Aviation Glossary

Key aviation terms and abbreviations used on the acukwik.com website followed by additional runway information

A&P Airframe and Powerplant   JRCC Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre
A/C, a/c Aircraft; Approach Control (USA)   JSC Joint Stock Company
A/G Air/Ground communication station   kg Kilograms
A/LINES Airlines   kHz Kilohertz
A/P Airport   km Kilometres
AAF Army Air Field   kPA Kilopascals
AAI Airports Authority of India   kt Knots
AAIS Automatic Aerodrome Information Service   kVA Kilovolt-Ampère
AAL Above Airport Level   kW Kilowatts
ABMT, abmt Abatement (noise)   L Local (time); Locator (Navaid)
Abv, abv Above   LAHSO Land and Hold Short
ABVOR Automatic Broadcast VHF Omni-Range   Lat/Long Position of airport, latitude and longitude, with minutes expressed as decimals for use with INS and ONS systems
AC Alternating Current   Laterite Hard, gravel-like soil used as a runway surface
ACAS Airborne Collision Avoidance System   LAWRS Limited Aviation Weather Reporting Station
ACC Approach Control Centre, Area Control Centre   LB, lb Pounds
ACI Airports Council International   LBS, lbs Pounds
ACL Altimeter Check Location   LCG Load Classification Group
ACMI Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance (also known as 'Wet Lease')   LCN Load Classification Number
ACN Aircraft Classification Number   Lctr Locator
ACR Airfield Control Radar; Approach Control Radar; Air Carrier (Commercial) Aircraft   LCVASI Low-Cost VASI
AD Aerodrome; Airworthiness Directive   LDA Landing Distance Available; Localizer-type Directional Aid (see also IGS)
ADC Airport/Airfield Controller   LDG, ldg Landing
ADCUS Advise Customs   LDIN Lead-In Light System
ADF Automatic Direction Finder/Finding   LDL Lower Deck Loader
ADG Airport Design Group   LDOC Long Distance Operational Control
Adj, adj Adjacent   LDW Landing Weight
Admin Administration   LEOLUT Low Earth Orbit Local User Terminals
ADR Advisory Route   LFR Low-frequency Radio Range
AEM Automated Exchange Machine (currency)   LGTS Lights
AENA Aeropuertos Españoles y Navegación Aérea (Spain)   LHS Left-hand side
AER Approach End of Runway   LI Low Intensity
AFB Air Force Base   LIH Inner Locator
AFIS Aerodrome Flight Information Service   LIRL Low Intensity Runways Lights
AFRC Air Force Reserve Command   LITL Low Intensity Taxiway Lights
AFRU Aerodrome Frequency Response Unit   LLZ Localizer
AFS Aeronautical Fixed Service   LMM Locator Middle Marker
AFSC Aggregate Friction Seal Coat   LO Locator Outer
AFTN Aeronautical Fixed Telecommunications Network   LOC Locator (for ILS approaches)
AGL Above Ground Level   LOM Locator Outer Marker
AGNIS Azimuth Guidance for Nose-In Stand   LORAN Long Range Navigation
AGR Agriculture (clearance)   LRA Landing Rights Airport
AGRIC Agriculture (clearance)   LRRS Long Range Radar Station
AH, A/H After Hours   LT Local Time
AHP Army Heliport   M Military
AHP Army Heliport   MALS Medium Intensity Approach Lighting System
AIC Aeronautical Information Circular   MALSF MALS with Sequenced Flashing Lights
AIM Aeronautical Information Management; Airmen’s Information Manual (FAA)   MALSR MALS with Runway Alignment Indicator Lights
AIO Aeronautical Information Office   MAS Maximum Aircraft Size
AIP Aeronautical Information Publication   MAUW Maximum All-Up Weight
AIRAC Aeronautical Information Regulation and Control   MCAS Marine Corps Air Station (USA)
AIS Aeronautical Information Service (Flight Station Service)   MCC Mission Control Centre (search and rescue operations)
ALS Approach Lighting System   MCTOW Maximum certificated take-off weight
ALSF ALS with Sequenced Flashing Lights   MD Managing Director
ALT, alt Altitude; Alternate (airfield/airport)   MDA Minimum Descent Altitude
AMO Aircraft Maintenance Organisation   MDL Main Deck Loader
AMSL Above Mean Sea Level   MEBA Middle East Business Aviation
