| A |
|
| |
|
|
AA |
air-to-air |
|
AA |
anti-aircraft |
|
AAA |
anti-aircraft artillery |
|
AAAA |
Army Aviation Association of America |
|
AAAD |
All Arms Air Defence (UK) |
|
A&AEE |
Aeroplane & Armament Experimental Establishment, at Boscombe Down (UK)
-- now part of the Defence Evaluation & Research Agency |
|
AAC |
(1) Army Air Corps (UK) or (2) Alaskan Air Command (USAF) |
|
AACC or A2C2 |
Army Airborne Command and Control (US Army) |
|
AADGE |
Allied Command Europe air defence ground environment (NATO) |
|
AAED |
advanced airborne expendable decoy |
|
AAF |
Auxiliary Air Force |
|
AAFCE |
Allied Air Forces Central Europe (NATO) |
|
AAH |
Advanced Attack Helicopter (US Army requirement which was fulfilled by the
AH-64) |
|
AAI |
angle of approach indicator |
|
AAIB |
Air Accidents Investigation Branch (UK) |
|
AALAAW |
advanced air-launched anti-armour weapon |
|
AAM |
air-to-air missile |
|
AANCP |
advanced airborne national command post (USAF) |
|
AAO |
airborne area of operation |
|
AAR |
air-to-air refuelling (USAF) |
|
AARB |
advanced aerial refuelling boom |
|
AAS |
Aeromedical Airlift Squadron (USAF) |
|
AATH |
automatic approach to hover |
|
AB |
Air Base (USAF, overseas locations) |
|
ABCCC |
airborne battlefield command and control center (US) |
|
ABG |
Air Base Group (USAF) |
|
ABL |
Airborne Laser (USAF programme) |
|
ABM |
anti-ballistic missile |
|
ABS |
Air Base Squadron (USAF) |
|
absolute ceiling
|
greatest altitude attainable by an aircraft in unaccelerated flight |
|
ABW |
Air Base Wing (USAF) |
|
AC |
(1) aerodynamic centre or (2) alternating current |
|
ACA |
Agile Combat Aircraft |
|
ACAB |
Air Cavalry Attack Brigade |
|
ACAP |
Advanced Composite Aircraft (helicopter) Programme |
|
ACAS |
(1) airborne collision-avoidance system or (2) Assistant Chief of Air Staff
(UK) |
|
ACC |
Air Combat Command (USAF) |
|
ACCS |
(1) Airborne Command & Control Squadron (USAF) or (2) air command and
control system (NATO) |
|
ACE |
(1) Allied Command Europe (NATO) or (2) actuator control electronics |
|
ACETEF |
Air Combat Environment Test and Evaluation Facility (US) |
|
ACINT |
acoustic intelligence |
|
ACLANT |
Allied Command, Atlantic (NATO) |
|
ACLIS |
airborne communications location identification and collection system (US)
|
|
ACLS |
(1) air cushion landing system or (2) Automatic Carrier Landing System (Sperry)
|
|
ACM |
Advanced Cruise Missile (HMSC AGM-129) |
|
ACM |
Air Chief Marshal |
|
ACM |
air combat manoeuvring |
|
ACME |
Advanced Core Military Engine (R-R) |
|
ACMI |
air combat manoeuvring instrumentation |
|
ACMR |
air combat manoeuvring range |
|
ACMS |
aircraft condition monitoring system |
|
ACN |
aircraft classification number (an ICAO parameter indicating the order of
bending moment imposed on aircraft pavements) |
|
ACP |
airborne command post |
|
ACR |
air control radar |
|
ACS |
airborne control system |
|
ACSM |
Advanced Conventional Stand-Off Missile |
|
ACT |
active control technology |
|
ACTD |
Advanced Concept & Technology Demonstration (DoD) |
|
ACTIVE |
Aerodynamic Control Technology Integration VEhicle (USAF/NASA) |
|
active controls
|
flight control system whereby vertical acceleration in a sudden gust is
automatically counteracted by upward or downward movement of flying control
surfaces to alleviate load |
|
active runway
|
runway currently in use for flying operations |
|
ACU |
avionics control unit |
|
ACW |
Air Control Wing (USAF) |
|
AD |
(1) air defence or (2) Air Division (USAF) or (3) airworthiness directive
|
|
ADAS |
airborne data acquisition system |
|
ADC |
air data computer |
|
ADD |
airstream direction detector (measures AoA) |
|
ADF |
automatic direction finding (a medium-frequency radio navigation aid, sometimes
referred to as radio compass) |
|
ADGE |
Air Defence Ground Environment |
|
ADI |
attitude/direction indicator |
|
ADIRS |
