AviationDictionary
Aviation Dictionary

Word of the Day

28 Oct 2026
Design Load Factor

Noun: Maximum repeated vertical acceleration which an aircraft structure is designed to withstand without accretion of damage. Typical values for a jet transport are +2•5/-1g (with flaps extended reduced to +2), and for a fighter +12/-6.

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Aviation Dictionary

A collection of the most commonly used aviation terms and abbreviations.

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(c) Noun:
Astronomical Unit, see AU. (E) Noun:
121.5 and 243.0 available, but may not be monitored. 15-3-3-3 Noun:
Alloy 76 Ti, 15 Va, 3 each Al, Cr, Sn. 15-M Class Noun:
Most restrictive of the Ostiv/FAI classes for competitive gliding, including span not greater than 15m (49 ft 2 in). 18-m Class Noun:
One of four Ostiv/FAI classes for competitive gliding, including span not greater than 18m. 4-D Noun:
3-D plus time, usually latitude, longtitude, altitude and time. 4-D R-Nav Noun:
Terminal guidance sufficiently accurate to put arrival’s wheels on runway within guaranteed window of ±10 s. 4midable Noun:
Requirement/benefit definition study leading to 4-D meteorological databases (Euret). 802-M, -11B Noun:
Leading wireless cabin system [in 2002] for use by individual passengers. 9-11 Noun:
Date of 2001 terrorist attacks on US. a Noun:
1. Chord [needs defining in each case].
2. Speed of light in vacuum, = 2.997925x108ms^–1.
3. Collector of semiconductor device.
4. Prefix, centi (×10^-2, non-SI).
5. Compass.
6. Prefix, circa, = approximate.
7. Subscript, convective, convection.
8. Specific heat. A-Battery Noun:
Electric cell which heats cathode filament in valve (tube). A-Bomb Noun:
Colloquial term for fission bomb based upon plutonium or enriched uranium (A = atomic). A-Check Noun:
S-check plus routine inspection of flight- control system. For a modern airline engine, typically 750 h A-Class Noun:
1. Airspace = 18,000+ ft [5486 m] AMSL and controlled.
2. Aircraft accident = involving loss of life or damage exceeding US$1 million. A-Frame Hook Noun:
Aircraft arrester hook in form of an A; hook at vertex and hinged at base of each leg. A-Gear Noun:
Arrester gear, where type is not known. A-Licence Verb:
Basic PPL without additions or endorsements A-Line Noun:
Airway A-Mode Noun:
Transponder sends aircraft identification code only A-Sector Noun:
Sector of radio range in which Morse A is heard, hence A-signal A-Station Noun:
In Loran, primary transmitting station A-Stoff Noun:
Liquid oxygen (G) A-Type Entry Noun:
Fuselage passenger door meeting FAA emergency exit requirements; typical dimensions 41 in × 76 in A6013 Noun:
A weldable Si/Al alloy (Alcoa).