Abbreviation

Meaning

A/A

Air-to-Air

AAL

Above aerodrome level

AAR

Airport acceptance rate

AAT

Office of Air Traffic

AAT-1

Director of Air Traffic

ABM

Abeam

ABN

Aerodrome beacon

AC

Advisory Circular

ACC

Area Control Center

ACCID

Notification of an aircraft accident

ACLS

Automatic Carrier Landing System

ACP

Area Command Post

ADC

Aerospace Defense Command

ADIZ

Air defense identification zone (to be pronounced "AY DIZ")

ADJ

Adjacent

ADR

Advisory route

ADZ

Advise

ADZY

Advisory

AFD

Airport/Facility Directory

AFI

ICAO African Indian Ocean Region

AFIL

Flight plan filed in the air

AFIS

Aerodrome flight information service

AFM

Yes or affirm or affirmative or that is correct

AIM

Aeronautical Information Manual

AIP

Aeronautical Information Publication

AIREP

Air report

AIRMET

Airmen's meteorological information

ALERFA

Alert Phase code (Alerting Service)

ALNOT

Alert notice

ALS

Approach light system

ALTRV

Altitude reservation

AMB

Ambiguity-A disparity greater than 2 miles exists between the position declared for a target by ARTS and another facility's computer declared position during interfacility handoff

AMS

Aeronautical mobile service

AMSL

Above mean sea level

AMVER

Automated Mutual Assistance Vessel Rescue
System

ANG

Air National Guard

ANS

Answer

APREQ

Approval request

AR

Atlantic Route

ARAC

Radar approach control facility (USA)

ARCP

Air refueling control point

ARINC

Aeronautical Radio Incorporated

ARIP

Air refueling initial point

ARS

Air Traffic System Requirements Service

ARSR

Air route surveillance radar

ARTCC

Air route traffic control center

ASD

Aircraft situation display

ASDE

Airport surface detection equipment

ASP

Arrival sequencing program

ASR

Airport surveillance radar

ATA

Air Traffic Airspace Management Program

ATC

Air traffic control

ATCAA

ATC assigned airspace

ATCRBS

Air traffic control radar beacon system

ATCSCC

Air Traffic Control System Command Center

ATCT

Airport traffic control tower

ATD

Actual time of departure

ATIS

Automatic terminal information service

ATO

Air Traffic Operations Program

ATPAC

Air Traffic Procedures Advisory Committee

ATS

Air Traffic Service

ATX

Air Traffic Resource Management Program

AVSNFO

Aviation Standards National Field Office

BASE

Cloud base

BR

Bahama Route

CACT

Civil air carrier turbojet

CAR

ICAO Caribbean Region

CARCAH

Chief, Aerial Reconnaissance Coordination, All Hurricanes

CARF

Central Altitude Reservation Function

CAT

Clear air turbulence

CAVOC

Visibility, cloud and present weather better than prescribed values or conditions (to be pronounced "KAV OH KAY")

CCC

Regional Communications Control Center

CELNAV

Celestial navigation training

CENPAC

Central North Pacific

CENRAP

Center Radar ARTS Presentation

CEP

Central East Pacific

CERAP

Combined Center/RAPCON

CFR

Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations,
(Parts 1-199)

CFWSUM

Central flow weather service unit meteorologist

CH

Channel

CHG

Modification (message type designator)

CI

Cirrus

CIT

Near or over large towns

CIV

Civil

CM

Centimeter

CMB

Climb

CMPL

Completion or completed or complete

CNL

Cancel lation

CNLFP

Cancel flight plan

CNS

Continuous

COM

Communications

CONC

Concrete

COP

Changeover point

CPL

Current Flight Plan

CTA

Control Area

CVFP

Charted Visual Flight Procedure

CWA

Center Weather Advisory

DARC

Direct Access Radar Channel

DETRESFA

Distress Phase code (Alerting Service)

