications Panel
AMDA Airlines Medical Directors Association
AMOSA Association of Aviation Maintenance Organisations of Southern Africa
AMPL Association Marocaine de Pilots de Ligne
AMSL Above Mean Sea Level
AMSS Aeronautical Mobile Satellite System
AMSSP Aeronautical Mobile Satellite Service Panel
ANC Air Navigation Commission
ANConf Air Navigation Conference
ANPAC Associazione Nazionale Piloti Aviazione Commerciale (Italy)
ANPP Air Navigation Plan Publication
ANSPs Air Navigation Service Providers
ANT Air Navigation Team (Eurocontrol)
AO Aircraft Operator
AOA Aircrew Officers Association
AOAS Advanced Oceanic Automation System
AOC Airline Operational Control
AOCI Airport Operators Council International
AOPG Aerodrome Operations Planning Group
APA Allied Pilots Association
APA(CV) Air Line Pilots Association (Cape Verde)
APANPIRG Asia/Pacific Air Navigation Planning and Implementation Regional Group APATSI Airport/air traffic system interface
APDSG Airspace Planning & Development Sub-Group
APEC Aircraft Performance Evaluation & Certification
APG Asosiasi Pilot Garuda
APGSL Air Line Pilots' Guild of Sri Lanka
API Advanced Passenger Information
APIRG African Planning and Implementation Regional Planning Group
APLRIM Association des Pilotes de Lignes de Mauritanie
APM Accident Prevention Manual
APN Apron
APP Approach Control
APPA Asociacion Profesional de Pilotos Aviadores de Costa Rica
APPLA Associacao Pilotos Portugueses Linha Aerea (Portugal)
APU Auxiliary Power Unit
APV Approach with Vertical Guidance
AQM Aircom Quality Performance
AR Administrative Recommendation
ARAC Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (FAA)
ARASCNAC Air traffic services Routes for Aircraft with Self-contained Navigational Capabilities
ARC Area Chart
ARCP Aerodrome Reference Code Panel
ARINC Aeronautical Radio INCorporated
ARITRM Assessment of the Radiological Impact from the Transport of Radioactive Materials
ARM Airspace Risk Model
ARO Air traffic services reporting office
ARP Aerodrome Reference Point
ARQ Automatic error correction
ARST Arresting (part of an aircraft arresting system)
AS Altostratus
ASA Airservices Australia
ASAP Aviation Safety Action Programme
ASC Aviation Safety Council Ascend to or ascending
ASD Air Situation Display
ASDA Accelerate Stop Distance Available
ASE Altimetry System Error
ASECNA Agence pour la Securité de la Navigation en Afrique et à Madagascar (Agency for Security and Navigation for Africa and Madagascar)
ASIP AVPAC (Aviation VHF-Very High Frequency- Packet Communication) Simple Interface Protocol
ASM Air Space Management
AsMA Aerospace Medical Association
ASP AIRCOM Service Processor
ASPA Asociacian Sindical de Pilots Aviadores de Mexico
ASPENN RPG Aeronautical Fixed Service Planning Study EUR/NAM/NAT Regional Planning Group
ASPH Asphalt
ASPLAB Asociacion Sindical de Pilotos del Lloyd Aereo (Bolivia)
ASPP Aeronautical Fixed Service Systems Planning for Data Interchange Panel
ASTERIX All Purpose Structured EUROCONTROL Radar Information Exchange
ASTOR Aircraft Simulation for Traffic Operations Research
ATA Air Transport Association of America
ATAFG African Air Traffic Analysis and Forecasting Group
ATAG Air Transport Action Group
ATC Air Traffic Control
ATCA Air Traffic Controllers Association (USA)
ATFM Air Traffic Flow Management
ATIS Aerodrome Terminal Information Service
ATIS-B Automatic Terminal Information Service - Broadcast
ATK Air Traffic Controller Acknowledgement (service)
ATLA Air Transport Licensing Authority
ATM Air Transport Management
ATMCP Air Traffic Management Operational Concept Panel
ATMG Airspace and Traffic Management Group
ATMRPP ATM Requirements and Performance Panel
ATN Aeronautical Telecommunications Network
ATNP Aeronautical Telecommunications Network Panel
ATPL Air Transport Pilot Licence
ATS Air Traffic Services
ATS Air Traffic Services
ATSB Air Transportation Stabilisation Board Australian Transport Safety Bureau
ATSU Air Traffic Services Unit
ATTCS Automatic Takeoff Thrust Control Systems
ATV Associazione Tecnici di Volo Aviazione Civile (Italy Flight Engineers)
ATZ Aerodrome Traffic Zone
AUS-ALPA Australian Air Line Pilots Association
AUSEP Australian RNAV Separation Standards
AVLC Aviation VHR Link Control
AVMED Aviation Medicine
