Terms Flashcards
angle of attack
AOA or á: the angle between the chord line of the wing of an aircraft and the vector representing the
relative motion between the aircraft and the atmosphere. Information from the angle of attack sensor,
or alpha probe, is used to trigger a stall warning.
tow-bar
bar connecting the aircraft nose gear to a tow vehicle for pushback and towing
tow vehicle
a vehicle used especially during pushback to move an aircraft backwards from the stand or to pull it to
another location at the airport. It is also referred to as a tug or tractor
Live Stock
animals and others that are kept on runway, taxi way or airport facilities.
conveyor belt
rotating rubber belt for loading bulk cargo
passenger steps
mobile stairs used for boarding and disembarking at outlying stands
Barrier or Cone Markers
something such as a wall that prevents the movement
of something else
Ambulance
a special vehicle used to take sick or injured people to hospital
Fire Truck or Fire engine
a large vehicle that carries firefighters and their equipment to a fire
A/C de-Icer
Ground deicing of aircraft is commonly performed in both commercial and general aviation. The fluids used in this operation are called deicing or anti-icing fluids.
snow plough
vehicle which removes snow from runways with a large blade
sweeper
vehicle with rotary brush for removing dirt and debris
Debris
broken or torn pieces of something larger in the runway or taxi way
Dolly or Flat bed Truck
a board or frame on wheels, usually with a handle at waist height, used for moving heavy objects such as luggage or any objects.
Dolly or Flat bed Truck
a board or frame on wheels, usually with a handle at waist height, used for moving heavy objects such as furniture or machines:
Marshaller or Wing walker
a person in charge of guiding the aircraft to its stand using hand signals: marshallers often use bats or
lighted batons to give signals
Shuttle Bus
a vehicle or aircraft that travels regularly between two places:
Tug or Pay mover
a towing vehicle, used especially during pushback. It is also referred to as a tractor or tow vehicle: We
are waiting for the tug to arrive so that we can push back
Cargo Loader or Dorty
The cargo loader for narrow or wide-bodied aircraft (cargo platform) is used for loading and unloading of cargo placed in containers or on palletes.
Tow Bar
bar connecting the aircraft nose gear to a tow vehicle for pushback and towing
Hand Truck
a handcart that has a frame with two low wheels and a ledge at the bottom and handles at the top; used to move crates or other heavy objects
Fork Lift
a vehicle with two bars in the front for moving and lifting heavy goods
GPU or Pneumatic pressure Unit
ground power unit: independent electrical generator designed to provide an engine with electrical
power during turnaround when the aircraft engines and APU are shut down
Fuel Tanker
vehicle containing aircraft fuel
Tug
a towing vehicle, used especially during pushback. It is also referred to as a tractor or tow vehicle: We
are waiting for the tug to arrive so that we can push back
runway incursion
when an aircraft, vehicle, pedestrian or animal inadvertently enters an active runway
baggage cart
small towed vehicle for transporting baggage
follow-me car
a car used to guide taxiing aircraft
blow-out, Burst or Exploded
a tyre burst: The blow-out left some rubber debris 600 metres from the threshold of Runway 17 Left.
Deflated or Flat tire
a tyre, escape slide or other inflatable device which is missing air / gas or empty: Will you change one
of our RH main gear tyres; it looks a little deflated.
a tire that does not have any or enough air in it
overrun
a cleared level area at the end of a runway, available
in case a plane does not stop
quickly enough
Skid Off
to cause (an aircraft) to slide sideways away from the centre of a turn when insufficiently banked or (of an aircraft) to slide in this manner
bogged down
stuck in the mud, damp earth or sand: a tug is required to tow the Regional Jet which is bogged down
off Taxiway Lima.
Run Off
Pending
Airborne
1) in the air
2) installed or carried on the aircraft: The ADF is an airborne navaid
APU
Auxiliary Power Unit: a small gas turbine engine, usually located in the tail cone, which is used on the
ground when the engines are shut down to generate electricity, to provide air conditioning and high
pressure air to start the engines. The APU can also be used in flight up to 25,000 feet for back-up
electrical power in the event of an engine failure
bird strike
impact by a bird. Birds can hit the aircraft at different points. Effects will depend on the location of
the impact and the size and number of the birds (See Units 5 and 6). The ingestion of large birds may
cause engine stall or failure. Although windshields are tested for bird strikes, large birds can crack or
break windshields impairing vision and affecting cabin pressurisation. The crew will need to make a
precautionary landing.
build-up
accumulation, accretion, growth
CFIT
Controlled Flight Into Terrain: CFIT happens when an aircraft, which is airworthy and under the control
of the flight crew, is flown unintentionally into terrain, obstacles or water, usually without the crew
being aware.
conveyor belt
loader
rotating rubber belt for loading bulk cargo
crew resource management
CRM: a branch of human factors which analyses the ways in which team work and good communication can reduce the effects of human error. CRM training has become part of mainstream pilot training. See James Reason’s seminal works in this field: Human Error (1990) and Managing the risks of organisational accidents (1997)
de-icing
ice removal performed by the airport services in cold weather either by aircraft passing under a gantry or by special tankers with hydraulic platforms which spray de-icing fluid onto the wings, flight control surfaces, empennage and fuselage.
de-icing truck
vehicle with tank and hydraulic platform for spraying aircraft
ETOPS
Extended Twin Operations: the use of long-haul, twin-engine aircraft over the sea, desert or arctic regions where there is no suitable airport within 60 minutes of flight which can be used in case of a diversion being necessary following the loss of an engine. A more facetious interpretation of the acronym ‘ETOPS’ is ‘Engines Turning Or Passengers Swimming’!
Hangar
The large building inside which the planes are parked.
Ramp or Apron
The space in front of the gates where the planes are usually parked.
