Table 1-2-1 - Abbreviations
Abbrev. Meaning
A/A Air-to-Air
AAL Above aerodrome level
AAR Airport acceptance rate
AAT Office of Air Traffic
AAT-1 Director of Air Traffic
ABM Abeam
ABN Aerodrome beacon
AC Advisory Circular
ACC Area Control Center
ACCID Notification of an aircraft accident
ACLS Automatic Carrier Landing System
ACP Area Command Post
ADC Aerospace Defense Command
ADIZ Air defense identification zone (to be pronounced "AY-DIZ")
ADJ Adjacent
ADR Advisory route
ADZ Advise
ADZY Advisory
AFD Airport/Facility Directory
AFI ICAO African-Indian Ocean Region
AFIL Flight plan filed in the air
AFIS Aerodrome flight information service
AFM Yes or affirm or affirmative or that is correct
AIM Aeronautical Information Manual
AIP Aeronautical Information Publication
AIREP Air report
AIRMET Airmen's meteorological information
ALERFA Alert Phase code (Alerting Service)
ALNOT Alert notice
ALS Approach light system
ALTRV Altitude reservation
AMB Ambiguity - A disparity greater than 2 miles exists between the position declared for a target by ARTS and another facility's computer declared position during interfacility handoff
AMS Aeronautical mobile service
AMSL Above mean sea level
AMVER Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue System
ANG Air National Guard
ANS Answer
APREQ Approval request
AR Atlantic Route
ARAC Radar approach control facility (USA)
ARCP Air refueling control point
ARINC Aeronautical Radio Incorporated
ARIP Air refueling initial point
ARS Air Traffic System Requirements Service
ARSR Air route surveillance radar
ARTCC Air route traffic control center
ASD Aircraft situation display
ASDE Airport surface detection equipment
ASP Arrival sequencing program
ASR Airport surveillance radar
ATA Air Traffic Airspace Management Program
ATC Air traffic control
ATCAA ATC assigned airspace
ATCRBS Air traffic control radar beacon system
ATCSCC Air Traffic Control System Command Center
ATCT Airport traffic control tower
ATD Actual time of departure
ATIS Automatic terminal information service
ATO Air Traffic Operations Program
ATPAC Air Traffic Procedures Advisory Committee
ATS Air Traffic Service
ATX Air Traffic Resource Management Program
AVSNFO Aviation Standards National Field Office
BASE Cloud base
BR Bahama Route
CACT Civil air carrier turbojet
CAR ICAO Caribbean Region
CARCAH Chief, Aerial Reconnaissance Coordination, All Hurricanes
CARF Central Altitude Reservation Function
CAT Clear air turbulence
CAVOC Visibility, cloud and present weather better than prescribed values or conditions (to be pronounced "KAV-OH-KAY")
CCC Regional Communications Control Center
CELNAV Celestial navigation training
CENPAC Central North Pacific
CENRAP Center Radar ARTS Presentation
CEP Central East Pacific
CERAP Combined Center/RAPCON
CFR Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations, (Parts 1-199)
CFWSUM Central flow weather service unit meteorologist
CH Channel
CHG Modification (message type designator)
CI Cirrus
CIT Near or over large towns
CIV Civil
CM Centimeter
CMB Climb
CMPL Completion or completed or complete
{New-98-3 Revised February 26, 1998}
 CNL Cancellation
{New-98-3 Revised February 26, 1998}
 CNLFP Cancel flight plan
CNS Continuous
COM Communications
CONC Concrete
COP Change-over point
CPL Current Flight Plan
CTA Control Area
CVFP Charted Visual Flight Procedure
CWA Center Weather Advisory
DARC Direct Access Radar Channel
DETRESFA Distress Phase code (Alerting Service)
DF Direction finder
DH Decision height
DMAAC Defense Mapping Agency Aerospace Center
DMAHC Defense Mapping Agency Hydrographic Center
DME Distance measuring equipment compatible with TACAN
DOE Department of Energy
{New-98-8 Revised August 13, 1998}
