Whilst learning how to fly it very quickly becomes apparent that in aviation there is simply a plethora of abbreviations and acronyms. An overwhelming abundance of definitions and aeronautic terminology that sends even the most academic minds into a frenzy. The only way I found of organising these in my head was to write them down and subsequently managed to fill an entire A5 notebook with them.
On a day to day basis we will only really use a small fraction of these in exchanges between pilots and Air Traffic Controllers. So between pilots and the public we would exchange even less. In an effort to aid your understanding of what the pilots are talking about I am going to take you through some of the things you may hear us mention.
Many of you might wonder how we are able to give the current temperature on the ground at your destination when we’re still well over an hour away from landing. Well this is achieved by using VHF (Very High Frequency) radio frequencies which are allocated to VOLMET (Volume Meteorology) stations. Once we’re tuned into one of these frequencies it is effectively a collection of weather reports for various airports pertinent to the area you’re in. For example, enroute to Faro, we are likely to listen to Lisbon’s VOLMET service. This station includes Lisbon, Porto, Faro, Seville, Madrid, Las Palmas, Tenerife South, Funchal and Porto Santo. The reports are on a loop and will repeat until a more recent forecast is published. There are other weather forecasts that we rely on for pre-flight planning purposes, these include; TAF (Terminal Aerodrome Forecast) and METAR (Meteorological Aerodrome Report). Finally the weather report we tend to be most interested in as we get closer to the destination is called an ATIS (Aerodrome Terminal Information Service). The ATIS is of most interest because it provides us with information such as which runway the Aerodrome is using and any other crucial operational information, like whether the runway is wet, what type of approach is in use, reports of turbulence etc. Up until that stage we have made normally well informed conclusions about runways in use based on experience and forecast winds etc and 99% of the time we’re correct.
Additional information about aerodromes and their various procedures are provided to us in the form of NOTAM’s (Notices to Airmen). These notices will include relevant information ranging from planned runway closures to aerobatic displays in the vicinity, so anything that could disrupt the normal operation of the airport.
I briefly touched on the approach type information provided in the ATIS. Approach type refers to the equipment on the ground that are assisting the aircraft during the approach and landing phase of flight. There are a variety and each with its own limitations. The most regular approach type is called an ILS (Instrument Landing System) and is a system which provides us with the most accuracy and protection. For example if the visibility is particularly poor due to fog, like what almost all of southern and middle England endured recently, the aircraft performs an autoland through the use of the ILS. Other types of approaches include a VOR (VHF Omnidirectional Radio), NDB (Non-Directional Beacon) and RNAV (Area Navigation).
Air Traffic Control or ATC are a constant feature in our working lives as pilots. You have no doubt heard their reference thrown around on a few occasions and more often than not I suspect the topic has been related to an ATC slot. However despite the odd set back of receiving a slot, Air Traffic Controllers are there to help ensure safe separation between aircraft. They will also help us deal with emergencies, shortcuts, obtaining weather information, weather avoidance as well as a number of other requests.
The APU (Auxiliary Power Unit) is effectively a small jet engine that is situated at the rear of the aircraft, in the tail. This is something that occasionally gets a mention in PA’s (Public Announcements) when they are unserviceable. The unit functions as a means of generating electricity and air conditioning but plays a crucial role in starting the engines. The absence of this unit means that we need another method of starting the engines. This comes in the form of a ground air starter unit. Following a prescribed procedure the flight crew, through the use of this unit, will start the one engine. After a successful start the air starter unit can detach, we can then push back and the second engine can be started as normal i.e. via the running engine.
I’m sure there are many other abbreviations, acronyms and phrases you’ve heard used by pilots which I have failed to mention here. There are a lot after all. I hope you have enjoyed reading this article and if you have any questions about the content or even other pilot vocabulary I’ve not mentioned then do ask away.
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