air data and inertial reference system |
|
adjustable pitch
|
propeller with pitch which can only be adjusted by an engineer on the ground
(as opposed to variable pitch) |
|
ADM |
(1) advanced development model or (2) Air Decoy Missile |
|
ADP |
(1) Advanced Ducted Propeller (P&W), or (2) automated data-processing
|
|
ADR |
(1) accident data recorder or (2) Air Defence Region (UK) |
|
ADS |
(1) Air Defense Sector (USAF) or (2) air data system |
|
AdSAAMS |
advanced surface-to-air missile system |
|
ADSU |
air data sensor unit |
|
ADT3
|
Air Defence Tactical Training Theatre |
|
ADU |
air data unit |
|
ADV |
Air Defence Variant (Tornado F.3 interceptor) |
|
ADVCAP |
ADVanced CAPability |
|
ADW |
area denial weapon |
|
AEF |
Air Experience Flight (UK) |
|
AEF |
Air Expeditionary Force (US) |
|
AEGIS |
AEW/Ground environment Integration System |
|
AEO |
Air Electronics Officer (RAF) |
|
aerofoil
|
any solid body shaped such that as air or hot gas passes over it, it provides
a useful force perpendicular to the direction of relative motion: for example
generating lift in a wing or torque on a shaft in the case of a turbine
blade |
|
aeroplane
|
a
powered, heavier-than-air aircraft with a non-rotating wing |
|
aerostat
|
a lighter-than-air aircraft, ie, a balloon or airship |
|
AETC |
Air Education & Training Command (USAF) |
|
AEU |
airborne electronics unit |
|
AEW |
airborne early warning (radar or aircraft) |
|
AEW&C |
airborne early warning and control |
|
AF |
Air Force |
|
AFA |
Air Force Association (USAF) |
|
AFB |
Air Force Base (USAF term for airfields on US territory) |
|
AFCAS |
automatic flight control augmentation system |
|
AFCC |
Air Force Communications Command (USAF) |
|
AFCENT |
Allied Forces, CENTral Europe (NATO) |
|
AFCS |
automatic (or adaptive) flight control system |
|
AFDS |
automatic flight director system |
|
AFFTC |
Air Force Flight Test Center (USAF) |
|
AFGS |
automatic flight guidance system |
|
AFLC |
Air Force Logistics Command (USAF) |
|
AFMC |
Air Force Materiel Command (USAF) |
|
AFMS |
automatic flight management system |
|
AFRES |
Air Force REServe (USAF) |
|
AFRC |
Air Force Reserve Command (USAF, the former AFRES) |
|
AFRES |
Air Force REServe (USAF, now renamed Air Force Reserve Command) |
|
AFRP |
aramid fibre-reinforced plastics |
|
AFS |
automatic flight system |
|
AFSC |
Air Force Systems Command (USAF) |
|
AFSOC |
Air Force Special Operations Command |
|
AFSPACECOM |
Air Force Space Command (USAF) |
|
afterburner
|
the combustion of fuel in the engine section aft of the turbine to boost
thrust, equivalent to the now lesser used UK term 'reheat' |
|
AFTI |
Advanced Fighter Technology Integration (USAF/NASA) |
|
AG |
air gunner |
|
AG |
Airlift Group (USAF) |
|
AG |
Aktiengesellschaft(German:
joint stock company)
|
|
A/G |
air/ground |
|
AGARD |
Advisory Group for Aerospace Research and Development (NATO) |
|
AGE |
aircraft ground equipment (US) |
|
AGL |
above ground level |
|
AGM |
air-to-ground missile (US) |
|
AGT |
Advanced Gun Technology (USAF) |
|
AHIP |
Army Helicopter Improvement Program (US) |
|
AHM |
anti-helicopter mine |
|
AHRS |
attitude and heading reference system |
|
AI |
(1) Airbus Industrie or (2) air interdiction/interception or (3) artificial
intelligence |
|
AIAA |
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics |
|
AIAAM |
Advanced Intercept Air-to-Air Missile |
|
AIDC |
Aero Industry Development Centre (Taiwan) |
|
AIDS |
(1) advanced integrated display system (US) or (2) airborne integrated data
system |
|
aileron
|
hinged control surface on trailing edge of outer wing providing control
in roll |
|
AIM |
air intercept missile |
|
AIR |
(1) air-inflatable retarder, a Loral-developed bomb decelerator, also referred
to as the BALLUTE, or (2) air intercept radar |
|
airburst
|
deliberate detonation of explosive device in mid-air rather than on contact