AVPAC Aviation VHF (Very High Frequency) Packet Communication
AVSEC Aviation Security
AWO JAA All Weather Operations
AWOP All Weather Operations Panel
AWPA Australian Women Pilots' Association
AWY Airway
BA Braking Action
Bahamas ALPA Bahamas Airline Pilots' Association
BALPA British Air Line Pilots' Association
BAPA Bangladesh Airline Pilots' Association
BCC Battery Charge Controller
BeCA Belgium Cockpit Association
BORG Basic Operational Requirements Group
BSP Aircraft Parameter Downlink (service)
BUL-ALPA Bulgarian Air Line Pilots' Association
C-ATSU Current Air Traffic Services Unit
CAA NZ Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand
CAA PNG Civil Aviation Authority of Papua New Guinea
CAA SI Civil Aviation Authority of Solomon Islands
CAAC Civil Aviation Administration of China
CAAF Civil Aviation Authority of Fiji
CAAS Certification of Aeroplane Automatic Systems
CAASA Commercial Aviation Association of Southern Africa
CACRC Commercial Aircraft Composite Repair Committee
CAEE Committee of Aircraft Engine Emissions
CAeM Commission for Aeronautical Meteorology
CAEP Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (ICAO)
CALPA China Airline Pilots' Association
CAMA Civil Aviation Medical Association
CAN Committee on Aircraft Noise
CANDI Civil Aviation Network Data Interchange
CANSO Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation
CAP Study Group on Continuing Airworthiness Problems
CAPA Cayman Airline Pilots' Association
CAPS Computer Automated Profiling Systems
CARATS Collaborative Actions for Renovation of Air Traffic Systems
CAS Calibrated Air Speed
CASA Computer Assisted Slot Allocation
CASA Civil Aviation Safety Authority (Australia)
CASS Corporate Aviation Safety Seminar
CAVOK Ceiling and Visibility OK / Clouds and Visibility OK
CAVU Ceiling and Visibility Unlimited
CAWU Civil Aviations Workers Union
CCAA Chinese Civil Aviation Association
CCIF International Telephone Consultative Committee
CCIR International Radio Consultative Committee
CCITT International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee
CCQ Cross Cockpit Qualification
CCS Cabin Communications System
CD Candela
CDA Continuous Descent Approach
CDFA Constant Descent Final Approach
CDN Coordination (message designator)
CDR Conditional Route
CDS Cabin Distribution System
CDTI Cockpit Display of Traffic Information
CDTI Cockpit Display Traffic Information
CEAC Committee of European Airspace Co-ordination
CEFA Committee for Environmentally Friendly Aviation (ERA)
CEI Cabin Equipment Interfaces
CFDIU Central Fault Display Interface Unit
CFDS Centralised Fault Display System
CFIT Controlled Flight Into Terrain
CFMU Central Flow Management Unit
CG Centre of Gravity
CGL Circling Guidance Lights
CHG Modification (message designator)
CIDIN Common ICAO Data Interchange Network
CIE International Commission on Illumination
CIMO Committee for Instruments and Methods of Observation
CIP Convergence and Implementation Programme
CIR Cockpit Image Recorders
CIRM International Radio Maritime Committee
CLOP Criminal Liability of Pilots
CMIC Civil/Military Interface Committee
CNS Communication, Navigation and Surveillance
COCESNA Central American Corporation for Air Navigation Services
CODA Central Office of Delay Analysis
COSCAP Cooperative Development of Operational Safety and Airworthiness Activities
CPAR Cockpit Personnel Association of Russia
CPC Circulo de Pilotos de Chile
CPDLC Controller Pilot Data Link Communications
CPL Commercial Pilot Licence
CPU Core Processing Unit
CRAM Conditional Route Availability Message
CRCO Central Route Charges Office
CRM Collision Risk Methodology
CRO-ALPA Croatian Air Line Pilots' Association
CRP Co-ordinated Research Programme
CSI Criticality Safety Index
CSM Consultant Services Meeting
CTAM Climb to and maintain
CTO Calculated Time Over
CTOL Conventional Take-Off & Landing
CTU Cabin Telecommunications Unit
CUI Committee on Unlawful Interference
CVR Cockpit Voice Recorder
CW Carrier Wave
CWP Controller Working Position
CZ-ALPA Czech Air Line Pilots' Association
D-ATSU A Downstream Air Traffic Services Unit
D-GPS Differential Global Positioning System
DALPA Danish Air Line Pilots' Association
DANT Danish NEAN Project Team
DAP Download of Aircraft Parameter
DARP(S) Dynamic Airborne Route Planning (System)
