A
- Aircraft: Any vehicle capable of sustaining itself in the air and moving, whether by aerodynamic lift (airplanes, helicopters) or by buoyancy (airships, balloons).
- Airport: A defined area on land or water (including buildings, installations, and equipment) intended wholly or in part for the arrival, departure, and surface movement of aircraft.
- Aerodrome: Any defined area on land or water (including buildings, installations, and equipment) intended wholly or in part for the arrival, departure, and surface movement of aircraft. The term airport is a type of aerodrome, typically with more extensive infrastructure and traffic.
- Aileron: Primary flight control surface located on the wing, used to control the aircraft’s roll (lateral inclination).
- Altitude: Vertical distance between an object or point (in this case, the aircraft) and a reference level, usually mean sea level.
- APU (Auxiliary Power Unit): A small jet engine, usually located in the tail of the aircraft, that provides electrical and pneumatic power to aircraft systems when the main engines are off.
- Aviation Security (AVSEC): A set of measures and resources to protect civil aviation against acts of unlawful interference, such as terrorism and hijackings.
- ATIS (Automatic Terminal Information Service): A continuous broadcast of essential meteorological and operational information for arriving and departing aircraft at a specific airport.
- Avionics: A portmanteau of “aviation” and “electronics,” referring to the electronic systems used in aircraft, including communication, navigation, and flight management.
B
- Baggage Compartment (Overhead Bin): Storage area inside the aircraft cabin for passengers’ carry-on luggage.
- Anvil Cloud (in meteorology): A characteristic shape of a cumulonimbus cloud with a flat, horizontal top, resembling an anvil, indicating strong updrafts.
C
- Cargo Aircraft (Freighter): An aircraft designed or adapted for the transport of cargo.
- Cockpit: The compartment of an aircraft where the pilots operate the controls and flight instruments.
- Black Box (Flight Data Recorder/Cockpit Voice Recorder): Shock- and fire-resistant electronic devices that record flight data (speed, altitude, etc.) and cockpit conversations, crucial for accident investigations.
- Air Cargo: Goods transported by air.
- Airspace Control: The responsibility of controlling and managing air traffic to ensure the safety and efficiency of flights.
- Pre-Flight Check: A list of checks and procedures the crew performs before takeoff to ensure the aircraft is in safe flying condition.
- Flight Cycle: The period of time between an aircraft’s takeoff and landing.
- Flight Attendant (Steward/Stewardess): A crew member responsible for the safety and comfort of passengers on board the aircraft.
- Air Traffic Control (ATC): A service provided by ground-based controllers who coordinate the movement of aircraft in the airspace to prevent collisions and optimize traffic flow.
- Connecting Flight: A flight that requires the passenger to change aircraft to reach their final destination.
- Boarding Pass: A document that allows a passenger to board an aircraft, containing flight information, seat number, and boarding gate.
- CRM (Crew Resource Management): A training system aimed at optimizing flight crew performance by promoting effective communication, decision-making, and teamwork.
- Runway Intersection: A point where two or more runways at an airport cross.
- Cruising Altitude: The phase of flight where the aircraft reaches a constant altitude and travels at cruising speed to its destination.
D
- Takeoff: The phase of flight where the aircraft gains speed on the runway and becomes airborne.
- De-icing: The process of removing ice or frost from the aircraft’s surface before takeoff to ensure safety and aerodynamic performance.
- Destination: The location to which the aircraft is heading.
- Decompression: A rapid loss of cabin pressure in an aircraft at altitude. It can be explosive (sudden and violent) or slow.
- DME (Distance Measuring Equipment): An electronic navigation system that provides the slant range distance from the aircraft to a ground station.
- Sickle Cell Anemia (or Trait): A medical condition that can affect an individual’s ability to fly at high altitudes due to low oxygen pressure.
E
- Passenger Mobility Equipment (PME): Electric cars or similar vehicles used to transport passengers within the airport terminal.
- Boarding: The act of entering the aircraft.
- Stall: An aerodynamic condition where the airflow over an aircraft’s wings separates, resulting in an abrupt loss of lift.
- ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival): The predicted time an aircraft will arrive at its destination.
- ETD (Estimated Time of Departure): The predicted time an aircraft will depart.
F
- Flaps: High-lift control surfaces located on the trailing edge of the wing, used to increase lift and drag during takeoff and landing, allowing for lower speeds.
- Fuselage: The main body of the aircraft, housing the cockpit, passenger cabin, and cargo compartment.
G
- GA (General Aviation): A category of flights that are not commercial or military, including private flights, instruction flights, air taxi, etc.
- GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System): A generic term encompassing satellite constellations like GPS (American), GLONASS (Russian), Galileo (European), and BeiDou (Chinese), used for precise position and time determination anywhere in the world.
- Go-around: A procedure where the pilot aborts a landing and initiates a new approach attempt.
- Ground Handling: Support services for the aircraft on the ground, including towing, fueling, baggage loading and unloading, etc.
H
- Helicopter: A rotary-wing aircraft that obtains its lift and propulsion from one or more horizontal rotors.
- Heliport: A defined area for helicopter operations.
- Headwind: Wind blowing directly against the direction of the aircraft’s movement, reducing its ground speed.
I
- ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization): A specialized agency of the United Nations that sets standards and regulations for international civil aviation.
- IFR (Instrument Flight Rules): A set of rules governing aircraft flight in weather conditions that require the pilot to rely primarily on the aircraft’s instruments.
- ILS (Instrument Landing System): A radio navigation system that provides precise guidance to an approaching aircraft, both laterally and vertically, for a safe landing.
- ANAC (National Civil Aviation Agency): The civil aviation authority in Brazil. In Portugal, the equivalent body is the INAC (National Civil Aviation Institute).
- Security Screening: A procedure performed before boarding to check if passengers and baggage are carrying prohibited or dangerous items.
- International Flight: A flight between two or more countries.
J
- Jet (Jet Aircraft): An aircraft propelled by jet engines, which generate thrust by expelling a high-velocity stream of gases.
- Jumbo (Boeing 747): A popular term used to refer to the Boeing 747, one of the largest and most iconic passenger aircraft in the world.
L
- Latitude: Angular measurement north or south of the Equator.
- Runway Centerline Lights (RCL): Lights installed along the centerline of the runway to aid pilots, especially in low visibility conditions.
- Approach Lights (ALS – Approach Lighting System): A set of lights on the ground that assist the pilot during the final phase of the approach for landing.
- Longitude: Angular measurement east or west of the Prime Meridian (Greenwich).
M
- Throttle (Power Lever): A lever in the cockpit that controls the power of the aircraft’s engines.
- Mayday: An international distress signal used in radio communications to indicate an imminent and grave emergency situation that requires immediate assistance.
- Aeronautical Meteorology: The study of atmospheric conditions and their impact on aviation.
- Nautical Mile: A unit of distance used in air and sea navigation, equivalent to 1,852 meters (approximately 1.15 statute miles).
N
- NOTAM (Notice to Airmen): A notice distributed by telecommunication, containing information concerning the establishment, condition, or change in any aeronautical facility, service, procedure, or hazard, essential to personnel concerned with flight operations.
- NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board): An independent U.S. government agency responsible for investigating transportation accidents, including aviation accidents.