DF

Direction finder

DH

Decision height

DMAAC

Defense Mapping Agency Aerospace Center

DMAHC

Defense Mapping Agency Hydrographic Center

DME

Distance measuring equipment compatible with TACAN

DOE

Department of Energy

DP

Instrument Departure Procedure

DR

Dead Reckoning

DSP

Departure sequencing program

DSR

Display System Replacement

DVFR

Defense Visual Flight Rules

EASL

Existing Automation Service Level

EB

Eastbound

ECM

Electronic counter measure

EDARC

Enhanced Direct Access Radar Channel

EET

Estimated elapsed time

EFAS

En route flight advisory service

EFC

Expect further clearance

EFIS

Electronic Flight Information System

EFIS

Electronic Flight Instrument System

EFM

En Route flow management

EHF

Extremely high frequency [30,000 to 300,000 MHz]

ELBA

Emergency location beacon aircraft

ELT

Emergency locator transmitter

EOVM

Emergency obstruction video map

ESL

Emergency Service Level

ESP

En Route spacing program

ETA

Estimated time of arrival

EUR

ICAO European Region

FAA

Federal Aviation Administration

FAAO

FAA Order

FDEP

Flight data entry and printout

FDIO

Flight Data Input/Output

FIFO

Flight Inspection Field Office

FIR

Flight information region

FL

Flight level

FLIP

Flight Information Publication

FLY

Fly or flying

FM

From

FMS

Flight Management System

FMSP

Flight Management System Procedure

FNA

Final approach

FPL

Filed flight plan (message type designator)

FRC

Full route clearance necessary

FRONT

Front (relating to weather)

FSDO

Flight Standards District Office

FSL

Full Service Level

FSS

Flight Service Station

FW/SVFR

Fixed Wing Special Visual Flight Rules

GCA

Ground controlled approach

GEN

General

GEO

Geographic of true

GLD

Glider

GND

Ground

GNDCK

Ground check

GNSS

Global Navigation Satellite System

GP

Glide path

GPS

Global Positioning System

GR

Hail or soft hail

GRADU

Gradual or gradually

HIRL

High intensity runway lights

ICAO

International Civil Aviation Organization

IDENT

Aircraft identification

IFIM

International Flight Information Manual

IFR

Instrument flight rules

IFSS

International flight service station

ILS

Instrument Landing System

IMC

Instrument Meteorological Conditions

INCERFA

Uncertainty Phase code (Alerting Service)

INF

Inland Navigation Facility

INREQ

Information request

INS

Inertial Navigation System

IR

IFR military training route

JATO

Jet assisted takeoff

LAHSO

Land and Hold Short Operations

LAWRS

Limited aviation weather reporting station

LLWAS

Low level wind shear alert system

L/MF

Low/medium frequency

LORAN

Long Range Navigation System

LTD

Along Track Distance

Mach

Mach Number

MALS

Medium intensity approach light system

MALSR

Medium approach light system with runway alignment indicator lights

MAP

Missed approach point

MARSA

Military authority assumes responsibility for
separation of aircraft

MCA

Minimum crossing altitude

MCI

Mode C Intruder

MDA

Minimum descent altitude

MDM

Main Display Monitor

MEA

Minimum en route (IFR) altitude

MIA

Minimum IFR altitude

MID/ASIA

ICAO Middle East/Asia Region

MIRL

Medium intensity runway lights

MIT

Miles in trail

MITO

Minimum interval takeoff

MLS

Microwave Landing System

MNPS

Minimum Navigation Performance Specifications

MNPSA

Minimum Navigation Performance Specification Airspace

MNT

Monitor or monitoring or monitored

MNTN

Maintain

MOA

Military operations area

MOC

Minimum obstacle clearance (required)

MOCA

Minimum obstruction clearance altitude

MOD

Moderate (used to qualify icing, turbulence,
interference or static reports)

