Abbreviation
|
Term
|
Notes
|
A/A
|
Air to air TACAN function
|
|
A/C
|
Aircraft[1]
|
|
AC
|
Altocumulus
|
Cloud type
|
ACC
|
Altocumulus castellanus
|
Cloud type
|
ACC
|
Area Control Centre
|
A/D
|
Aerodrome
|
|
ACT
|
Alternative Configuration Tool
|
|
A/F
|
Autofeather
|
|
A/FD
|
Airport/Facility Directory
|
|
A/P
|
Autopilot
|
|
AAE
|
Above aerodrome elevation[1]
|
In aviation, above aerodrome level (AAL), or above aerodrome elevation (AAE), denotes that an altitude is given above the nearest aerodrome or airport.
|
AAIB
|
Air Accidents Investigation Branch
|
United Kingdom
|
AAIM
|
Aircraft Autonomous Integrity Monitoring
|
|
AAO
|
Assumed adverse obstacle
|
|
AAS
|
Airport advisory service[1]
|
|
AC
|
Advisory circular[2]
|
Information and guidance publication
|
ACAM
|
Aircraft continuous airworthiness monitoring
|
|
ACARS
|
Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System
|
|
ACAS
|
Airborne collision avoidance system
|
|
ACC
|
Area control centre[1]
|
|
ACC
|
Active clearance control
|
Turbine engine system
|
ACC
|
Accessory
|
In gas turbine engine
|
ACE
|
Actuator control electronics
|
|
ACFT
|
Aircraft[3]
|
|
ACI
|
Airports Council International
|
|
ACLS
|
Automatic carrier landing system
|
Aircraft carrier operations
|
ACM
|
Air cycle machine
|
Part of A/C air conditioning system
|
ACMS
|
Aircraft condition monitoring system
|
|
ACP
|
Audio Control Panel
|
|
ACR
|
Avionic Communication Router
|
|
ACS1
|
Airman Certification Standards[4]
|
FAA pilot testing
|
ACS2
|
Audio control system
|
|
ACU1
|
Air condition unit
|
|
ACU2
|
Alternator control unit[2]
|
Protection from alternator over-voltage.
|
AD
|
Airworthiness Directive
|
|
ADA
|
Advisory area
|
|
ADAHRS
|
Air data attitude heading reference system
|
|
ADC
|
Air data computer
|
|
ADD
|
Acceptable deferred defect
|
|
ADF
|
Automatic direction finder
|
Navigation equipment
|
ADI
|
Attitude Director Indicator
|
|
ADIRS
|
Air Data Inertial Reference System
|
|
ADIRU
|
Air Data Inertial Reference Unit
|
|
ADIZ
|
Air defense identification zone
|
|
ADJ
|
Adjustment
|
Mechanical term
|
ADM1
|
Aeronautical decision-making[5]
|
Piloting term of judgment
|
ADM2
|
Air data module
|
|
ADN
|
Aircraft Data Network
|
Ethernet derivative for Commercial Aircraft
|
ADS1
|
Air data system
|
|
ADS2
|
Automatic dependent surveillance
|
|
ADS-A
|
Automatic dependent surveillance – address
|
|
ADS-B
|
Automatic dependent surveillance – broadcast
|
|
ADS-C
|
Automatic dependent surveillance – contract
|
|
ADV
|
Arbeitsgemeinschaft Deutscher Verkehrsflughäfen
|
"German Airports Association"
|
AEA
|
Association of European Airlines
|
|
AESA
|
Active electronically scanned array
|
|
AFCS
|
automatic flight control system
|
|
AFD
|
Autopilot flight director
|
|
AFDC
|
Autopilot flight director computer
|
|
AFDS
|
Autopilot flight director system
|
|
AFDX
|
Avionics Full-Duplex Switched Ethernet
|
|
AFE
|
Above field elevation
|
|
AFIS
|
Airborne flight information system
|
Also called automatic flight information service
|
AFM
|
Aircraft flight manual
|
|
AFS
|
Aeronautical fixed service
|
|
AFT
|
Aft The direction against the aircraft movement
|
|
AFTN
|
Aeronautical Fixed Telecommunication Network
|
|
AGACS
|
Automatic ground–air communications system
|
Also known as ATCSS or data link
|
AGB
|
Accessory gear box
|
Mainly used in turbine engine
|
AGC
|
Automatic gain control
|
|
AGDL
|
Air–ground data link
|
|
AGL
|
Above ground level
|
|
AHC
|
Attitude heading control
|
|
AHRS
|
Attitude and heading reference system
|
|
AIDS
|
Aircraft integrated data system
|
|
AIM
|
Aeronautical Information Manual
|
|
AIP
|
Aeronautical Information Publication
|
|
AIRAC
|
Aeronautical information regulation and control
|
|
AIRMET
|
Air-mission's Meteorological Advisory[6]
|
In-flight advisory given over 126.7
|
AIS
|
Aeronautical Information Services
|
A place mostly for presenting Flight Plans and filing reports
|
AIXM
|
Aeronautical information exchange model
|
|
ALC
|
Automatic level control
|
|
ALI
|
Airworthiness Limitation Item
|
|
ALNA
|
Airline network architecture
|
|
ALS
|
Approach lighting system
|
|
ALT1
|
Alternate
|
|
ALT2
|
Altimeter
|
|
ALT3
|
Altitude
|
|
ALT hold
|
Altitude hold mode
|
|
ALTS
|
Altitude select
|
|
ALUM
|
Aluminum
|
|
AMC
|
Acceptable Means of Compliance (EASA)
|
|
AME
|
Aircraft Maintenance Engineer
|
|
AME
|
Aviation Medical Examiner
|
|
AMLCD
|
Active-matrix liquid-crystal display
|
|
AMM
|