ANAC Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil (Brazil)   Mem Memorial
ANG Air National Guard (USA)   MET, Met Meteorological
ANO Air Navigation Order   METAR Meteorological Aeronautical Radio Code
ANSP Air Navigation Service Provider   MFA Minimum Flight Altitude
Ant, ant Antenna   MGLW Maximum Gross Landing Weight
AOC Aerodrome Obstacle Chart; Airline Operations Centre; Air Operator's Certificate; Airline Operational Communications   Mgr Manager
AOE, AoE Airport of Entry   Mgt Management
AOG Aircraft On Ground   MGTOW Maximum Gross Take-Off Weight
APAPI Abbreviated Precision Approach Path Indicator   MGW Maximum Gross Weight
APIS Aircraft Parking and Information System; Advance Passenger Information System   MHA Minimum Holding Altitude
Apn Apron   MHz Megahertz
App Con Approach Control (FAA)   MI Medium Intensity
App, app Approach   MIDO Manufacturing Inspection District Office
APS Auxiliary Power Supply   MIL, mil Military
APT, Apt, apt Airport   MIRL Medium Intensity Runway Lights
APU Auxiliary Power Unit   MITL Medium Intensity Taxiway Lights
ARAC Army Radar Approach Control   MKR, mkr Marker (Beacon)
ARCC Aeronautical Rescue Co-ordination Centre   MLS Microwave Landing System
ARCP Air Refuelling Control Point   MLW Maximum Landing Weight
ARFF Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting   MM Middle Marker
ARINC Aeronautical Radio Inc.   MOA Military Operations Area
ARNG Army National Guard (USA)   MOCA Minimum Obstruction Clearance Altitude
ARO Airport Reporting Officer   MoD, MOD Ministry of Defence
ARP Airfield Reference Point   Mogas Motor Vehicle Gasoline
ARPR Airfield Reference Point Radius   MoT, MOT Ministry of Transport
ARPT, Arpt Airport   MPa Megapascals
ARR, Arr Arrivals   MRO Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul
ARSA Airport Radar Service Area   MSA Minimum Safe Altitude
ARSR Air Route Surveillance Radar   MSL Mean Sea Level
ARTC Air Route Traffic Control   MTAF Mandatory Traffic Advisory Frequency
ARTCC Air Route Traffic Control Centre   MTN, mtn Mountain
ASAP, asap As soon as possible   MTOW Maximum Take-Off Weight
AsBAA Asian Business Aviation Association   MTWA Maximum Total Weight Authorised
ASDA Accelerate-Stop Distance Available   MUNI, Muni Municipal
ASECNA Agence pour la Sécurité de la Navigation Aérienne en Afrique et à Madagascar   MWO Meteorological Watch Office
ASL Above Sea Level   N North
ASOS Automated Surface Observing System   N/A Not Available; Not Applicable; Not Authorised
Asph, asph Asphalt   N/S Non-Scheduled, Unscheduled
ASR Airport/Airfield/Area Surveillance Radar   NAAS Naval Auxiliary Air Station
ASRI Aviation Spectrum Resources Inc. (Aeronautical Enroute VHF, ex-ARINC frequencies)   NALF Naval Auxiliary Landing Field
ASU Air Start Unit   NAS Naval Air Station
ATA Actual Time of Arrival; Air Traffic Area   NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration
ATB Airport Terminal Building   NASP National Airport System Plan (UK)
ATC Air Traffic Control   NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
ATCO Air Traffic Control Officer   NATO Std NATO Standard Runway Lights
ATCT Air Traffic Control Tower   Navaids Navigation Aids
ATD Actual Time of Departure   NAWS Naval Air Weapons Station
ATIS Automated Terminal Information Service; Air Traffic Information Service   NBAA National Business Aircraft Association
ATM Automatic Teller Machine   NDB Non-Directional Beacon
ATOTN Air Traffic Operational Telephone Network   NE Northeast
ATS Air Traffic Services   NEC National Exhibition Centre (UK)
ATZ Air Traffic Zone   NEQ Net Explosive Quality
Autogas Automobile Gasoline   NFDC National Flight Data Center (branch of FAA)
AUW All Up Weight   NGA National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (USA) (ex-NIMA)
AVA Administration de l’Aviation Civile (Algeria CAA)   NIMA National Imagery and Mapping Agency (USA) (branch of USA DoD)