DATAC Digital Autonomous Terminal Access Communication
DCAA Danish Civil Aviation Administration (SLV)
DCD Double Channel Duplex
DCPC Direct Controller-Pilot Communications
DCS Double Channel Simplex
DED Directorate of European Air Traffic Control Harmonisation and Integration Programme Development
DEFAMM Demonstration Facilities for Airport Movement Management
DES Descend to/descending
DFTI Distance From Touchdown Indicator
DG IFALPA Dangerous Goods Committee
DGAC Direction Générale de l'Aviation Civile (France)
DGB Dangerous Goods Board
DGCA Director-Generals of Civil Aviation
DGELG Dangerous Goods European Advisory Group
DGP ICAO Dangerous Goods Panel
DGP DLEC Dangerous Goods Panel - Department for Liaison with the European Community
DGRs Dangerous Goods Regulations
DGVII Directorate General VII
DH Decision Height
DITS Digital Information Transfer System
DL Downlink Message
DLAP Down Linked Aircraft Parameters
DLASD Data Link Application and System Document
DLH Deutsche Lufthansa
DLSG Data Link Sub Group (Eurocontrol)
DME Distance Measuring Equipment
DOTS Dynamic Ocean Tracking System
DP Dew Point Temperature
DR Dead Reckoning Navigation
DSB Double Side Band
DSCN Direct Speech Circuit Networks
DTU Data Terminating Unit
DTW Dual Tandem Wheels
DW Dual wheels
DZ Drizzle
EAD Emergency Airworthiness Directive
EAMG European Air (Traffic Flow Management) Group
EANPG European Air Navigation Planning Group
EAPTU Air Line Pilots Trade Union (Estonia)
EARC Elimination of Ambiguity in Radiotelephony Call Signs
EASA European Aviation Safety Agency
EASS European Aviation Safety Seminar
EATCHIP European Air Traffic Control Harmonisation and Integration Programme
EATMS European Air Traffic Management System
EBAA European Business Aviation Association
EBU Engine Build Unit
EC Executive Controller (also known as 'Radar Controller')
ECA European Cockpit Association
ECAC European Civil Aviation Conference
ECAM Electronic Centralised Aircraft Monitoring (airborne display)
ECAR European Civil Aviation Requirement
ECASS European Committee on Aircrew Scheduling and Safety
ECMT European Conference of Ministers of Transport
EDD Electronic Data Display
EEC EUROCONTROL Experimental Centre
EFB Electronic Flight Bag
EFC Expect Further Clearance
EGALPA Egyptian Air Line Pilots Association
EGNOSS European Geostationary Navigation System Overlay
EGPWS Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System
EHEST European Helicopter Safety Team
EHF Extremely High Frequency (30,000 to 300,000 Mhz)
EHSAT European Helicopter Safety Analysis Team
EIM Enosis Iptamenon Michanikon (Greece Flight Engineers)
ELBA Emergency Locator Beacon Aircraft
ELS Electronic Library Systems
EMARSSH Europe, Middle East, Asia Route Structure of the Himalayas
EMAS Engineered Materials Arresting System
EPCU Electrical Power Control Unit
ERA European Regions Airlines Association
EROC Study Group on En-Route Obstacle Clearance Criteria
ERP Emergency Response Plan
ESA European Space Agency
ETA Estimated Time of Arrival
ETD Estimated Time of Departure
ETFMS Enhanced Tactical Flow Management Systems (Eurocontrol)
ETO Estimated Time Over
ETOPs Extended Range Twin-Engine Operations
ETOT Estimated Take Off-Time
ETSI European Telecommunications Standards Institute
EU European Union
EU-FCL EASA Flight Crew Licensing
EU-OPS EASA Operations Regulations
EUR Region European Region
EUR /TFG European Traffic Forecasting Group
EURO RAN European Regional Air Navigation (Meeting)
EUROCAE European Organisation for Civil Aviation Equipment
EUROCONTROL European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation
EUROPILOTE European Organisation or Airline Pilots Association
EVS Enhanced Visual System
FAA Federal Aviation Administration (USA)
FADEC Full Authority Digital Engine Control
FAF Final Approach Fix
FAL Final Assembly Line
FALPA Fiji Air Line Pilots Association
FANS Future Air Navigation System
FAP Final Approach Point
FAR Federation Aviation Regulations (US FAA)
FARAWAY Fusion of Radar and ADS data through two WAY data link
FCL Flight Crew Licensing
FCM Flight Confirmation Message
FCT Friction Coefficient
FDA Flight Data Analysis
FDFM Flight Data and Flow Management Group
FDM Flight Data Message
FDP Flight Data Processing
FDPS Flight Data Processing System
FDR Flight Data Record
