Aileron
A control surface located on the trailing edge of each wing tip. Deflection of these surfaces controls the roll or bank angle of the aircraft.
|
|
Aircraft's Paint and Interior
Seat upholstery, headliner, side panels
|
|
Airfoil
Any surface such as an airplane wing, aileron, or rudder designed to obtain a useful reaction from the air moving past it.
|
|
Airway Distance
The actual (as opposed to straight line) distance flown by the aircraft between two points, after deviations required by air traffic control and navigation along established routes. The difference between this and straight line distance will vary throughout the country. Average figures would be between 59%.
|
|
Airworthiness
A term used to describe both the legal and mechanical status of an aircraft with regard to its readiness for flight.
|
|
Airworthiness Directive
Amendment to regulation published by FAA requiring specific inspection, modification or maintenance on aircraft
|
|
Altimeter
An instrument which displays the altitude above mean sea level (MSL) of an aircraft.
|
|
Amphibious Floats
FLOATS or "pontoons" equipped with retractable wheels that permit the aircraft to operate from paved airports.
|
|
Annual
Yearly mandatory inspection of aircraft and engine
|
|
Area Navigation
Airborne navigation and guidance system that uses VOR bearing and DME ranging to compute course and distance to a waypoint
|
|
ARO
Airport reservation office. Staffed by the FAA, this entity allocates landing and take-off reservations for unscheduled aircraft in and out of the following airports
|
|
Artificial Horizon
An instrument which enables a pilot to determine the atitude of the aircraft in relation to the horizon, i.e. whether the aircraft is nose-up, nose-down, or banking left or right.
|
|
Automatic Direction Finder
Airborne radio receiver showing bearing of radio station from aircraft
|
|
Autopilot
Airborne device that controls aircraft's movement: 1 axis (ailerons) = roll; 2 axis (ailerons & elevator) = roll & pitch; 3 axis (ailerons, elevator & rudder) = roll, pitch & yaw
|
|
Available Seat Mile (ASM)
One seat flown one mile. An airliner with 100 passenger seats, flown a distance of 100 miles, represents 10,000 available seat miles (ASMs).
|
|
Aviation Trust Fund
Fund established by Congress to pay for improvements to the nation's airports and air traffic control system. Money in the fund comes solely from users of the system -- primarily a tax on domestic airline tickets.
|
|
Block Rates
A lower "contract rate" for scheduling significant amounts of charter time in advance on a pre-arranged agreement.
|
|
Block Speed
The average speed over a specific distance "block-to block", or door-to-door with respect to the airport gate.
|
|
Boots
De-ice equipment on aircraft's wings & tail
|
|
Broker Margin
The difference between the flight charges assessed by the charter operator and the flight charges assessed by the charter broker.
|
|
Cargo
Anything other than passengers, carried for hire, including both mail and freight.
|
|
Certificate
FAA-issued license (in this context sometimes referred to as ticket, part 135 license, etc.) to carry passengers for hire.
|
|
Charter Broker
A company or individual that buys charter at wholesale and resells it at retail. The broker is responsible for payment to the charter provider, for assessing end-user taxes and fees, and for ensuring their customer's safety and satisfaction. A charter operator may act as a broker to provide supplemental lift to their customer.
|
|
Charter Operator
A company or individual that holds aircraft charter certificates and provides charter services to retail and wholesale customers.
|
|
Cockpit
The section of an aircraft where pilots sit and control the aircraft
|
|
Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR)
A device that records the sounds audible in the cockpit, as well as all radio transmissions made and received by the aircraft, and all intercom and public address announcements made in the aircraft. It generally is a continuous loop recorder that retains the sounds of the last 30 minutes.
|
|
Code Sharing
A marketing practice in which two airlines share the same two-letter code used to identify carriers in the computer reservation systems used by travel agents.
|
|
COM
Airborne radio that transmits and/or receives voice communications
|
|
Combi
A type of aircraft whose main deck is divided into two sections, one of which is fitted with seats for cargo.
