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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