with ground |
|
aircraft
|
any man-made vehicle intended for navigation within the atmosphere, including
aeroplanes, helicopters, gliders, airships and balloons. The term is often
used loosely to signify fixed-wing aircraft (ie, aeroplanes). |
|
airship
|
a lighter-than-air vehicle with means of propulsion and control |
|
airspeed
|
the velocity of a vehicle relative to the surrounding air mass |
|
airstair
|
retractable steps permanently mounted on the aircraft. |
|
air superiority |
the control of airspace through the destruction of enemy fighters
in dogfight actions. It is more formally defined in JCS Publication 1 as
"That degree of dominance in the air battle of one force over another,
which permits the conduct of operations by the former and its related land,
sea and air forces at a given time and place without prohibitive interference
by the opposing force." |
|
AIWS |
Advanced Interdiction Weapon System (USN) |
|
aka |
also known as |
|
ALARM |
Air-Launched Anti-Radiation Missile (BAe) |
|
ALBM |
air-launched ballistic missile |
|
ALCAM |
Air-Launched Conventional Attack Missile |
|
ALCM |
air-launched cruise missile (Boeing AGM-86B) |
|
ALD |
air-launched decoy |
|
ALF/ALS |
Airlift Flight/Squadron (USAF) |
|
ALH |
Advanced Light Helicopter (HAL/Eurocopter) |
|
ALN |
Alenia |
|
ALPA |
Air Line Pilots Association (US) |
|
alpha (a) |
angle of attack of main wing |
|
ALRAD |
airborne laser rangefinder and designator |
|
all cargo services |
are scheduled or non-scheduled flights by aircraft carrying loads other
than passengers, ie cargo, baggage, mail |
|
AM |
amplitude modulation |
|
AMC |
(1) Air Mobility Command (USAF, combining the former MAC, and SAC tankers),
or (2) Airframe Modifications Committee (UK) |
|
AMF |
ACE Mobile Force (NATO) |
|
AMG |
Air Movements Group (RN) |
|
AMI |
Aeronautica
Militare Italian (Italian Air Force) |
|
amphibian |
aircraft capable of routinely operating from either land or water |
|
AMRAAM |
Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (Hughes/Raytheon AIM-120) |
|
AMS |
Air Maintenance Squadron (USAF) |
|
AMSL |
above mean sea level |
|
AMTI |
airborne moving target indicator |
|
AMW |
Air Mobility Wing (USAF) |
|
ANG(B) |
(USAF) Air National Guard (Base) |
|
angled deck |
aircraft carrier deck inclined obliquely from port bow to starboard stern
|
|
anhedral |
downward slop of wing from root to tip |
|
ANO |
Air Navigation Order (UK statutory instrument for enactment of ICAO policy)
|
|
ANS |
airborne navigation system or automatic navigation system |
|
ANVIS |
Aviator's Night Vision Imaging System (US) |
|
ANZUK |
Australia, New Zealand and UK military alliance |
|
ANZUS |
Australia, New Zealand and US security treaty |
|
AoA |
angle of attack, ie the angle between the zero-lift line of the wing and
the free-stream airflow. Note: that in the UK it is common to use 'incidence'
to refer to AoA, but it appears preferable to follow US practice and restrict
use of this term to the setting of the wing on the fuselage. |
|
AOB |
Air Order of Battle |
|
AOG |
aircraft on ground |
|
AOP |
Airborne Observation Post |
|
APACHE |
arme
propulsée à charges éjectables (French long-range container weapons
system) |
|
APC |
(1) armament practice camp (RAF), or (2) armoured personnel carrier |
|
APHIDS |
Advanced Panoramic Helmet Interface Demonstrator System |
|
API |
armour-piercing incendiary |
|
approach noise |
level of noise measured 1nm from approach end of runway with aircraft
overhead at 113m (370ft) |
|
APR |
automatic power reserve |
|
APS |
aircraft prepared for service. Civil terminology for weight including crew
but excluding fuel and payload |
|
APU |
auxiliary power unit |
|
aquaplane |
condition during which landing aircraft is travelling at such high speed
through shallow water that it is entirely supported by dynamic reaction