 DP Instrument Departure Procedure
DR Dead reckoning
DSP Departure sequencing program
{New-98-8 Revised August 13, 1998}
 DSR Display System Replacement
DVFR Defense Visual Flight Rules
EB Eastbound
ECM Electronic counter measure
EDARC Enhanced Direct Access Radar Channel
EET Estimated elapsed time
EFAS En Route flight advisory service
EFC Expect further clearance
EFIS Electronic Flight Information System
EFIS Electronic Flight Instrument System
EFM En Route flow management
EHF Extremely high frequency [30,000 to 300,000 MHz]
ELBA Emergency location beacon aircraft
ELT Emergency locator transmitter
EOVM Emergency obstruction video map
ESP En Route spacing program
ETA Estimated time of arrival
EUR ICAO European Region
FAA Federal Aviation Administration
FAAO FAA Order
FDEP Flight data entry and printout
FDIO Flight Data Input/Output
FIFO Flight Inspection Field Office
FIR Flight information region
FL Flight level
FLIP Flight Information Publication
FLY Fly or flying
FM From
FMS Flight Management System
FMSP Flight Management System Procedure
FNA Final approach
FPL Filed flight plan (message type designator)
FRC Full route clearance necessary
FRONT Front (relating to weather)
FSDO Flight Standards District Office
FSS Flight service station
FW/SVFR Fixed Wing Special Visual Flight Rules
GCA Ground controlled approach
GEN General
GEO Geographic of true
GLD Glider
GND Ground
GNDCK Ground check
GNSS Global Navigation Satellite System
GP Glidepath
GPS Global Positioning System
GR Hail or soft hail
GRADU Gradual or gradually
HIRL High intensity runway lights
ICAO International Civil Aviation Organization
IDENT Aircraft identification
IFIM International Flight Information Manual
IFR Instrument flight rules
IFSS International flight service station
ILS Instrument Landing System
IMC Instrument Meteorological Conditions
INCERFA Uncertainty Phase code (Alerting Service)
INF Inland Navigation Facility
INREQ Information request
INS Inertial Navigation System
IR IFR military training route
JATO Jet assisted takeoff
{New-98-3 Added February 26, 1998}
 LAHSO Land and Hold Short Operations
LAWRS Limited aviation weather reporting station
LLWAS Low level windshear alert system
L/MF Low/medium frequency
LORAN Long Range Navigation System
{New-98-3 Added February 26, 1998}
 LTD Along Track Distance
Mach Mach Number
MALS Medium intensity approach light system
MALSR Medium approach light system with runway alignment indicator lights
MAP Missed approach point
MARSA Military authority assumes responsibility for separation of aircraft
MCA Minimum crossing altitude
MCI Mode C Intruder
MDA Minimum descent altitude
MDM Main Display Monitor
MEA Minimum En Route (IFR) altitude
MIA Minimum IFR altitude
MID/ASIA ICAO Middle East/Asia Region
MIRL Medium intensity runway lights
MIT Miles in trail
MITO Minimum interval takeoff
MLS Microwave Landing System
MNPS Minimum Navigation Performance Specifications
MNPSA Minimum Navigation Performance Specification Airspace
MNT Monitor or monitoring or monitored
MNTN Maintain
MOA Military operations area
MOC Minimum obstacle clearance (required)
MOCA Minimum obstruction clearance altitude
MOD Moderate (used to qualify icing, turbulence, interference or static reports)
MRA Minimum reception altitude
MSAW Minimum Safe Altitude Warning
MSL Mean sea level
MTI Moving target indicator
MTR Military training route
MVA Minimum vectoring altitude
NADIN National Airspace Data Interchange Network
NAM ICAO North American Region
NAR North American Route
NAS National Airspace System
NAT ICAO North Atlantic Region
{New-98-3 Revised February 26, 1998}
 NAT No ARTS tracked
NBCAP National Beacon Code Allocation Plan
NDB Nondirectional radio beacon
NHOP National Hurricane Operations Plan