|
|
Commuter Operator
A regional, scheduled airline. In this book limited to that operator with adequate fleet capacity as to be available of charter. Not all commuter airlines charter, because of the limitations of aircraft and crew availability.
|
|
Comp
Engine cylinder compression, ideally 85% of new or above
|
|
Compressor
A fan-like disk, or several disks, at the front end of a jet engine that draws air into the engine and compresses the air. The compressed air is then passed into a combustion chamber where it is mixed with fuel and burned, producing thermodynamic energy.
|
|
Computer Reservation System (CRS)
A system for reserving seats on commercial flights electronically. Several airlines own and market such systems, which are used by travel agents.
|
|
Connecting Flight
A flight requiring passengers to change aircraft and\or airlines at an intermediate stop.
|
|
Constant-Speed Propeller
Automatically changes pitch to maintain a given rpm setting
|
|
Conventional Gear
Landing gear comprised of 2 main wheels & a tailwheel
|
|
Corporate Operator
A company flight department that has earned a part 135 certificate to carry passengers for compensation.
|
|
Cruise Speed
The aircraft speeds shown in the Aircraft Listings in this directory. Cruise speed is the normal speed attained at altitude once the aircraft is no longer climbing and is en route.
|
|
Cycles
On turbine engines, a cycle extends from start to full throttle to shutdown
|
|
D-085
Page 85, section D, of an operator's federally mandated Operations Manual. This certified page lists all aircraft that the operator may legally offer for charter.
|
|
Damage History
Indicating aircraft has sustained damage in a mishap or wreck
|
|
Deadhead
Originally a noun, now a verb meaning to fly the return leg of a trip without cargo or passengers. Originally coined during the infancy of the major airlines, the term was pejoratively applied to company employees or spouses, who were strapped into otherwise empty seats to give the appearance of high business volume.
|
|
Deregulation
The term commonly used in referring to the Airlines Deregulation Act of 1978, which ended government regulation of airline routes and rates.
|
|
Direct Flight
A flight with one or more intermediate stops, but no change of aircraft.
|
|
Directional Gyro
Flight instrument providing directional reference
|
|
Dispatcher
An airline employee who is responsible for authorizing the departure of an aircraft. The dispatcher must ensure, among other things, that the aircraft's crew have all the proper information necessary for their flight and that the aircraft is in proper mechanical condition.
|
|
Distance-Measuring Equipment
Airborne instrument that measures distance of aircraft from a radio facility
|
|
Duty Time
That portion of the day when a crew member is on duty in any capacity (not just in the air). This can be a constraint on long day-trips, as there are FAA-imposed limits on the amount of time allowed on duty. Many charter operators have stricter rules, so it pays to inquire before planning a trip too tight to the limit.
|
|
Electronic Flight Instrument System
Electronically depicted instrument(s) as opposed to providing a mechanical depiction
|
|
Elevator
A control surface, usually on the trailing edge of the horizontal stabilizer, which is used to control the pitch attitude of an aircraft. Movement of the elevator will force the nose of an aircraft up or down.
|
|
Empennage
A collective term that refers to all of the various tail surfaces of an aircraft, i,e., the vertical and horizontal stabilizers.
|
|
Empty Leg
Also known as "one-way availability". Since charter trips typically charge for the round trip travel of the aircraft, empty legs can often represent relative bargains. These are usually posted as available for travel between two airports during a certain time period.
|
|
En Route Center
Formally known as an Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC), it houses the air traffic controllers and equipment needed to identify and direct aircraft, primarily during the en route portion of their flights.
|
|
Encoding
Airborne instrument used in conjunction with transponder to advise controller of aircraft's altitude
|
|
Enplanements
The number of passengers boarding a flight. div class="glossaryDefinition">
|
|
Essential Air Service
Government subsidized airline service to rural areas of the United States, which continued after the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978.
|
|
FBO
Fixed-base operator, which represents a large majority of the air charter industry. By definition at a permanent location, this is a vendor of services, maintenance, fuel, flight instruction, and aircraft sales, in addition to charter.