FEATS Future European Air (Traffic Services) System Concept Group
FENA Flight Engineers and Navigators Association
FHA Functional Hazard Analysis
FIA Icelandic Air Line Pilots Association
FIC Finance Committee
FIM Fault Isolation Manual
FIR Flight Information Region
FIS-B Flight Information Services Broadcast
FISA Flight Information Service (Automatic)
FIXM Flight Information eXchange Model
FKFE Forum Komunikasi Flight Engineers (Indonesia)
FL Flight Level
FLAS Flight Level Allocation Scheme
FLIREC Flight Recorders
FLOE/FLOEast Informal Flow Control (Europe East)
FLOW/FLOWest Informal Flow Control (Europe West)
FLT Flight
FMC Flight Management Computer
FMDB Fault Message Database
FMG Frequency Management Group
FMI Frequency Management Issues
FMPG Air Traffic Flow Management Planning Group
FMS Flight Management System
FMU Flow Management Unit
FNPT Flight & Navigation Procedures Trainer
FO Flight Object
FOD Foreign Object Debris
FOQA Flight Operations Quality Assurance
FPA Finnish Pilots' Association
FPL Filed Flight Plan
FREER Free-Route Experimental Encounter Resolution
FRP Fares and Rates Panel
FSF Flight Safety Foundation
FSF IAS Flight Safety Foundation International Aviation Safety
FSG Flight Study Group
FTPC Flight Technical Professional Committee
FUA Flexible Use of Airspace
FZDZ Freezing Drizzle
FZFG Freezing Fog
FZL Freezing Level
FZRA Freezing Rain
G/A Ground to Air
GA Go-around
GALPA Ghanaian Air Line Pilots' Association
GANP Global Air Navigation Plan
GAPAN Guild of Air Pilots & Navigators
GASAG Global Aviation Security Action Group
GAT General Air Traffic
GBAS Ground Based Augmentation System (ie GLS)
GCU Generator Control Unit
Georgian ALPA Georgian Air Line Pilots' Association
GERT German NEAN Project Team
GES Ground Earth Station (satellite)
GIS Geographic Information System
GIVD Gravity Induced Vestibular Dysfunction
GLOC Gravity Induced Loss of Consciousness
GLONASS Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System (Russia)
GLS Global Landing System
GNLU GNSS Navigation and Landing Unit
GNSS Global Navigation Satellite System
GP Glidepath
GPS Global Positioning System
GPWS Ground Proximity Warning System
GRACYAS Caribbean/ South American African Regional Planning Group
GSIF Ground Station Identification Frames
GTPAPC Grupo Tecnico de Pilotos Aviadores Profesionales de Cuba
GUI Graphical User Interface
HALPA Hellenic Air Line Pilots Association (Greece)
HAPI Helicopter Approach Path Indicator
HARA Helicopter Airborne Radar Approaches Study Group
HASA Helicopter Association of Southern Africa
HAWOP Helicopter All-Weather Operations Study Group
HBT Human Behavioural Technology
HDF High Frequency Direction-finding station
HEL IFALPA Helicopter Committee
HELIOPS Helicopter Operations Panel
HEMS Helicopter Emergency Medical Services
HF High Frequency
HIRO High Intensity Runway Operations
HIS Horizontal Situation Indicator
HKALPA Hong Kong Air Line Pilots Association
HKAOA Hong Kong Aircrew Officers Association
HMI Human Machine Interface
HUD Head-Up Display
HUGs Head-Up Guidance Systems
HUMS Health & Usage Monitoring Systems
HUNALPA Hungarian Air Line Pilots' Association
HUPER IFALPA Human Performance Committee
IAAC International Agricultural Aviation Centre
IAARC International Administrative Aeronautical Radio Conference
IAASM International Academy of Aviation and Space Medicine
IABA International Association of Aircraft Brokers and Agents
IAC International Advisory Committee
IACA International Air Carrier Association
IACSC Improved Airworthiness Communications Steering Committee
IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency
IALPA Irish Air Line Pilots Association
IAM Informal (South Pacific Air Traffic Services Co-ordinating Group) Application Manual
IANC International Airline Navigators Council
IAOPA International Aircraft Owners and Pilots Associations
IAP Instrument Approach Plate
IAPA International Airline Passengers Association
IAS Indicated Air Speed
IASA International Air Safety Association
IASS International Air Safety Seminar
IATA International Air Transport Association
ICAO International Civil Aviation Organisation
ICASM International Congress of Aviation and Space Medicine
ICD Interface Control Document
IFA International Federation of Airworthiness