NM Nautical Mile
NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NOPAC North Pacific
NORAD North American Aerospace Defense Command
NOS National Ocean Service
NOTAM Notice to Airmen
{New-98-3 Added February 26, 1998}
 NRP National Route Program
NWS National Weather Service
NWSOP National Winter Storm Operations Plan
NTZ No transgression zone
OALT Operational acceptable levels of traffic
ODALS Omnidirectional approach lighting system
ODAPS Oceanic Display and Planning System
ONER Oceanic Navigational Error Report
OROCA Off Route Obstruction Clearance Altitude
OTR Oceanic Transition Route
{New-98-3 Revised February 26, 1998}
 OTS Organized Track System
PAC ICAO Pacific Region
PAR Precision approach radar
{New-98-3 Revised February 26, 1998}
 PAR Preferred arrival route
PBCT Proposed Boundary Crossing Time
P/CG Pilot/Controller Glossary
PDAR Preferential departure arrival route
PDR Preferential departure route
PIDP Programmable Indicator Data Processor
PO Dust devils
POB Persons on board
PPI Plan position indicator
PPR Prior permission required
PTS Polar Track Structure
{New-98-8 Revised August 13, 1998}
 PVD Plan View Display
RAC Department of Energy special flight
RAIL Runway alignment indicator lights
RAPCON Radar approach control facility (USAF)
RATCF Radar air traffic control facility (USN)
RBS Radar bomb scoring
RCC Rescue Coordination Center
RCLS Runway centerline system
RCR Runway condition reading
RE Recent (used to qualify weather phenomena such as rain, e.g. recent rain = RERA)
REC Receive or receiver
REDL Runway edge light(s)
REF Reference to... or refer to...
REIL Runway end identifier lights
RITE Right (direction of turn)
RL Report leaving
RLA Relay to
RLLS Runway lead-in lighting system
RMK Remark
RNAV Area Navigation
RNG Radio range
ROBEX Regional OPMET bulletin exchange (scheme)
RRTE Reroute
RVR Runway visual range
{New-98-8 Revised August 13, 1998}
 RVSM Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum
RVV Runway visibility value
SAM ICAO South American Region
SAR Search and rescue
SARPS Standards and Recommended Practices (ICAO)
SC Stratocumulus
SELCAL Selective calling system
SFA Single frequency approach
SFO Simulated flameout
SIGMET Significant meteorological information
STAR Standard terminal arrival
STMC Supervisory traffic management coordinator
STMP Sector traffic management program
STOL Short takeoff and landing
STR Strategic Training Range
SURPIC Surface Picture
SVFR Special Visual Flight Rules
SWAP Severe weather avoidance plan
{New-98-3 Added February 26, 1998}
 TAA Terminal Arrival Area
TACAN TACAN UHF navigational aid (omnidirectional course and distance information)
TCAS Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System
TDZL Touchdown zone light system
TMC Traffic management coordinator
TMCIC Traffic management coordinator in charge
TMU Traffic management unit
TRACAB Terminal radar approach control in tower cab
TRACON Terminal radar approach control
TRSA Terminal radar service area
UHF Ultra high frequency
USA United States Army
USAF United States Air Force
USN United States Navy
UTC Coordinated Universal Time
UTM Unsuccessful transmission message
VCE VSCS Console Equipment
VFR Visual flight rules
VHF Very high frequency
VLF Very low frequency
VMC Visual Meteorological Conditions
VOR VHF navigational aid (omnidirectional course information)
VOR DME Collocated VOR and DME navigational aids (VHF course and UHF distance information)
VORTAC Collocated VOR and TACAN navigation aids (VHF and UHF course and UHF distance information)
VR VFR military training route
VSCS Voice Switching and Control System
WATRS West Atlantic Route System
WSFO Weather Service Forecast Office
WSO Weather Service Office