Copy of `FLarson - Aviation glossary`

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FLarson - Aviation glossary Category: Travel and Transportation > Aviation Date & country: 18/11/2013, UK Words: 37

Yaw
Rotation of an aircraft about its vertical axis, i.e., nose left or right

Yoke
The control wheel of an aircraft, operated much like a car's steering wheel. It is used to control the ailerons and elevator.

VOR (VHF Omnidirectional Range)
A land-based radio navigational system. A VOR station transmits a signal that the receiver can use to calculate its postion relative to or from the station. The pilot may use the CDI to select a course to or from the station and then maintain that course. Many VOR stations have a DME station associated with them.

Stall turn (or Hammerhead)
Hammerhead photo

Vector
A direction and altitude assigned to an aircraft by air traffic control.

Vertical axis
An imaginary line running vertically through the center of gravity of an aircraft.

VFR (Visual Flight Rules)
Regulations governing a flight for which no IFR flight plan is in effect. There are minimum visibility and cloud clearance limits for operating under VFR, but it may be day or night. The pilot is responsible for his own separation from other aircraft.

Spin
A maneuver in which an aircraft is descending in a stall and rotating. It may be performed intentionally or accidentally.

Stall
An aerodynamic condition in which the airflow over the upper surface of the wing is disrupted by excessive angle of attack, sharply reducing the amount of lift produced.

Roll
A maneuver in which an aircraft rotates about its longitudinal axis.

Runway Numbers
Runways are numbered based on the magnetic heading an aircraft would have while taking off from or landing on that runway. Each runway, therefore has two numbers; one for each direction. The heading is rounded to the nearest 10 degrees, and then the last digit is dropped. For example, a runway on a heading of 348 degrees would be assigned runway number 35. Parallel runways receive an additional letter 'L', 'R', or 'C', indicating left, right, or center.

Loop
A maneuver in which an aircraft flys in a vertical circle.

Magnetic Heading
The direction an aircraft faces as indicated by a magnetic compass.

Marker Beacon
Marker beacon lights

NDB
Non-Directional radio Beacon. A low-power AM radio transmitter on the ground used as a navigational aid. See also ADF

Pitch
Rotation of an aircraft about its lateral axis.

Relative wind
The flow of air relative to an aircraft, caused by its motion through the air.

Longitudinal axis
An imaginary line running through an aircraft from nose to tail.

Instrument Rating
A pilot qualification that permits flight by instrument reference. This is necessary in conditions of reduced visibility, such as clouds, fog, or heavy precipitation.

Lateral axis
An imaginary line running through an aircraft from left to right through its center of gravity.

Instrument Approach
A procedure for safely descending to an airport from instrument conditions. An airport may have one or more instrument approach procedures published, or none at all. Each approach is custom designed, and takes into account the radio navigation aids available, the various runway, and obstructions in the area. Minimum altitudes and visibilites for each approach are published.

IFR (Instrument Flight Rules)
Regulations governing flight when an IFR flight plan has been filed and activated. Air Traffic Control provides separation between IFR aircraft. This allows flight in clouds and reduced visibility, when it is impossible for pilots to see and avoid other aircraft.

Empennage
The tail surfaces of an aircraft.

Flaps
Parts of the wings that can be extended to help slow the plane for landing and increase lift at low speeds. Full flaps are typically used for landing, and partial flaps may also be used for takeoff.

Flare
A maneuver performed during landing in which the nose is raised and the aircraft is held just off the ground to bleed off airspeed.

DME
Distance Measuring Equipment. A radio navigation device that determines and aircraft's distance from a given ground station. It can also calculate groundspeed and time to/from the station.

Constant-speed propeller
A variable-pitch propeller with a governor. The governor controls the angle of the propeller blades to maintain a constant RPM. The pilot controls the RPM with a propeller control, and the manifold pressure with the throttle.

Center of gravity
The point at which all the weight of an aircraft can be considered to be centered. This is the balancing point.

CDI (Course Deviation Indicator)
CDI illustration

Airspeed
The speed of an aircraft relative to the air through which it is flying.

Ammeter
An instrument that indicates whether the battery is being charged adequately by the alternator. If the ammeter indicates discharge, the alternator is not producing enough power to keep the battery charged with the current demand. If it indicated a charge, then the battery is being charged by the alternator. It should normally be close to zero.

Angle of Attack
The angle at which a wing meets the relative wind.

Bank (or Roll)
Rotation of an aircraft about its longitudinal axis.

Adverse yaw
The tendency of an aircraft to yaw in the opposite direction of aileron control input.

Aerobatics
Maneuvers not necessary for normal flight, but used in air show, competition, or combat flying. Some example maneuvers would be loops, rolls, spins, and stall turns.

Aileron
A control surface for controlling roll or bank. There is one aileron on each wing, and they move in opposite directions. They are controlled by turning the control yoke, like a car's steering wheel.

ADF
Automatic Direction Finder, a radio navigation instrument. ADF uses AM radio signals. A needle on the instrument points in the direction from which the signal originates. The instrument is usually used with NDB's, but can also be used with commercial AM broadcast radio signals.