IFALPA International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations
IFATCA International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers' Associations
IFATSEA International Federation of Air Traffic Safety Electronic Associations
IFE In-flight Emergency
IFEA Indian Flight Engineers Association
IFEO International Flight Engineers Organisation
IFFAS International Fund for Aviation Safety
IFHO International Federation of Helicopter Operators
IFP Integrated Flight Plan System
IFPP Instrument Flight Procedures Panel (ICAO)
IFPS Integrated Initial Flight Plan Processing System
IFPZ Integrated Initial Flight Plan Processing System Zone
IFR Instrument Flight Rules
IHST International Helicopter Safety Team
ILO International Labour Organisation
ILS Instrument Landing System
IMA Integrated Modular Avionics
IND IFALPA Industrial Committee
INS Inertial Navigation System
INSTRAT Institutional Strategy for Air Traffic Management
INTERPOL International Criminal Police Organisation
IOCS Interim Oceanic Control System (Interim datalink system for the Auckland Flight Information Region)
IOSA IATA Operational Safety Audit
IP Internet Protocol
IPACG Informal Pacific ATS (Air Traffic Services) Co-ordinating Group
IPG Indian Pilots' Guild
IPV Instrument Approach with Vertical guidance
IR Ice on Runway
IRS Inertial Reference System
ISAD ICAO's Incorporating Security into Aircraft Design () Working Group
ISASI International Society of Air Safety Investigators
ISO International Standards Organisation
ISPACG Informal South Pacific ATS (Air Traffic Services) Co-ordinating Group
ISR-ALPA Israel Air Line Pilots Association
Israel FE Israel Flight Engineers
ITA Institute of Air Transport
ITF International Transport Workers Federation
ITP In Trail Procedure (for climb or descent)
ITU International Telecommunications Union
IUAI International Union of Aviation Insurers
JALPA Jamaica Air Line Pilots Association
JCCA Joint Committee for Civil Aviation
JSSI Joint Safety Strategy Initiative
JTSO Joint Technical Standard Order
KAEPA Kuwait Aircraft Engineers and Pilots Association
KAL Korean Airlines
KALPA Kenya Air Line Pilots Association
LAAS Local Area Augmentation System
LACAC Latin American Civil Aviation Commission
LAHSO Land and Hold Short Operations
LAN Local Area Network
LDG Landing
LDM Low dispersible material
LIALPA Leeward Islands Air Line Pilots Association
LIT-ALPA Lithuanian Airline Pilots' Association
LOA Letter of Agreement
LOSA Line Orientated Safety Audit
LPA Lebanese Pilots Association
LRM Line Replacement Modules
LRNS Long Range Navigation System
LROPS Long Range Operations
LRU Line Replacement Unit
LSA Low specific activity materials
MADAP Maastricht Automatic Data Processing and Display System
MALPA Mauritius Air Line Pilots' Association
MAN Metropolitan Area Network
MAPA Malaysian Airline Pilots' Association
MAPE Mean Absolute Percentage Errors (traffic forecasting)
MAPT Missed Approach Point
MASPS Minimum Aviation Systems Performance Standards
MAT Maintenance Access Terminal
MATSE Meeting on the Air Traffic System in Europe
MAUW Maximum All Up Weight
MBA Microburst Alert
MCC Multi Crew Coordination
MCDU Multifunction Control Display Unit
MDA Minimum Descent Altitude
MEA Minimum En-route Altitude
MECACON Middle East Civil Aviation Conference
MEL Minimum Equipment List
MET Meteorological
METAG MET Advisory Group
METAR Meteorological Aerodrome Report
METODA Meteorological Observations and Information Distribution Arrangements for Local Aeronautical Users
MIL Military
MLS Microwave Landing Systems
MLW Maximum Landing Weight
MM Middle Marker
MMEL Master Minimum Equipment List
MMU Memory Management Unit
MNOP Maximum Normal Operating Pressure
MNPS Minimum Navigation Performance Specifications
MNPSA Minimum Navigation Performance Specification Airspace
MOA Memorandum of Understanding
MOPS Minimum Operation Performance Standards
MOTNE Meteorological Operational Telecommunication Network in Europe
MPL Multi-crew Pilot Licence
MRVA Minimum Radar Vector Altitude
MSL Mean Sea Level
MTBF Mean Time Between Failure
MTOW Maximum Take-Off Weight
MU Management Unit
N1 Gas generator speed
N2 Second stage turbine speed
NAAN North Atlantic ADS-B Network
NAAPE National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (Nigeria)