AVAIL, Avail Available   NM, nm Nautical Mile
AVASI Abbreviated Visual Approach Slope Indicator   NMFTS Noise Monitoring and Flight Tracking System
AVBL, avbl Available   NNE North-Northeast
Avgas Aviation Gasoline   NNW North-Northwest
AVN, avn Aviation   No. Number
AWB Airway Bill   NOF International NOTAM Office
AWOS Automated Weather Observing System   NOLF Naval Outlying Landing Field
AWSS Automated Weather Sensor System (advanced version of AWOS)   NOMS Noise and Operations Monitoring System
BAA British Airports Authority   NOTAM Notice to Airmen; Notice to Air Mission
Bar ISO (International Standard Atmosphere) 14 psi/1,013.2 mb   NPA Non-Precision Approach
BASH Bird Aircraft Strike Hazard   NPI Non-Precision Instrument
BCN Beacon   NS Noise; Non-Scheduled
BCST Broadcast   NS ABMT Noise Abatement
BIP Border Inspection Post   NSF Naval Support Facility
Bldg Building   NSTD Non-Standard
BLO, blo Below clouds   NW Northwest
BLW, blw Below   NWS National Weather Service
Brg Bearing   O/C On-Call
BTL, btl Between cloud layers   O/N, o/n Overnight
BTN, btn Between   O/R On-Request
Byd, byd Beyond   O/S Out of Service
C Celsius (Centigrade)   O/T Other Times
c/o Care of (for use in contact addresses)   OAC [Oceanic Control Centre
C/S, c/s Call Sign   OC Officer Commanding
CAA Civil Aviation Authority   OCA Obstacle Clearance Altitude
CAAC Civil Aviation Administration of China   ODALS Omni-Directional Approach Lighting System
CAAV Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam   OHSAS Occupational Health & Safety Advisory Services
CAB Civil Aviation Bureau (Japan)   OIC Officer-in-Charge
CANSO Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation   OLS Optical Landing System
CAT, Cat Category (for example, ILS Cat I)   OM Outer Marker
CATCO Chief Air Traffic Control Officer   ONS Omega Navigation System
CAVU Ceiling and Visibility Unlimited   Opr Operator; operates
CBD Central Business District   OPS, Ops Operations
CCI Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie (France)   OTS Out of Service
CCO Chief Commercial Officer   P Private
CCTV Closed Circuit Television Camera   PAALC Pilot Actuated Airport Lighting Control
CEO Chief Executive Officer   PABX Private Automatic Branch Exchange (business telephone system)
CFO Chief Financial Officer   PAL Pilot Activated Lighting
CFR Crash Firefighting Rescue Service   PAPA Parallax Aircraft Parking Aid
Ch Channel   PAPI Precision Approach Path Indicator
CIP Corporate Important Person   PAR Precision Approach Radar
CIQ Customs, Immigration and Quarantine   PAU Power Amplifier Unit
CIV, Civ, civ Civil, civilian   PAX, Pax Passengers
CJSC Closed Joint Stock Company   PCA Positive Control Area
CL Centreline Lighting System   PCL Pilot Controlled Lighting
CLB Centre Line Beam   PCN Pavement Classification Number
CLNC Clearance   PFC Porous Friction Course
Clnc Del Clearance Delivery   PIR Precision Instrument Runway
CLSD, clsd Closed   PLASI Pulse Light Approach Slope Indicator
CO Commanding Officer   PMB Private Mail Bag
COCESNA Corporacíon Centroamericana de Servicios de Navagacíon Aérea   PMSV Pilot to Metro Service
COMD Command   PNIL Panels on left, with or without lights
Conc Concrete   PNIR Panels on right, with or without lights
Cont, cont Continuously   PNO Prior Notification Only
COO Chief Operating Officer; Chief Operations Officer   PNR Prior Notification Required
COP Change Over Point   POC Point of Contact
CPL Container Paller Loader   POL Petrol, Oil and Lubricant
CRG Cargo   PPM Pounds per minute
CRO Customer Relationship Officer   PPR Prior Permission Required
CTA Control Area   PR Public Relations
CTAF Common Traffic Advisory Frequency   Prist® Anti-icing aviation fuel additive
CTC Contact   PROC, proc Procedures
CTL, ctl Control   PSC Passenger Service Charge
CTN, ctn Caution   PSI, psi Pounds per Square Inch