of the water, with its tyres out of ground contact, making steering or braking
impossible |
|
ARBS |
Angle-Rate Bombing System (Hughes) |
|
Area Rule |
the optimisation of longitudinal cross-section area distribution
for minimum wave drag |
|
AREFS/AREFW |
Air Refuelling Squadron/Wing (USAF) |
|
ARG |
Air Refueling Group (USAF) |
|
ARINC |
Aeronautical Radio INC, the company whose module sizes have established
the international standard |
|
ARM |
anti-radiation missile |
|
ARNG |
(US) ARmy National Guard |
|
ARPA |
Advanced Research Projects Agency (US) -- now renamed DARPA |
|
ARTI |
Advanced Rotorcraft Technology Integration |
|
artificial horizon |
primary cockpit flight instrument, indicating aircraft attitude
in relation to horizon ahead |
|
ASA |
Aggiornamento
Sistema d'Arma (Italian F-104 weapons system upgrade) |
|
ASARS |
Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar System (Hughes) |
|
ASAT |
anti-satellite |
|
ASCC |
Air Standards Co-ordinating Committee (the organisation responsible for
assigning recognition names to aircraft of the potential enemy) |
|
ASDA |
accelerate stop distance available |
|
ASE |
(1) automatic stabilisation equipment or (2) aircraft survivability equipment
|
|
ASI |
air speed indicator |
|
ASIP |
Aircraft Structural Integrity Program (US) |
|
ASLP |
air-sol
longuee portée (French air-to-surface, long-range weapon) |
|
ASM |
air-to-surface missile |
|
ASMP |
air-sol
moyenne portée (French air-to-surface, medium-range weapon) |
|
aspect ratio |
the ratio of wingspan to mean chord, normally calculated by dividing
the square of the span by the wing area |
|
ASPJ |
Advanced Self-Protection Jammer (ITT/Westinghouse) |
|
ASR |
Air Staff Requirement (UK) |
|
ASRAAM |
Advanced Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile (BAe AIM-132) |
|
AST |
Air Staff Target (UK) |
|
ASTAR |
Airborne Search Target Attack Radar |
|
ASTOR |
Airborne STand-Off Radar (UK) |
|
ASTOVL |
Advanced Short Take-Off, Vertical Landing (US/UK) |
|
ASTRA |
(1) Advanced System TRaining Aircraft (UK, modified BAe Hawk T.1), or (2)
Advanced Stealth Technology Reconnaissance Aircraft (USAF), a 'black' project
the existence of which the US does not presently acknowledge |
|
ASUW |
anti-surface unit warfare |
|
ASV |
anti-surface vessel |
|
ASW |
anti-submarine warfare |
|
ATA |
(1) Air Transport Association (US) or (2) Advanced Tactical Aircraft (USN)
or (3) actual time of arrival |
|
ATAF |
Allied Tactical Air Force (NATO) |
|
ATAFCS |
Airborne Target Acquisition And Fire Control System |
|
ATAP |
anti-tank, anti-personnel |
|
ATARS |
Advanced Tactical Air Reconnaissance System (USAF/USN/USMC) |
|
ATB |
Advanced Technology Bomber (Northrop B-2) |
|
ATC |
(1) Air Training Command (USAF) or (2) air traffic control or (3) Air Training
Corps (UK) |
|
ATCC |
Air Traffic Control Centre |
|
ATD |
(1) actual time of departure or (2) Advanced Technology Demonstrator (USN)
|
|
ATDS |
Airborne Tactical Data System (US) |
|
ATE |
(1) Advanced Technology Engine (US), or (2) automatic test equipment |
|
ATF |
Advanced Tactical Fighter (USAF) |
|
ATGM |
anti-tank guided missile |
|
ATGW |
anti-tank guided weapon |
|
ATHS |
airborne target handover system |
|
ATIRCM |
advanced threat infra-red countermeasures |
|
ATIS |
Aerodrome/Automatic Terminal Information Service |
|
ATLANTIC |
Airborne Targeting Low Altitude Navigation Thermal Imaging and Cueing |
|
ATO |
assisted take-off |
|
ATP |
Advanced Turbo-Prop (BAe) |
|
ATPCS |
automatic take-off power control system |
|
ATR |
(1) air transport racking (ARINC case-sizes) or (2) Avions de Transport
Regional (France/Italy) |
|
ATS |
air traffic service |
|
ATT |
Advanced Theater Transport (USAF) |
|
augmented |
(relating to thrust) boosted by afterburning |
|
AURORA |
AUtomatic Recovery Of Remotely-piloted Aircraft |
|
autofeathering |
automatic system which rapidly feathers propeller on engine failure |