NAPA Namibia Air Line Pilots' Association
NARG Navigation Aids and Area Navigation Group
NAS National Airspace System
NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
NATS National Air Traffic Services (UK)
NATSPG or NAT/SPG North Atlantic Systems Planning Group
NAV Navigation
NAVSEP or NAV/S Panel Experts on Navigation and Separation
ND Navigation Display
NDA Next Data Authority
NDB Non Directional radio Beacon
NEAN North European ADS-B Network
NEAP North European CNS/ATM Application Project
NEG Negative, No, No permission, that is not correct
NextGen Next Generation Air Transportation System
NF Norwegian Air Line Pilots Association
NFPA National Fire Protection Association
NLA New Large Aircraft
NM Nautical Miles
NMB National Mediation Board
NOSIG No Significant change
NOTAM Notice to AirMen
NP Propeller speed
NPA Notice of Proposed Amendments
NPRM Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (US FAA)
NPS Navigation Performance Scales
NSSG Navigation & Separation Sub-Group
NTSB National Transportation Safety Board
NUP NEAN Update Programme
NVG Night Vision Goggles
NZ-ALPA New Zealand Air Line Pilots Association
OAT Outside Air Temperature
OBS Omni Bearing Selector
OBST Obstacle
OCS Oceanic Control System
OCU OMT (Onboard Maintenance Terminal) Controller Unit
ODETE On-Line Data Exchange Terminal
ODIAC-TF Operational Development of Initial A/g data Communications Task Force
ODID Operational Input and Display System
ODL Oceanic Data Link (Datalink system for the Oakland Flight Information Region)
ODT OMT (Onboard Maintenance Terminal) Display Unit
OFZ Obstacle Free Zone
OGP Oil and Gas Producers Aviation Sub Committee
OIP Organization Iberoamericana de Pilotos
OLDI On-Line Data Interchange
OM Outer Marker
OMT Onboard Maintenance Terminal
OP Operational (issues)
OPAC Operations of Aircraft
OPR Air Traffic Management Operational Requirements
OPS Operations
OPS/AIR Operations/Airworthiness
OPSP Operational Panel
ORCAM Originating Region Code Assignment Method
OSI Open Systems Interconnection
OUR Operational Users Requirements
PAAST Pan American Aviation Safety Team
PACOTS Pacific Organised Track System
PAK Pilot Acknowledgement (service)
PALPA Pakistan Air Line Pilots Association
PALPU Pancyprian Airline Pilots Union
PAMC Provisional Acceptable Means of Compliance
PANS Procedures for Air Navigational Services
PANS-OPS Procedures for Air Navigational Services - Aircraft Operations
PAPI Precision Approach Path Indicator
PAR Precision Approach Radar
PASYI Pan-Cyprian Airline Pilots' Union (PASYPI)
PATRAM Packaging and Transport of Radio-Active Materials
PBS Preferential Bidding System
PCA Propulsion Controlled Aircraft
PCATD Personal Computer based Aviation Training Device
PCM Post Crash Management
PEC Pan European Conference
PED Passenger Electronic Devices
PEL/TRG Personnel Licensing and Training
PETAL Preliminary EUROCONTROL Test of Air/Ground Data Link
PF Pilot Flying
PFA Pilot Friendly Airport
PFCS Primary Flight Computer System
PFD Planned Flight Data
PIC Pilot In Command
PID Pilot Information Downlink (service)
PIRG Planning and Implementation Regional Group
PIs Performance Indicators
PLC Planning Controller (also known as Co-ordinator)
PMC Project Management Cell (Eurocontrol)
PMS Pavement Management System
PNF Pilot Not Flying
PNGAPA Papua New Guinea Air Pilots' Association
POH Pilot Operating Handbook
POL STAT IFALPA Policy Statement
POLALPA Stowarzyszenie Polskich Pilotow Komunikacyjnych (Poland)
PRC Performance Review Commission
PRICE ICAO Proficiency Requirements in Common English Study Group
PRL Pilot Request Level (service)
PROMET Provision of Meteorological Information
PRQ Pilot Request (service)
PRR Pilot Request, Route (service)
PRU Performance Review Unit
PTOT Provisional Take-Off Time
PTT Press To Talk
PTUK Pilots' Trade Union Kazakhstan
PTUL Pilots Trade Union of Latvia
Q PROCEDURE Procedure to identify replacement flight plans
QDM Magnetic zero wind heading
QDR Magnetic bearing
QFA Qantas
QFE Altimeter setting to give height above aerodrome
QNH Altimeter setting to give height above sea level
QOS Quality of Service
R-ATSU The Receiving Air Traffic Services Unit
RA Resolution Advisory
RAA Regional Airline Association (USA)
RAAS Runway Aural Awareness System
RAC Rules of the Air and Air Traffic Services