|
|
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
The government agency responsible for air safety and operation of the air traffic control system. The FAA also administers a program which provides grants from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund for airport development.
|
|
Flaps
Control surfaces installed on the trailing edge of a wing and used to increase the amount of lift generated by the wing at slower speeds. Flaps also have the effect of slowing an aircraft during its landing approach.
|
|
Fleet Manager
A commercial aviation entity developed to subcontract the maintenance and operation of corporate aircraft, which are often chartered out to the general public.
|
|
Flight Data Recorder (FDR)
Records pertinent technical information about a flight. An FDR will record information about the performance of various aircraft systems, as well as the aircraft's speed, altitude, heading and other flight parameters. Like a cockpit voice recorder (CVR), a flight data recorder is designed to withstand the forces of a crash so that its information may be used to reconstruct the circumstances leading up to the accident (in some cases, a digital flight data recorder, or DFDR).
|
|
Flight Deck
Also called the cockpit, it the section of an aircraft where pilots sit and control the aircraft.
|
|
Flight Director
Airborne automated flight and navigation system utilizing autopilot coupled to command bars that direct pilot to operate the control surfaces
|
|
Flight Plan
A required planning document that covers the expected operational details of a flight such as destination, route, fuel on board, etc. It is filed with the appropriate FAA air traffic control facility. There are both VFR and IFR flight plans. VFR plans are not mandatory.
|
|
Flight Service Station (FSS)
An FAA facility that provides specialized flight-related services to pilots. It can provide weather briefings and en route advisories, among other things.
|
|
Flight Time
That portion of the trip actually spent in the air. For billing purposes this definition is generally strict and only applies from moment of lift-off to moment of touch-down.
|
|
Floats
Pontoons, or flotation devices, that enable an airplane (or helicopter) to land on water.
|
|
Freight
All air cargo excluding mail.
|
|
Freight Ton Mile
A ton of freight moved one mile. It is the standard measure of air freight activity.
|
|
Frequent Flyer Programs
Airline marketing programs designed to win customer loyalty by giving them "points" for each mile flown. Points can be cashed in later for free flights or upgrades in cabin service.
|
|
Fuel Injection
Type engine as opposed to carburetor
|
|
Full Panel
Full complement of gyro-driven attitude instruments for instrument flight
|
|
Fuselage
The main body of an aircraft, cylindrical in shape. It contains the cockpit, main cabin and cargo compartments.
|
|
GADO
General Aviation District Office of the FAA. As the most local branch of the FAA, also the entity most likely to know the specific history of a charter operator.
|
|
General Aviation
That portion of aviation other than military or commercial scheduled operations. Commercial unscheduled operations, corporate flight operations, and private aviation are the most conspicuous members of this group. Most major metropolitan airports tend to have a separate "general aviation" terminal, where a chartered flight is likely to depart or arrive.
|
|
Glideslope
Airborne component of instrument landing system that indicates correct angle of descent to runway on an instrument approach
|
|
Global Position Satellite
A navigation system in which a land- or aircraft-based receiver decodes L-band radio signals transmitted from orbitting satellites to compute its latitude, longitude and & altitude (3-dimensional).
|
|
Great Circle Distance
The shortest distance between two points on a globe.
|
|
Ground Proximity Warning System
Airborne device that warns flight crew of proximity to terrain
|
|
Horizontal Situation Indicator
Aircraft instrument providing course direction data, normally operating with slaved directional gyro
|
|
Horizontal Stabilizer
The small wings at the rear of an aircraft's fuselage that balance the lift forces generated by the main wings farther forward on the fuselage. The stabilizer also usually contains the elevator.
|
|
Hot Section Inspection
Major periodic inspection of turbine engine at intervals recommended by the manufacturer
|
|
Hub and Spoke
A system for deploying aircraft that enables a carrier to increase service options at all airports encompassed by the system. It entails the use of a strategically located airport (the hub) as a passenger exchange point for flights to and from outlying towns and cities (the spokes).
|
|
Hypersonic Flight
Flight conducted at speeds greater than Mach 5, or five times the speed of sound.