CTO Chief Technical Officer   PSIL Pulsating/Steady Burning VASI on Left
CTR Control Zone; Centre/Center   PSIR Pulsating/Steady Burning VASI on Right
CUS Customs   PSR Primary Surveillance Radar
CZ Control Zone   PTD Pilot to Dispatcher
D/O, DO Duty Officer   PVASI Pulsating/Steady Visual Approach Slope Indicator
DAFIF Digital Aeronautical Flight Information File   QFE Altimeter setting above station
DATIS Digital Airborne Topographical Information System   QNE Altimeter setting at Sea Level
D-ATIS Digital Automatic Terminal Information Service   QNH Altimeter setting above MSL
dB Decibels   R Receive (if shown after frequency)
dBA Sound level with A-weighting applied   RAAF Royal Australian Air Force
dba Doing business as, trading name   RAF Royal Air Force (UK)
DC Direct Current   RAFC Regional Area Forecast Centre
DCS Departure Control System   RAIL Runway Alignment Indicator Lights
DDTWL Double Dual Tandem Wheel Load   RAPCON Radar Approach Control (USAF/FAA)
Dep Con Departure Control   RATCF Radar Air Traffic Control Facility
Dep, dep Departures; deputy   RCC Rescue Co-ordination Centre
DER Departure End of Runway   RCLS Runway Centreline Lighting System
DGAC Direction Générale de Aviation Civile (France); Direccíon General Aeronáutica Civil (Mexico)   RCO Remote Communications Outlet
DHMI General Directorate of State Airports Administration (Turkey)   RDO, rdo Radio
Dir Director   REIL Runway End Identification Lights
Div Division   REQ Requested
DLA Delay (message)   REQD, reqd Required
DME Distance Measuring Equipment   RFFS Rescue Firefighting Service
Dpty Deputy   RFSC Rubberised Friction Seal Coat
DST Daylight Saving Time   RGNL, Rgnl Regional
DTG Distance To Go   RHS Right-hand side
DTWL Dual Tandem Wheel Load   RIV Rapid Intervention Vehicle (fire-fighting)
Dty Duty   RNFC Route Navigation Facilities Charge
DVOR Doppler VOR   RNoAF Royal Norwegian Air Fore
DVORTAC Doppler VOR Tactical Air Navigator   RNZAF Royal New Zealand Air Force
DWL Dual Wheel Load   ROKOF Republic of Korea Air Force (South Korea)
E East   RON Remain Overnight Fee
eAPIS Electronic Advance Passenger Information System   RSC Rescue Sub-Centre
EASA European Aviation Safety Agency   RSR Route Surveillance Radar
EBAA European Business Aviation Association   RSTD, rstd Restricted
ECASA Empressa Cubana de Aeropuertos y Servicios Aeronauticos SA (Cuba)   RT BCN Rotating Beacon
EFB Electronic Flight Bag   RTIL Runway Threshold Indicator Lights
EFF, eff Effect   RTOW Regulated Take-Off Weight
EFIS Electronic Flight Instrument System   RVR Runway Visual Range
EGPWS Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System   Rwy, rwy Runway
ELEV, Elev, elev Elevation   S South; Scheduled; Summer
ELT Emergency Locator Transmitter   S/BOARD Switchboard
EMAS Engineered Materials Arresting System   SAC Strategic Air Command (USA); Secretaria de Aviação Civil (Brazil)
EMERG, Emerg Emergency   SALS Simple Approach Lighting System
ENAC Ente Nazionale per l’Aviazione Civile (Italy)   SALSF SALS with Sequenced Flasher
ENE East-Northeast   SAR Search and Rescue
Eng Engine; engineering   SATCO Senior Air Traffic Control Officer
Engg Engineering   SAVASI Simplified Abbreviated Visual Approach Slope Indicator
EOR End of Runway   SAWRS Supplementary Aviation Weather Reporting Station
EOTB Estimated Time Off-Block   SCHED, SCH Scheduled Services
EPABX Electronic Private Automatic Branch Exchange (business telephone system)   SDF Simplified Directional Facility
EPNdB Equivalent Perceived Noise Decibel   SE Southeast
EPNL Equivalent Perceived Noise Level   SEL Sound Exposure Level
EPU Emergency Power Unit   SENS, sens Sensitive (noise)
ERS Emergency Response Services   SF, SFL Sequenced Flashing Lights
ERSA Enroute Supplement Australia   SFC, sfc Surface
ESE East-Southeast   SID Standard Instrument Departure