|
autogyro |
rotary-wing aircraft supported by a freely rotating rotor, with
engine power providing thrust (although power may be diverted to spin up
the rotor for take-off) |
|
autorotation |
rapid power-off descent in helicopter, reduced immediately before landing
by sudden increase in collective pitch (normal only an emergency measure,
except during flying training) |
|
AUW |
all-up weight, total aircraft weight under defined conditions |
|
AVEN |
Axi-symmetric Vectoring Exhaust Nozzle (GE) |
|
AVGAS |
aviation gasoline |
|
avionics |
aviation electronic equipment |
|
avpin |
aviation specification iso-propyl nitrate (monofuel) |
|
avtag |
aviation turbine fuel, wide-cut |
|
avtur |
aviation turbine fuel (kerosine) |
|
AW |
Airlift Wing (USAF) |
|
AWACS |
airborne warning and control system (applied initially to the Boeing E-3;
now loosely applied to any AEW aircraft) |
|
AWCLS |
all-weather carrier landing system |
|
AWE |
Atomic Weapons Establishment (UK) |
|
azimuth |
horizontal bearing or direction; rotation about vertical axis |
| |
|
| B |
|
| |
|
|
BAe |
British Aerospace (now renamed BAE Systems) |
|
BAI |
battlefield air interdiction |
|
ballistic parachute |
emergency recovery parachute, generally for light aircraft |
|
BALLUTE |
BALLoon-parachUTE (refer AIR) |
|
BAPC |
British Aircraft Preservation Council |
|
barbette |
defensive gun position on large aircraft projecting laterally and providing
field of fire to beam |
|
BARCAP |
barrier combat air patrol (USN) |
|
basic operating weight |
MTOW less payload, but including crew, fuel and oil, bar stocks, cutlery
etc |
|
battle damage |
in flight damage caused directly by enemy action |
|
BCAR |
British Civil Airworthiness Requirement |
|
BDA |
bomb damage assessment |
|
BDLI |
Bundesverbad
der Deutschen Luftfahrt-Raumfahrt-und Ausrüstungsindustrie (German Aerospace
Industries Association) |
|
BDR |
battle damage repair |
|
beaver tail |
aircraft rear fuselage having a progressively flattened cross-section as
it nears the tail |
|
BERP |
British Experimental Rotor Programme |
|
Beta mode |
propeller or rotor operating regime in which pilot has direct pitch control
|
|
BG |
Bomb Group (USAF) |
|
bhp |
brake horsepower |
|
bingo |
radioed call from (military) aircrew indicating fuel state is below a certain
critical level, usually that needed to return to base |
|
BITE |
built-in test equipment |
|
bladder tank |
flexible tank for fuel or other liquid, not normally forming part of the
airframe |
|
blade damper |
hydraulic spring or similar device which restrains motion of helicopter
rotor about drag (lag) hinge, reducing noise and vibration |
|
BLC |
boundary layer control |
|
bleed air |
high-pressure air bled-off through pipes or valves from gas turbine
engine compressor or combustor to perform a useful function |
|
blisk |
a complete compressor stage manufactured as a single component,
with blades and disk combined |
|
block time |
elapsed period from time aircraft starts to move off the apron
to the time it comes to rest again (normally used relating to commercial
aircraft operations; historically derived from removal and replacement of
'blocks' [chocks]) |
|
blown flap |
flap across which bleed air is blown at high speed (often supersonic)
to prevent airflow breakaway |
|
BLU |
Bomb Live Unit |
|
BMEWS |
Ballistic Missile Early Warning System (US) |
|
boundary-layer control |
control of layer of air in immediate contact with aircraft surface to increase
lift, reduce drag and/or improve control under extreme flight conditions
|
|
BPR |
bypass ratio |
|
brownout |
loss of orientation and/or visibility due to helicopter rotor downwash creating
localised sand/dust storm |
|
BRW |
brake-release weight (maximum permitted weight at start of take-off run)
|
|
BS/BW |
Bomb Squadron/Wing (USAF) |
|
BST |
British Summer Time |
|
buddy-buddy pack |