|
|
ICE
Anti-ice equipment installed on wings, tail, propellers and windshield
|
|
IFR
Instrument Flight Rules (flight in clouds).
|
|
ILS
Instrument Landing System. Low-level approach equipment at certain airports. In The Air Charter Guide, airports with ILS systems are indicated in bold face type in the airport listings. Though instrument approaches and departures can be made in airports without an ILS, its presence is a material benefit to the travel planner because an instrument landing system improves trip reliability as closely as possible to the level of scheduled airlines, which generally fly from airports with these facilities.
|
|
Independent Operator
A charter operator that does not meet the definition of FBO or commuter, but may not be involved in contract management of aircraft. The larger independent operators, however, are very close to the fleet manager in business approach.
|
|
Instrument Flight Rules
Instruments allowing flight by instrument reference rather than outside visibility
|
|
Instrument Flight Rules (IFR)
Rules governing flight in certain limited visibility and cloud conditions. Under IFR, an aircraft is required to be in contact with air traffic control facilities and is separated by ATC from all other IFR aircraft.
|
|
Instrument Landing System (ILS)
Provides radio-based horizontal and vertical guidance to an aircraft approaching a runway. It is used to guide landing aircraft during conditions of low visibility.
|
|
Jetway
A registered trademark for a certain kind of aircraft loading bridge which allows passengers direct, protected access to an aircraft from the terminal.
|
|
Knot
An abbreviation for one nautical mile per hour. Since a nautical mile is 15 percent longer than a statute mile, a speed expressed in knots is 15% higher than it would be if expressed in miles per hour.
|
|
Landing Light
Aircraft light(s) that illuminate runways & taxiways
|
|
Layover
A night spent in the middle of the trip in a city other than home base for the aircraft and crew.
|
|
Leg
Describes one direction of travel between two points. Commonly used in referring to a planned itinerary, it may not indicate all landings such as fuel stops.
|
|
Lift
The force generated by the movement of air across the wings of an aircraft. When enough lift is generated to overcome the weight of an aircraft, the aircraft rises.
|
|
Load Factor
The percentage of available seats that are filled with paying passengers. Technically, revenue passenger miles divided by available seat miles.
|
|
Localizer
ILS component providing lateral guidance to runway centerline
|
|
Loran
Airborne long-range radio navigation system that can provide data on distance, bearing and time enroute to destination
|
|
Maintenance Service Plan
Garrett's program of progressive engine maintenance, including coverage for both scheduled and unscheduled maintenance
|
|
Major Carrier
An airline with annual revenue of more than $1 billion.
|
|
Major Damage History
Past/repaired aircraft damage normally listed in FAA records and aircraft logbooks
|
|
Marker Beacon
Airborne component of ILS that locates transmitting equipment at fixed points along glideslope as position reference
|
|
Medevac
Medical evacuation (usually emergency) seen in this book as a service of many helicopter companies.
|
|
Mid-Life Inspection
See Hot Section Inspection
|
|
Minimum Equipment List (MEL)
A list of aircraft equipment that must be in good working order before an aircraft may legally take off with passengers. Repairs to some items not essential to an aircraft's airworthiness may be deferred for limited periods of time approved by the FAA.
|
|
National Carrier
An airline with annual revenues of between $100 million and $1 billion.
|
|
Navigation Radio Receiver
Normally VOR
|
|
Net/Net
The quote format that applies wholesale rates and does not include taxes or other end-user assed fees. Also known as a wholesale quote.
|
|
Nonstop Flight
A flight with no intermediate stops.
|
|
Outside Air Temperature
Instrument showing air temperature outside cockpit
|
|
Oxygen
System providing oxygen for passengers & crew at higher altitudes
|
|
Part 121 of the Federal Aviation Regulations
The FAA safety regulations covering operators of aircraft with 30 or more seats.
|
|
Part 135
The set of federal regulations that govern the commercial hire of jets.
|
|
Part 135 of the Federal Aviation Regulations
The FAA safety regulations covering operators of aircraft with fewer than 30 seats.
|
|
|
|