MRA

Minimum reception altitude

MSAW

Minimum Safe Altitude Warning

MSL

Mean sea level

MTI

Moving target indicator

MTR

Military training route

MVA

Minimum vectoring altitude

NADIN

National Airspace Data Interchange Network

NAM

ICAO North American Region

NAR

North American Route

NAS

National Airspace System

NAT

ICAO North Atlantic Region

NAT

No ARTS tracked

NBCAP

National Beacon Code Allocation Plan

NDB

Nondirectional radio beacon

NHOP

National Hurricane Operations Plan

NM

Nautical Mile

NOAA

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NOPAC

North Pacific

NORAD

North American Aerospace Defense Command

NOS

National Ocean Service

NOTAM

Notice to Airmen

NRP

National Route Program

NWS

National Weather Service

NWSOP

National Winter Storm Operations Plan

NTZ

No transgression zone

OALT

Operational acceptable levels of traffic

ODALS

Omnidirectional approach lighting system

ODAPS

Oceanic Display and Planning System

ONER

Oceanic Navigational Error Report

OROCA

Off Route Obstruction Clearance Altitude

OSIC

Operations Supervisor-in-Charge

OTR

Oceanic Transition Route

OTS

Organized Track System

PAC

ICAO Pacific Region

PAR

Precision approach radar

PAR

Preferred arrival route

PBCT

Proposed Boundary Crossing Time

P/CG

Pilot/Controller Glossary

PDAR

Preferential departure arrival route

PDR

Preferential departure route

PIDP

Programmable Indicator Data Processor

PO

Dust devils

POB

Persons on board

PPI

Plan position indicator

PPR

Prior permission required

PTS

Polar Track Structure

PVD

Plan View Display

RAC

Department of Energy special flight

RAIL

Runway alignment indicator lights

RAPCON

Radar approach control facility (USAF)

RATCF

Radar air traffic control facility (USN)

RBS

Radar bomb scoring

RCC

Rescue Coordination Center

RCLS

Runway centerline system

RCR

Runway condition reading

RE

Recent (used to qualify weather phenomena such as rain, e.g. recent rain = RERA)

REC

Receive or receiver

REDL

Runway edge light(s)

REF

Reference to...or refer to...

REIL

Runway end identifier lights

RITE

Right (direction of turn)

RL

Report leaving

RLA

Relay to

RLLS

Runway lead in lighting system

RMK

Remark

RNAV

Area Navigation

RNG

Radio range

ROBEX

Regional OPMET bulletin exchange (scheme)

RRTE

Reroute

RVR

Runway visual range

RVSM

Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum

RVV

Runway visibility value

SAM

ICAO South American Region

SAR

Search and rescue

SARPS

Standards and Recommended Practices (ICAO)

SC

Stratocumulus

SELCAL

Selective calling system

SFA

Single frequency approach

SFO

Simulated flameout

SIGMET

Significant meteorological information

STAR

Standard terminal arrival

STARS

Standard Terminal Automation Replacement
System

STMC

Supervisory traffic management coordinator

STMP

Sector traffic management program

STOL

Short takeoff and landing

STR

Strategic Training Range

SURPIC

Surface Picture

SVFR

Special Visual Flight Rules

SWAP

Severe weather avoidance plan

TAA

Terminal Arrival Area

TACAN

TACAN UHF navigational aid (omnidirectional course and distance information)

TCAS

Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System

TCDD

Tower Cab Digital Display

TCP

Terminal Controller Position

TCW

Terminal Controller Workstation

TDW

Tower Display Workstation

TDZL

Touchdown zone light system

TMC

Traffic management coordinator

TMCIC

Traffic management coordinator in charge

TMU

Traffic management unit

TRACAB

Terminal radar approach control in tower cab

TRACON

Terminal radar approach control

TRSA

Terminal radar service area

UHF

Ultra high frequency

USA

United States Army

USAF

United States Air Force

USN

United States Navy

UTC

Coordinated Universal Time

UTM

Unsuccessful transmission message

VCE

VSCS Console Equipment

VFR

Visual flight rules

VHF

Very High Frequency

VLF

Very Low Frequency

VMC

Visual Meteorological Conditions

VOR

VHF navigational aid (omnidirectional course information)

VOR DME

Collocated VOR and DME navigational aids (VHF course and UHF distance information)

VORTAC

Collocated VOR and TACAN navigation aids (VHF and UHF course and UHF distance
information)

VR

VFR military training route

VSCS

Voice Switching and Control System

WATRS

West Atlantic Route System

WSFO

Weather Service Forecast Office

WSO

Weather Service Office