flight refuelling equipment carried in streamlined container on
aircraft weapons pylon |
|
bulk cargo |
any loose freight which is not containerised or palletised |
|
bus |
or Busbar, main electrical system terminal to which battery or generator
power is supplied |
|
BVR |
beyond visual range |
|
BW |
Bomb Wing (USAF) |
|
bypass ratio |
figure derived by dividing airflow through fan duct (not passing
through core) by airflow through core |
| |
|
| C |
|
| |
|
|
C3 |
command, control, communications |
|
C3I |
command, control, communications and intelligence |
|
C3CM |
command, control, communications and countermeasures |
|
CA |
Controller Aircraft (UK) |
|
CAA |
Civil Aviation Authority (UK) |
|
CAB |
Civil Aeronautics Board (US) |
|
cabane |
structure, normally of braced struts, to support load (wing or
engine nacelle) above fuselage or wing |
|
cabin altitude |
height above sea-level at which ambient pressure is the same as
inside the cabin |
|
CAC |
Chengdu Aircraft Industrial Corporation (China) |
|
CAD/CAM |
computer-aided (or assisted) design/computer-aided (or assisted) manufacture
|
|
CAF |
Canadian Armed Forces (now Canadian Forces) |
|
CAG |
Carrier Air Group Commander (USN) |
|
CALCM |
conventional air-launched cruise missile |
|
canard |
fixed or moveable aerodynamic surfaces or foreplanes ahead of the cg |
|
CAP |
combat air patrol |
|
CAR |
Civil Airworthiness Regulation |
|
CAS |
(1) calibrated air speed ie IAS corrected for ASI system errors or (2) Chief
of Air Staff or (3) close air support or (4) collision avoidance system
|
|
CASA |
Construcciones Aeronauticas SA (Spain, now EADS CASA)) |
|
CASEVAC |
CASualty EVACuation |
|
CASOM |
Conventionally-Armed Stand-Off Missile (UK) |
|
CASTOR |
Corps Airborne Stand-Off Radar |
|
CATAC |
Commandement
Aérienne Tactique (France's Tactical Air Command) |
|
CATIA |
computer-aided three-dimensional interactive analysis (Anglicised from French
conception assistée tridimensionelle interactive d'applications proprietary
CAD system) |
|
CATIC |
China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation |
|
CAVOK |
ceiling and visibility OK for VFR flying or better than predicted |
|
CBLS |
carrier, bomb, light store (RAF) |
|
CBR |
(1) chemical, biological, radiological warfare or (2) California Bearing
Ratio (a measure of the ability of an airfield surface to sustain the pressure
created by an aircraft's wheels) |
|
CBR |
common bomb rack |
|
CBU |
cluster bomb unit |
|
CBW |
chemical and biological warfare/weapons |
|
C3I |
command, control, communications and intelligence |
|
CCIL/P |
continuously-computed impact line/point |
|
CCTS |
Combat Crew Training Squadron (USAF) |
|
CCV |
control-configured vehicle |
|
CDU |
control and display unit |
|
CEAA |
Commandement
des Ecoles de l'Armée de l'Air (France's Air Training Command) |
|
CEAM |
Centre
d'Experimentations Aériennes Militaires (Mont-de-Marsan) |
|
CEP |
circular error of probability, or circle of equal probability, ie, the radius
of a circle containing half of the strikes from a large sample of similar
projectiles that are fired or released under similar conditions |
|
CEV |
Centre
d'Essais en Vol (Istres) |
|
CFB |
Canadian Forces Base |
|
CFE |
(1) Central Fighter Establishment (RAF, now long defunct) or (2) contractor-furnished
equipment or (3) Conventional Forces in Europe (Treaty) |
|
CFIT |
controlled flight into terrain |
|
CFRP |
carbon fibre-reinforced plastics |
|
CFS |
Central Flying School (RAF, RAAF) |
|
cg |
centre of gravity |
|
CGAS |
Coast Guard Air Station (USCG) |
|
chaff |
radar-reflective material cut in thin slivers to lengths equating to those
of hostile radars and dispensed in large 'clouds' for jamming purposes |
|
chine |
in supersonic aircraft, a sharp edge forming the lateral extremity of the
fuselage, shedding strong vortex and merging into wing |
|
chord |