RAeS Royal Aeronautical Society
RAIM Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring
RAN Regional Air Navigation
RAPNET Regional ATC Packet switched Network
RASP Radar Application Specialist Panel
RCL Runway Centreline Lighting
RDPS Radar Data Processing System
REG Regulatory (issues)
REL Runway Entrance Light(s)
RESA Runway End Safety Area
RESMA Requirements for Emergency and Safety Airborne Equipment
RET Airborne & Ground Retrofit (issues)
RFC Request For Change
RFF Rescue and Fire Fighting
RFL Requested Flight Level
RGCSP Review of General Concept of Separation Panel
RGS Remote Ground Station
RIMS Runway Incursion Monitoring System
RMCDE Radar Message Conversion and Distribution Equipment
RMP Radio Management Panel
RNAV Area Navigation
RNDSG Route Network and Development Sub-Group
RNMP Replacement of the Nautical Mile Panel
RNP Required Navigation Performance
RO-ALPU Romanian Air Line Pilot's Union
RPF Rapid Prototyping Facility
RPG Regional Planning Group
RPL Repetitive Flight Plan
RPP Radiation Protection Programme
RPR Re-Routing Proposal Message
RSC Runway Service Conditions
RTA Required Time of Arrival
RTCA Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics
RTCA Requirements and Technical Concepts for Aeronautics
RTCM SC Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Services Special Committee
RTD Research and Technical Development
RTF Radiotelephony
RTO Rejected Take Off
RVR Runway Visual Range
RVSM Reduced Vertical Separation Minima
RWSL Runway Status Lights
SAAFEA South African Airways Flight Engineers Association
SAAM System for Assignment and Analysis at a Macroscopic level
SACAA Southern African Civil Aviation Authority
SAE Society of Automotive Engineers
SAGSTRAM Standing Advisory Group on the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material
SALPA Sudan Air Line Pilots Association
SAPA Swazi Air Line Pilots Association
SAR Search And Rescue
SARPs Standards and Recommended Practices (ICAO)
SAS Scandinavian Airline Systems
SASP ICAO Separation and Airspace Safety Panel
SATCOM Satellite Communication
SATSAR Satellite-aided Search And Rescue
SBAS Space Based Augmentation System (ie WAAS)
SC Steering Committee
SCA Serbian Cockpit Association
SCAA Swedish Civil Aviation Administration (LFV)
SCAT-1 Special Category One
SCP Spacecraft Control Processors
SDR Service Difficulty Report
SDS Sub Domain Server
SEAC Service d'Etat de l'Aviation Civile (French Polynesia)
SEC IFALPA Security Committee
SEIFR Single-Engine Instrument Flight Rules
SEOTV Sindicato Espanol de Oficiales Tecnicos de Vuelo (Spain Flight Engineers)
SEP Safety Equipment and Procedures
SEPLA Sindicato Espanol de Pilotos de Lineas Aereas (Spain)
SES Single European Sky
SESAR Single European Sky ATM Research
SESMA Special Event Trend Analysis
SETP Society of Experimental Test Pilots
SF Special Freighter
SGCAS Study Group on Certification of Automatic Systems
SGTOAA Study Group on Take-off Accountability Areas
SICASP SSR Improvements and Collision Avoidance Systems Panel
SID Standard Instrument Departure
SIPAC Sindicato Panameno de Aviadores Comerciales (Panama)
SIPACIP Sindicato de Pilotos Aviadores Civiles del Paraguay
SISG Safety Indicators Study Group (ICAO)
SITA Société Internationale de Télécommunications Aéronautiques
SITNA Service Technique de la Navigation Aérienne (French technical service)
SLOP Strategic Lateral Offset Procedure
SLOVALPA Slovak Air Line Pilots' Association (Slovakia)
SMGCS Surface Movement Guidance and Control Systems
SMI Special Message Identifier
SMR Surface Movement Radar Study Group
SMS Safety Management System
SNA Sindicato Nacional dos Aeronautas (Brazil)
SNOMAC Syndicat National des Officiers Mecaniciens de l'Aviation Civile (France Flight Engineers)
SNOWTAM Special NOTAM notifying the presence or removal of snow, ice, and slush or associated melt water from the manoeuvring areas of and aerodrome
SNPL Syndicat National des Pilotes de Ligne (France)
SOIR Simultaneous Operations on Intersecting Runways
SOIR Simultaneous Operations on Parallel or Near-Parallel Instrument Runways
SPA Suriname Pilots' Association
SPACDAR Specialist Panel on Automatic Conflict Detection and Resolution
SPAS Safety Performance Analysis System
SPF Svensk Pilot Forening (Sweden)
