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This glossary is written for virtual airline and flight simulation use within Virtual Air Canada Airline. It is not intended as a real-world aviation reference.
This section provides a comprehensive list of aviation terms and acronyms used throughout the Virtual Air Canada Airline ASOPs. Click any term to learn more.

A

  • ACARS - Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System
  • ADF - Automatic Direction Finder
  • ADS-B - Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast
  • AFE - Above Field Elevation
  • AFM - Aircraft Flight Manual
  • AGL - Above Ground Level
  • ALTN - Alternate
  • APU - Auxiliary Power Unit
  • ASR - Air Safety Report
  • ATC - Air Traffic Control
  • ATIS - Automatic Terminal Information Service

B

  • BCBS - Brain-Centered Body Scanning
  • BDRT - Both Dependent Runway Thresholds

C

  • CAT - Category (as in CAT I/II/III ILS approaches)
  • CDA - Continuous Descent Approach
  • CDL - Configuration Deviation List
  • CDU - Control Display Unit
  • CG - Center of Gravity
  • CI - Cost Index
  • CRM - Crew Resource Management
  • CVR - Captain’s Voyage Report / Cockpit Voice Recorder

D

  • DA/DH - Decision Altitude/Decision Height

E

  • EICAS - Engine Indication and Crew Alerting System
  • ECAM - Electronic Centralized Aircraft Monitor
  • EODP - Engine-Out Departure Procedure
  • ETOPS - Extended-range Twin-engine Operational Performance Standards

F

  • FAF - Final Approach Fix
  • FCU - Flight Control Unit
  • FD - Flight Director
  • FDR - Flight Data Recorder
  • FGCS - Flight Guidance Control System
  • FL - Flight Level
  • FMC/FMGC - Flight Management Computer/Flight Management Guidance Computer
  • FMS - Flight Management System
  • FOD - Foreign Object Debris
  • FOQA - Flight Operations Quality Assurance
  • FRMS - Fatigue Risk Management System

G

  • GNSS - Global Navigation Satellite System
  • GPU - Ground Power Unit
  • GPWS/EGPWS - (Enhanced) Ground Proximity Warning System

H

  • HF - High Frequency (radio)
  • HOT - Hold-Over Time
  • HUD - Head-Up Display

I

  • IAF - Initial Approach Fix
  • ICAO - International Civil Aviation Organization
  • ILS - Instrument Landing System
  • IMC - Instrument Meteorological Conditions
  • IROP - Irregular Operations
  • ISA - International Standard Atmosphere

L

  • LNAV - Lateral Navigation
  • LOFT - Line-Oriented Flight Training
  • LVP - Low Visibility Procedures

M

  • MAC - Mean Aerodynamic Chord
  • MCP - Mode Control Panel
  • MEA - Minimum Enroute Altitude
  • MEL - Minimum Equipment List
  • METAR - Meteorological Aerodrome Report
  • Mmo - Maximum Operating Mach Number
  • MNPS - Minimum Navigation Performance Specification
  • MSA - Minimum Sector Altitude
  • MTOW - Maximum Take-Off Weight

N

  • NADP - Noise Abatement Departure Procedure
  • NAT HLA - North Atlantic High Level Airspace
  • ND - Navigation Display
  • NOTAM - Notice to Air Missions

O

  • OAT - Outside Air Temperature
  • OFP - Operational Flight Plan

P

  • PA - Public Address
  • PAPI - Precision Approach Path Indicator
  • PBN - Performance-Based Navigation
  • PF - Pilot Flying
  • PIC - Pilot-in-Command
  • PIREP - Pilot Report
  • PM - Pilot Monitoring

Q

  • QFE - Atmospheric pressure at aerodrome elevation
  • QNH - Altimeter setting to display elevation above sea level
  • QRH - Quick Reference Handbook

R

  • RA - Resolution Advisory (TCAS) / Radio Altimeter
  • RNAV - Area Navigation
  • RNP - Required Navigation Performance
  • RTO - Rejected Take-Off
  • RVR - Runway Visual Range
  • RVSM - Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum

S

  • SELCAL - Selective Calling System
  • SID - Standard Instrument Departure
  • SIGMET - Significant Meteorological Information
  • SIM - Simulator
  • SLOP - Strategic Lateral Offset Procedure
  • SOPs - Standard Operating Procedures
  • STAR - Standard Terminal Arrival Route

T

  • TA - Traffic Advisory (TCAS)
  • TCAS - Traffic Collision Avoidance System
  • TEM - Threat and Error Management
  • TOD - Top of Descent
  • TOGA - Take-Off/Go-Around thrust setting
  • TOW - Take-Off Weight

V

  • V1 - Decision speed
  • V2 - Take-off safety speed
  • VAPP - Approach speed
  • VNAV - Vertical Navigation
  • VMC - Visual Meteorological Conditions
  • Vmo - Maximum Operating Speed
  • VOR - VHF Omnidirectional Range
  • VR - Rotation speed
  • Vref - Reference speed

W

  • WOCL - Window of Circadian Low
  • WX - Weather

Z

  • ZFW - Zero Fuel Weight

Final Section: Revision History

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