distance between centres of curvature of wing leading and trailing edges
when measured parallel to longitudinal axis |
|
CinC |
Commander-in-Chief |
|
circular dispersion |
diameter of smallest circle within which 75% of projectiles strike |
|
CIS |
Commonwealth of Independent States |
|
CIT |
combined interrogator-transponder |
|
CIWS |
close-in weapon system (naval defence) |
|
CJTF |
Combined Joint Task Force (US) |
|
CKD |
component knocked down (ie, in kit form, usually for licence production)
|
|
clean |
configuration in flight with landing gear, flaps, slats, arrester hook,
air brakes etc retracted or configuration without any optional extra stores
|
|
CMS |
cockpit management system |
|
c/n |
construction or constructor's number |
|
CNATRA |
Chief of Naval Air Training (USN) |
|
CO |
(1) commanding officer, or (2) carbon monoxide |
|
Coanda effect |
tendency of fluid jet to adhere to solid wall, even if it curves away from
jet axis |
|
Coanda flap |
flap which relies on the Coanda effect for attachment of flow to upper surface,
even at extreme angles |
|
coarse pitch |
propeller having large angle between blade chord and plane of disc,
giving higher forward speed |
|
co-axial |
propeller or rotor having two or more sets of blades on the same axis, rotating
in opposite directions |
|
COC |
command operations centre |
|
COCOM |
COordinating COMmittee (for multi-lateral export controls) |
|
COD |
carrier on-board delivery |
|
CofA |
Certificate of Airworthiness |
|
COIN |
COunter-INsurgency |
|
collective pitch |
pilot control in rotary-wing craft which simultaneously alters pitch of
all blades of lifting rotor to control vertical speed |
|
combi |
commercial aircraft which routinely carries both passengers and cargo at
the same time (derived from 'combination') |
|
COMINT |
COMmunications INTelligence |
|
COMPG |
Composite Group (USAF) |
|
COMSEC |
COMunications SECurity |
|
constant-speed propeller |
one in which pitch is adjusted automatically to maintain selected rpm |
|
continuation trainer |
aircraft used in refresher flying for experienced pilots |
|
contra-rotating |
propellers turning in opposite directions on the same axis |
|
convertible |
aircraft which can be quickly changed between cargo or passenger transport
|
|
core |
gas generator portion of turbofan including compressor, combustion chamber
and turbine |
|
CoS |
Chief-of-Staff |
|
COTAM |
Commandement
du Transport Aérienne Militaire(France's Air Transport Command) |
|
CPL |
Commercial Pilot's Licence |
|
CPT |
cockpit procedures trainer |
|
C/R |
contra (or counter)-rotating (relating to propellers turning in opposite
directions on different axes) |
|
CRAF |
Civil Reserve Air Fleet (USAF) |
|
CRL |
common rail launcher |
|
CRT |
cathode-ray tube |
|
CSA |
Command Support Aircraft (USAF) |
|
CSAS |
command and stability augmentation system |
|
CSD |
constant speed drive |
|
CSRL |
Common Strategic Rotary Launcher |
|
CSW |
conventional stand-off weapon |
|
CTA |
cased, telescoped ammunition |
|
CTD |
colour tactical display |
|
CTOL |
conventional take-off and landing |
| CT |
chief test pilot |
|
CTS |
central tactical system |
|
CTS/CTW |
Composite Training Squadron/Wing (USAF) |
|
CTTO |
Central Tactics and Trials Organisation (UK) |
|
CV |
aircraft carrier (USN) |
|
CVA |
attack aircraft carrier (USN) |
|
CVH |
helicopter carrier (USN) |
|
CVL |
light aircraft carrier (US) |
|
CVN |
aircraft carrier, nuclear-powered (USN) |
|
CVR |
cockpit voice recorder |
|
CVS |
aircraft carrier, anti-submarine warfare (USN) |
|
CVV |
aircraft carrier, medium sized (USN) |
|
CVW |
carrier air wing (USN) |
|
CWS |
Container Weapon System (MBB) |
|
CWW |
Cruciform Wing Weapon (Rockwell GBU-15) |
|
cyclic pitch control
|
primary helicopter flight control, pilot input tilts rotor disc in desired
direction causing rotation about pitch or roll axis |