SPLA Syndicat des Pilotes de Ligna Algeriens (Algeria)
SPNT Syndicat Personnel Navigant Technique de Tunisia
SR&O System Requirements and Objectives
SRC Safety Regulation Commission
SRG Safety Regulation Group
SSA System Safety Approach
SSR Secondary Surveillance Radar
SSR Mode S WG Secondary Surveillance Radar Mode Selective WG
STA Scheduled Time of Arrival
STAP (International Civil Aviation Organisation) Statistics Panel
STAR Standard Terminal Arrival Route
STCA Short Term Conflict Alert
STDMA Self-organising Time Division Multiple Access
STVAC Sindicato dos Tecnicos de Voo da Aviacao Civil (Portugal Flight Engineers)
SWET Swedish NEAN Project Team
SWIM System Wide information Management
Swissalpa Swiss Air Line Pilots' Association
T-VASIS T Visual Approach Slope Indicator System
TA Traffic Advisory
TAAATS The Australian Advanced Air Traffic Services System
TALPA Turk Hava Yallair Pilotlari Dernegi (Turkey)
TARA Terminal Area R-NAV Applications Sub-Group
TARMAC Taxi and Ramp Management and Control
TARTAR International Civil Aviation Organisation Meetings on Transit Air Traffic Services Routes through the Airspace of the Russian Federation
TBC The Boeing Company
TCAA Transatlantic Common Aviation Area
TCAS Traffic Collision Avoidance System
TCP Transmission Control Protocol
TDI Track Deviation Instrument
TDM Track Definition Message
TDZ Touchdown Zone
TEMPO Temporary or temporarily
TEN-T Trans- European Network - Transport
TFG Traffic Forecasting Group
TFTS Terrestrial Flight Telephone System
TGS Taxi Guidance System
ThaiPA Thai Pilots' Association
TIS-B Traffic Information service - Broadcast
TIS-B Traffic Information System - Broadcast
TMA Terminal Area
TMC Traffic Management Coordinator
TMU Traffic Management Unit
TOPM Take-Off Performance Monitors
TOR Terms Of Reference
TOS Traffic Orientation Scheme
TPA Tanzania Pilots Association
TRANSSAC Transport Safety Standards Advisory Committee
TRL Transition Level
TRNSG Testing of Radio Navaids Study Group (ICAO)
TROP Tropopause
TSA Temporary Segregated Area
TSD Time Sequence Diagram
TSO Technical Standards Order
TTALPA Trinidad & Tobago Airline Pilots Association
TUI Trade Unions International of Transport Workers
TWR Air Traffic Control Tower
TWS Terrain Awareness and Warning System
UAC Upper Area Control Centre
UAL United Airlines
UAT Universal Access Transceiver
UAV Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
UHF Ultra High Frequency
UIR Upper Information Region
UL Uplink message
ULR Ultra Long Range
UN United Nations
UNCOE United Nations Committee of Experts
UPA Uganda Pilots' Association
UPU Universal Postal Union
USOAP Universal Safety Oversight Audit Program (ICAO)
UTC Universal Time Coordinated (equivalent to GMT & Zulu )
VAAC Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre
VAC Visual Approach Chart
VAP Visual Aids Panel (ICAO)
VAR Magnetic Variation
VASI Visual Approach Slope Indicator
VAW Volcanic Ash Warnings
VC Vereinigung Cockpit (German Air Line Pilots' Association)
VCS Voice Communications System
VDL VHF (Very High Frequency) Data Link
VDP Visual Descent Point
VDR VHF (Very High Frequency) Digital Radio
VFOP Visual Flight Rules Operations Panel
VFR Visual Flight Rules
VFRG Visual Flight Rules Group
VHF Very High Frequency
VIVO Visualisation des Vols Océaniques (situation display & datalink system for the Tahiti Flight Information Region)
VKB KLM Flight Engineers Association
VLDM Very low dispersible material
VMP Vertical Measurement Panel
VNV Vereniging van Nederlandse Verkeersvliegers (Dutch Air Line Pilots' Association)
VSCF Variable Speed Constant Frequency
VSSG Vertical Separation Study Group
VTOL Vertical Take-Off & Landing
WAAS Wide Area Augmentation System
WAFS World Area Forecast System Study Group
WAN Wide Area Network
WEAA Western European Airports Association
WEAAP Western European Association for Aviation Psychology
WFTU World Federation of Trade Unions
WG Working Group
WGS 84 World Geodetic System 1984
WHO World Health Organisation
WIAS Weather Information Automated System
WIST Study Group on Low Level Wind Shear Turbulence (ICAO)
WMO World Meteorological Organisation
WOCL Window of Circadian Low
WP Work Package
WXXM Weather eXchange Model
XPDR Transponder
YOYO Only Y Available
Zulu or z Equivalent to Greenwich Mean Time or UTC