Definitions of terms used in aviation and simulation - MiGMan's Flight Sim Museum - www.migman.com




Definitions AGM Air to Ground Missile AIAA Area of Intense Aerial Activity, usually military Aircraft Captains The Aircraft Captain is to be responsible for the safety of the aircraft and occupants over land and water. In any aircraft in which instruction is being, the flying instructor is the aircraft captain. Responsibilities of Aircraft Captains Before flight the a/c captain is to file a flight plan for the a/c and to sign for responsibility for the a/c frame and components. After flight the a/c captain is to record any defect or unserviceability he has noticed in flight and report this to the officer in charge. (From Australian Army Flight manual - MiGMan) AIM Air Intercept Missile Airbrake Part of the a/c surface which is extended during flight to create extra drag and therefore reduce airspeed. Airspeed TAS = True Air Speed IAS = Indicated Air Speed AIR STRIKE Air attack against the enemy's Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence nodes, key production facilities, and transportation infrastructure - in other words, against his homeland, national interests, resources and war-making capacity. The objectives of an Air Strike campaign can range from sustained attacks to destroy the war potential of an enemy nation, to a single strike as an expression of political will. Air traffic Aircraft operating in the air or on an airport surface. Alpha Angle of Attack or AOA Alt Abbreviation for Altitude in feet.The device which displays altitude to the pilot is called the Altimeter. alternate Aerodrome specified on a flight plan to which an aircraft chooses to divert if a landing at its intended destination is not possible (for reasons of poor weather for example). Angels Altitude expressed as 1,000's of feet. e.g. Angels 3 = 3,000 ft Altimeter 1 - Barometric Altimeter It displays your attitude above sea level (ASL).That is why is is particularly important to make a note of the runway altitude before takeoff. 2 - Radar Altimeter / AGL (Above ground Level) lndicator. AMRAAM Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile. A fire-and-forget weapon. Once the missile has been released you are free to manoeuvre. Analogue Electronic system in which quantities are represented by variations in electrical signals (i.e by electrical analogues) Angle of Attack or AOA Also known as alpha.The angular difference between the wing and the direction of the airflow.Represented on the HUD by the difference between the FDI and the FPI. Most important to monitor during landing and any low speed flight. see HUD. Anhedral Downward angle of wing or tailplane e.g. Look at the tailerons on the F-4G Phantom. A/P Airport or Autopilot. APC Armoured Personnel Carrier e.g. M-113 .... often seen in base security detachments at US Air Force and Marine bases. ASI AirSpeed Indicator, a flight instrument which measures the speed of an aircraft through the air. see HUD ASL Above Sea Level ASM Air to Surface Missile Aspect Ratio Ratio of the wingspan to the wing area, expressed as span squared divided by wing area ASR Air-Sea Rescue. (see SAR) This role is usually fulfilled by helicopters, e.g. SH-60 ASRAAM Advanced Short Range Air to Air Missile, replacement for the AIM-9 series, underdevelopment ATC Air Traffic Control. These guys will give you clearance to take-off and land. Authorization of Flights Every flight is to be authorised by the commanding officer of the unit concerned Autopilot System which takes control of an aircraft, relieving pilot workload There are many different types of a/p. The Most basic will hold altitude and heading.If linked to an INS, the a/p can fly the a/c via preprogrammed altitude, air'speeds and headings to a predetermined point in space. Autorotation Refers to unpowered flight in a helicopter, usually in a downward direction ! Auxiliary rotor the rotor (on the tail boom ) of a helicopter which counteracts the tendency of the main (lifting ) rotor to yaw the a/c. AUW All Up Weight.The total loaded weight of an aircraft. Note that the LOAD ORDNANCE screen will not let tou take off if your AUW exceeds the allowed figure. AWACS Airborne Warning and Control System. Also see HVAA and LDHD AWARDS : Flying Badges and Military Symbols Azimuth Bearing or direction in the horizontal plane Back to Definitions Email MiGMan with your experiences or any information related to this sim.



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