Glossary of Aviation Terms

Common abbreviations and terms you'll meet on the path to a commercial cockpit.

Licences & Ratings

ATPL (Airline Transport Pilot License): The highest level of aircraft pilot certification, required to command large commercial aircraft.
CB-IR (Competency-Based Instrument Rating): A more flexible route to obtaining an Instrument Rating, often used by modular students.
CPL (Commercial Pilot License): Allows you to act as a pilot-in-command of an aircraft for compensation.
CRI (Class Rating Instructor): An instructor certified to instruct on a particular class of aeroplane.
fATPL (frozen) Airline Transport Pilot Licence): fATPL stands for 'frozen' Airline Transport Pilot Licence. It indicates you have passed all theoretical ATPL exams but still need flight hours for full ATPL.
FI (Flight Instructor): An instructor certified to instruct on a particular class of aeroplane.
IR (Instrument Rating): Qualification required to fly under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR), essential for commercial operations.
JOC (Jet Orientation Course): A bridge course to prepare pilots for transitioning from propeller to jet aircraft.
LAPL (Light Aircraft Pilot Licence): A more restricted version of the PPL, allowing pilots to fly smaller aircraft.
MCC (Multi‑Crew Cooperation): Training for pilots to work effectively in a multi‑pilot flight deck environment.
ME (Multi-Engine Rating): Allows a pilot to fly aircraft with more than one engine.
MEP (Multi Engine Piston): Class rating for multi‑engine piston aircraft.
PPL (Private Pilot License): Allows you to fly as a pilot-in-command for non-commercial purposes.
RT (Radio Telephony): Qualification required for pilots to operate an aircraft radio.
SEP (Single Engine Piston): Class rating for single‑engine piston aircraft.
SPL (Sailplane Pilot Licence): Qualification required for pilots to operate a glider/sailplane.
TRE (Type Rated Examiner): An examiner certified to examine on a particular class of aeroplane.
TRI (Type Rated Instructor): An instructor certified to instruct on a particular class of aeroplane.

Flight Operations

ATIS (Automa tic Terminal Information Service): A continuous broadcast of meteorological and operational information to aircraft.
AUPRT (Air Upset Prevention and Recovery Training): Training that teaches pilots how to prevent and recover from aircraft upset situations.
FIR (Flight Information Region): Large areas of airspace, typically 200-400 nautical miles across (and can be bigger or smaller depending on traffic density), each monitored by an air traffic control unit.
IFR (Instrument Flight Rules): Regulations for flying by reference to cockpit instruments.
METAR (METeorological Aerodrome Report): A coded weather report for a particular airport or weather station.
NOTAM (Notice to Aviators): A notice filed with an aviation authority to alert pilots of potential hazards or restrictions along an air route or at a destination.
OFP (Operational Flight Plan): The flight plan for a flight, including details such as route, altitude, and fuel.
OPC (Operator Proficiency Check): A proficiency check conducted by an operator to ensure pilots maintain the required standards of flying and competence.
RT (Radio Telephony): Qualification required for pilots to operate an aircraft radio.
SID (Standard Instrument Departure): A published instrument flight procedure by which aircraft departing from an aerodrome are guided to an en route navigation facility.
STAR (Standard Terminal Arrival Route): A published instrument flight procedure by which aircraft arriving from en route are guided to an initial approach fix for an approach procedure.
TAF (Terminal Aerodrome Forecast): A coded weather forecast for a particular airport or weather station.
UPRT (Upset Prevention and Recovery Training): Specialised training to recognise and recover from unusual aircraft attitudes.
VFR (Visual Flight Rules): Regulations for flying by visual reference to the ground.

Navigation Aids

ADF (Automatic Direction Finder): Equipment that points to a non‑directional radio beacon; less common on modern aircraft.
DME (Distance Measuring Equipment): Radio navigation system that determines distance from a ground station.
GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System): Satellite‑based radio‑navigation system used to determine an aircraft's position. It includes GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou.
GPS (Global Positioning System): GNSS satellite‑based radio‑navigation system used to determine an aircraft's position.
GPWS / TAWS (Ground Proximity Warning System / Terrain Awareness and Warning System): Systems that warn pilots of potential terrain hazards.
ILS (Instrument Landing System): Landing system that uses radio signals to guide aircraft to the runway
NDB (Non-Directional Beacon): Ground-based radio navigation aid for aircraft.
RA (Radio Altimeter): Radio detection and ranging; used for weather detection and terrain avoidance.
RNAV (Area Navigation): Method of navigation that allows aircraft to fly any desired flight path within the coverage of ground or space-based navigation aids, or within the limits of the capability of the aircraft navigation system, or a combination of these.
RNP (Required Navigation Performance): RNAV with the added requirement for onboard performance monitoring and alerting.
SBAS (Space-Based Augmentation System): Satellite‑based radio‑navigation system that augments GNSS accuracy, integrity, and availability. Examples include WAAS, EGNOS, and MSAS.
TCAS (Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System): Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System; detects and alerts pilots to potential collisions with other aircraft.
VOR (VHF Omni‑directional Range): Ground‑based radio navigation aid for aircraft.

Pilot Logbook

P1 (Commander): The pilot in command of the aircraft.
P2 (Second Pilot in a multi‑pilot flightdeck): Pilot assisting the Pilot in Command.
PIC (Pilot in Command): The pilot responsible for the operation and safety of the aircraft during flight.
PUT (Pilot Under Training): Pilot currently undertaking training towards a licence.
SNY (Supernummary Crew Member): Crew member not essential for aircraft operation, and the flight is recorded but no flying hours have been logged (for example jumpseat or back seat flights where the flight is recorded for information only).

Other aviation terms

AOC (Airline Operator Certificate): Certificate allowing an airline to operate commercial flights.
B1 (Mechanical Certifying Engineer): Mechanical certifying engineer designation.
B2 (Avionics Certifying Engineer): Avionics certifying engineer designation.
CAA (Civil Aviation Authority (UK)): The UK's independent aerospace regulator, which protects people and enables aviation.
CAT (Clear Air Turbulence): Turbulence that occurs in cloudless skies, where pilots do not have visible weather cues to detect it.
EASA-FCL (European Union Aviation Safety Agency - Flight Crew Licensing): Regulatory framework for flight‑crew licensing in the EU.
fATPL (frozen) Airline Transport Pilot Licence): Duplicate entry kept for completeness; see Licences section.
IATA (International Air Transport Association): Industry body that represents airlines and sets global standards for air transport.
ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization): Specialised agency of the United Nations responsible for coordinating the principles and practices of international air navigation and fostering the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth.
JAA (Joint Aviation Authorities): An associated body of the European Civil Aviation Conference representing the civil aviation regulatory authorities of a number of European States who had agreed to co-operate in developing and implementing common safety regulatory standards and procedures from 1970-2009.
POH (Pilot Operating Handbook): Aircraft’s operating handbook.
SOP (Standard Operating Procedure): Set of instructions describing how to perform a specific task.
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