| V |
|
| |
|
|
V1 |
decision point on take-off, last point at which pilot could safely decide
to either abandon take-off or continue |
|
V2 |
take-off safety speed, lowest speed at which aircraft can safely take-off
and still maintain climb should one engine fail |
|
variable geometry |
aircraft which is capable of changing wing-sweep in flight |
|
variable pitch |
propeller in which the blades are held in rotary bearings in the hub enabling
their pitch to be altered in flight |
|
VASI |
visual approach slope indicator |
|
VC |
design cruise speed |
|
VD |
maximum dive speed |
|
VDF |
Very high-frequency Direction Finding station |
|
VDU |
video/visual display unit |
|
VERTREP |
vertical replenishment |
|
VFR |
visual flight rules |
|
VG |
variable geometry |
|
VHF |
very high frequency |
|
VIFF |
(thrust) vectoring in forward flight (BAe) |
|
visual approach path indicator |
simplified VASI for private pilots with red/amber/green sectors |
|
VL |
vertical landing |
|
VLF |
very low frequency |
|
VLO |
very low observable |
|
VMC |
visual meteorological conditions |
|
VMO |
maximum permitted operating speed |
|
VNE |
never exceed speed, a permitted maximum aerodynamic or structural limit
which may used in exceptional circumstances |
|
VOD |
vertical on-board delivery |
|
VOLMET |
routine ground-to-air broadcast of meteorological information |
|
VOR |
VHF omni-directional range (radio beacons) |
|
vortex generator |
small blade perpendicular to wing or tail surface which creates a vortex
in the boundary layer, usually increasing its speed and keep it attached
to the surface, thus improving control |
|
vortillon |
short-chord fence around underside of wing leading-edge controlling boundary
layer direction (name 'invented' by McDonnell-Douglas for devices on the
DC-9) |
|
VP |
variable pitch |
|
VR |
rotation speed, point at which pilot unsticks aircraft |
|
VR |
Volunteer Reserve |
|
VS |
stalling speed |
|
VSI |
vertical speed indicator |
|
V/STOL |
vertical or short take-off and landing |
|
VTOL |
vertical take-off and landing |
| |
|
| W |
|
| |
|
|
WAC |
weapon-aiming computer |
|
WARPAC |
Warsaw Pact (now defunct) |
|
WAS |
weapon aiming system |
|
wash-in |
in-built twist in wing or rotor increasing angle of incidence towards tip
|
|
wash-out |
in-built twist in wing or rotor reducing angle of incidence towards tip
|
|
WAT |
weight, altitude, temperature; factors independent of runway, governing
take-off performance and climb out |
|
waypoint |
predetermined geographical point or points forming beginning or end of a
route segment |
|
WDNS |
weapon delivery & navigation system |
|
WEF |
with effect from |
|
wet lease |
lease of commercial aircraft from another carrier complete with at least
flight crew but not usually cabin crew, with major servicing still provided
by owner |
|
wet wing |
wing in which fuel tanks are an integral part of the structure but not one
which merely houses fuel tanks |
|
WEU |
Western European Union |
|
WFU |
withdrawn from use |
|
wheelbase |
distance between centre of contact area of nose or tailwheel and
line joining centre of contact areas of mainwheels |
|
whiteout |
loss of orientation in relation to horizon caused by overcast sky and sunlight
reflecting off snow or zero visibility during snowstorm |
|
white-tail |
unsold or not currently leased aircraft available for immediate sale or
lease |
|
wide body |
commercial aircraft with cabin sufficiently large to accommodate
twin longitudinal aisles between seats |
|
WIG |
wing-in-ground-effect |
|
Wild Weasel |
originally code name for specific programme, now used as generic term for
dedicated EW platform based on combat aircraft |
|
windshear |
exceptionally large local wind gradient, mainly encountered at low altitude
where it is particularly dangerous on approach at low speed |
|
wing area |
total area as seen in plan view of clean wing, including all moveable surfaces
in cruise configuration, and including such areas of fuselage, nacelles
etc enclosed by lines joining intersections of leading and trailing edges
with them. |
|
winglet |
upturned and usually swept back wingtip or other auxiliary aerofoil to increase
efficiency of wing in cruise by reducing tip vortex |
|
wing loading |
MTOGW divided by wing area |
|
WIP |
work in progress |
|
WIU |
weapons interface unit |
|
W/O |
written-off |
|
WOD |
wind over deck |
|
WRAF |
Women's Royal Air Force (UK) |
|
write-off |
an aircraft which has been so severely damaged as to make repair uneconomical
|
|
WRS |
Weather Reconnaissance Squadron (USAF) |
|
WSO |
weapon systems officer/operator |
|
WW |
World War |
| |
|
| X |
|
| |
|
|
X |
eXperimental |
|
XAC |
Xi'an Aircraft Co (China) |
|
XO |
eXecutive Officer |
| |
|
| Y |
|
| |
|
|
yaw |
rotation of aircraft about vertical axis |
|
yoke |
traditional pilot's control column for pitch and roll contro |
| |
|
| Z |
|
| |
|
|
zero-lifed |
refurbishment of aircraft to 'as new' condition |
|
zero-zero |
designation of an ejection seat designed for safe escape from zero altitude
and zero forward speed |
|
ZFW |
zero fuel weight |
|
Zulu |
Greenwich Mean Time |
