You Can Fly - 2021 edition - 50

AVIATION SPEAK
BY JULIE SUMMERS WALKER

WHAT DOES
THAT MEAN?
Learning the language of general aviation

eneral aviation is not a commonly used term outside of the pilot community, yet it encompasses the most diverse flying activities
in the United States-essentially, everything except commercial airlines and the military. In fact, more than 90 percent of civil
aircraft registered in the United States are GA aircraft. Within the industry, there are terms, abbreviations, and acronyms that could
confuse even the most savvy new aviator. Here are some common terms and explanations for the alphabet soup of GA:
100LL One hundred octane low lead fuel, which most piston-powered aircraft use.

CTAF Common traffic advisory frequency, used to communicate with other pilots at airports without a control tower.

A&P Airframe and powerplant mechanic, the person who
repairs your airplane.

EAA Experimental Aircraft Association; the world's largest
aviation gathering is an annual event called EAA AirVenture.

AD Airworthiness directive, this requires repair to an aircraft.

E6B A manual flight computer; today most are electronic.

ADS-B Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast, a tech-

EFB Electronic flight bag; this can be an iPad app.

nology for tracking aircraft and helping to avoid collisions.

AGL Above ground level, your height

eVTOL Electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.
FAA Federal Aviation Administration,

above the Earth's surface.

Airspace Airspace is divided into
classes, each with its own requirements
for equipment, communications, cloud
clearances, and more.

AOPA Aircraft Owners and Pilots
Association. The largest aviation
community in the world.

Did you know?

Pilot certificate versus pilot license.
While we all know a driver's
license is needed to drive a car,
in the world of aviation the
document that allows pilots to fly
legally is called a pilot certificate,
not a pilot license.

ATC Air traffic control.

regulates aviation.

FAR Federal aviation regulations, a reference to Title 14 of the Code of Federal
Regulations, which govern aviation.

FBO Fixed base operator, an airport
business that services aircraft.
FSS Flight service station, provides
weather and airport information.

ATIS Automatic Terminal Information Service, which broadcasts weather and runway information at larger airports.

Ground school Where you learn the theory about how

AWOS/ASOS Automated Weather Observing System or

IFR Instrument flight rules, allow pilots with an instrument

Automated Surface Observing System; these broadcast
weather information at many airports.

rating to fly in the clouds.

airplanes fly, weather, and more.

without holding an FAA medical certificate.

IMC Instrument meteorological conditions are cloudy or
low-visibility weather where pilots must fly under instrument
flight rules (IFR).

CAP Civil Air Patrol, the civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force.

KIAS Knots indicated airspeed, how fast you're going

CFI Certificated flight instructor.

in nautical miles per hour, as read from an airspeed
indicator.

BasicMed An alternate medical authorization for pilots to fly

50 FLIGHT TRAINING YOU CAN FLY 2021

You Can Fly - 2021 edition

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of You Can Fly - 2021 edition