Aircraft Maintenance Manual
|
|
AMO
|
Approved Maintenance Organization
|
|
AMS
|
Air management system
|
|
AMSL
|
Above mean sea level
|
|
AMP
|
Aircraft maintenance program
|
|
AMT
|
Aircraft Maintenance Technician
|
|
ANC
|
Active noise cancellation
|
|
AND
|
Aircraft Nose Down
|
|
ANN
|
Annunciator panel
|
Caution warning system normally containing visual and audio alerts to the pilot
|
ANPT
|
Aeronautical national pipe taper
|
|
ANR
|
Active noise reduction
|
|
ANSP1
|
Air navigation service provider
|
|
ANSP2
|
Authorization of Aircraft Network Security Program (FAA)
|
|
ANT
|
Antenna (radio)
|
|
ANSOG
|
Airport Network Security Operator Guidance (Boeing)
|
|
A/O
|
Air oil
|
In turbine engines
|
AOA
|
Angle of attack
|
|
AOC1
|
Air operator's certificate
|
|
AOC2
|
Aeronautical operational control
|
|
AOG
|
Aircraft on ground
|
|
AOM1
|
Aircraft operations manual
|
|
AOM2
|
Airport/aerodrome operating minima
|
|
AOP
|
Airport operating plan
|
|
AP
|
Autopilot
|
|
A/P
|
Airplane (US), Aeroplane (ICAO)
|
|
APARS
|
Automatic pressure altitude reporting system
|
|
APC
|
Auto pilot computer
|
|
APIRS
|
Attitude and positioning inertial reference system
|
|
APOA
|
Airport of arrival
|
|
APOD
|
Airport of departure
|
|
APM
|
Aircraft personality module
|
|
APP
|
Appendix
|
|
APP
|
Approach Control
|
ATC
|
APPL
|
Application
|
|
APPROX
|
Approximately
|
|
APS
|
Auto pilot system
|
|
APT
|
Airport
|
|
APU
|
Auxiliary power unit
|
|
APV
|
Approach procedure with vertical guidance
|
Instrumental approach
|
AQP
|
Advanced Qualification Program
|
FAA training and testing
|
AR
|
Airworthiness review
|
|
AR
|
Authorization required
|
|
AR
|
As required
|
|
ARC
|
Airworthiness review certificate
|
|
ARINC
|
Aeronautical Radio Inc.
|
|
ARO
|
Airport reservation office
|
|
ARP
|
Aerodrome reference point
|
|
ARTCC
|
Air route traffic control centers
|
|
ASAS
|
Airborne Separation Assurance System
|
|
ASD
|
Aircraft situation display
|
|
ASDA
|
Accelerate Stop Distance Available
|
|
ASDE-X
|
Airport Surface Detection Equipment, Model X
|
|
ASDL
|
Aeronautical satellite data link
|
|
ASI
|
Airspeed indicator
|
|
ASL
|
Above sea level[1]
|
|
ASLO
|
Aircraft Security Logging Overview
|
|
ASM
|
Airspace management
|
|
ASM
|
Available seat miles
|
|
A-SMGCS
|
Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control System
|
|
ASOS
|
Automated Surface Observation System
|
|
assy
|
Assembly
|
|
A/S
|
Anti-Skid
|
|
ASR
|
Airport surveillance radar
|
|
ASU
|
Avionics switching unit
|
|
A/T
|
Autothrottle
|
Also 'AT'
|
A/THR
|
Autothrust
|
|
ATA
|
Air Transport Association
|
|
ATAG
|
Air Transport Action Group
|
A coalition of aviation industry experts focusing on sustainable development issues.
|
ATC
|
Air traffic control
|
|
ATCC
|
Air traffic control centre
|
|
ATCO
|
Air traffic controller
|
|
ATCT
|
Airport traffic control tower
|
|
ATCRBS
|
Air traffic control radar beacon system
|
|
ATCSS
|
Air traffic control signalling system
|
|
ATD
|
Actual time of departure
|
Equivalent to off-block time[7]
|
ATE
|
Advanced Technology Engine
|
|
ATF
|
Aerodrome traffic frequency
|
|
ATFM
|
Air traffic flow management
|
|
ATIS
|
Automatic Terminal Information Service
|
|
ATM
|
Air traffic management
|
|
ATN
|
Aeronautical Telecommunication Network
|
|
ATO
|
Approved Training Organisation
|
|
ATPL
|
Airline Transport Pilot Licence
|
|
ATQP
|
Alternative Training and Qualification Programme
|
|
ATR1 1
|
Air transportable racking
|
|
ATR2
|
Automatic thrust restoration
|
|
ATS
|
Air traffic service
|
|
ATSAW
|
Airborne traffic situational awareness
|
|
ATSU
|
Air traffic services unit
|
Avionics LRU for ACARS
|
ATT
|
Attitude
|
|
ATTCS
|
Automatic Take-off Thrust Control System
|
|
AUPRTA
|
Airplane Upset Prevention & Recovery Training Aid
|
AVAIL
|
Available
|
|
Avionics
|
Aviation electronics
|
|
AVSA
|
"Adjust vertical speed adjust"
|
TCAS Voice command to adjust traffic separation
|
AWACS
|
Airborne Warning and Control System
|
Airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) or Boeing E-3 Sentry
|
AWBS
|
Aviation weather briefing service[6]
|
Available at designated FSS's
|
AWG
|
American Wire Gage
|
The larger the size number, the smaller the wire diameter.
|
AWIS
|
Aviation weather information service[6]
|
Available at FSS
|
AWO
|
All weather operations
|
|
AWOS
|
Automated weather observation system[6]
|
Automated METAR reporting system
|
AWWS
|
Aviation weather web site[8]
|
In Canada
|