Aircraft

Aircraft

Any machine or device that is capable of atmospheric flight either by buoyancy or by the movement of air over its surfaces.

Industry: Aviation

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Aircraft

block altitude

Aviation; Aircraft

A block of altitudes assigned by ATC to allow altitude deviations; for example, “Maintain block altitude 9 to 11 thousand.”

magneto

Aviation; Aircraft

A self-contained, engine-driven unit that supplies electrical current to the spark plugs; completely independent of the airplane’s electrical system. Normally there are two magnetos per engine.

traffic alert collision avoidance system (TCAS)

An airborne system developed by the FAA that operates independently from the ground-based Air Traffic Control system. Designed to increase flight deck awareness of proximate aircraft and to serve as ...

distance measuring equipment (DME)

Aviation; Aircraft

A pulse-type electronic navigation system that shows the pilot, by an instrument-panel indication, the number of nautical miles between the aircraft and a ground station or waypoint.

position report

Aviation; Aircraft

A report over a known location as transmitted by an aircraft to ATC.

approach lighting system (ALS)

Aviation; Aircraft

Provides lights that will penetrate the atmosphere far enough from touchdown to give directional, distance, and glidepath information for safe transition from instrument to visual flight.