ETA Estimated Time of Arrival   SITA Société Internationale de Télécommunications Aéronautiques
ETD Estimated Time of Departure   SIWL Single Isolated Wheel Load
ETE Estimated Time Enroute   SMC Surface Movement Control
ETO Estimated Time Over   SMC Surface Movement Radar
ETOPS Extended-range Twin-engine Operational Performance Standards   Snr Senior
ETR Estimated Time Remaining   SOP Standard Operating Procedures
EU European Union   Spd Speed
EUROCONTROL European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation   SR Sunrise
Exec Executive   SRA Surveillance Radar Approach
Ext., ext., x Telephone extension   SRE Surveillance Radar Element
F/C Forecaster   SRR Search and Rescue Region
FAA Federal Aviation Administration (USA)   SS Sunset
FAR Federal Aviation Regulation   SSALF SSALS with Sequenced Flashing Lights
FAS Final Approach Speed   SSALR SSALS with Runway Alignment Indicator Lights
Fax Facsimile   SSALS Simplified Short Approach Lighting System
FBO Fixed-Base Operator   SSE South-Southeast
FBPAR Fixed-Base Precision Approach Radar   SSR Secondary Surveillance Radar
FCC Flight Control Centre   SSW South-Southwest
FFRS Firefighting Rescue Service   STAR Standard Terminal Arrival Route
FIC Flight Information Centre   Std, std Standard
Fin Finance; financial   Stn, stn Station
FIR Flight Information Region   STWL Single Tandem Wheel Load
FIS Flight Information Service   SUAIS Special Use Aeronautical Information Service
FISO Flight Information Services Officer   SVC, Svc, svc Service
FL Flight Level   SVCS, Svcs, svcs Services
FLD, fld Field   SVFR Special Visual Flight Rules
FLIP Flight Information Publication   SVP Senior Vice-President
FLT, flt Flight   SW Southwest
FNA Final Approach   SWL Single Wheel Load
FPL Flight Plan (ATC)   Swy, swy Stopway
Freq Frequency   T Transmit (if shown after frequency)
FSDO Flight Standards District Office (FAA)   T/O, t/o Take-off/s
FSII Fuel System Icing Inhibitor   T/P Turbo-prop
FSS Flight Station Service   TAA Tanzania Airports Authority
GA General Aviation; Glide Angle   TACAN Tactical Air Navigation (military VOR/DME)
GAAP General Aviation Airports (Australia)   TAR Terminal Area Radar
Galileo Galileo Global Navigation Satellite System   TBC To Be Confirmed
GAR General Aviation Report (UK)   TBD To Be Determined
GAT General Aviation Terminal   TCA Terminal Control Area
GCA Ground Controlled Approach to Runway; General Controlled Airspace   TCAA Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority
GCO Ground Communications Outlet   TCAS Traffic Collision Avoidance System
GEN, Gen General   TCH Threshold Crossing Height
GLONASS Global Navigation Satellite System (Russia)   TD Touchdown
GM General Manager   TDME Terminal DME
GMC Ground Movement Control   TDTWL Triple Dual Tandem Wheel Load
GMT Greenwich Mean Time   TDZ Touchdown Zone; Terminal Departure Zone
Gnd Con Ground Control   TDZL Touchdown Zone Lights
Gnd, gnd Ground   Tel Telephone
GP Glide Path   TERM, Term, T Terminal
GPS Global Positioning System   TFC, tfc Traffic
GPU Ground Power Unit   TGL Touch-and-Go Landing
GRD, grd Ground   Thr, thr Threshold
Grvd, grvd Grooved   TIBA Traffic Information Broadcast by Aircraft
GS Glide Slope   TIM Travel Information Manual
GSE Ground Services Equipment   Tkof Take-off
H/O Head Office   TNLC Terminal Navigational Landing Charge
H1 1 Hour (applies to H2, H3 and so on)   TOD Top-of-Descent (re insect spraying)
H24 24-Hour operations/availability   TODA Take-off Distance Available
HAF Hellenic Air Force (Greece)   TORA Take-off Run Available
HALS Helicopter Approach Landing System   TPA Traffic Pattern Altitude
HAZMAT Hazardous Material   TRACON Terminal Radar Approach (and Departure) Control
Hdg, hdg Heading   TRSA Terminal Radar Service Area
HF High Frequency   TURB Turbulence
HI High Intensity   T-VASI 'T' Visual Approach Slope Indicator
HIAL High Intensity Approach Lights   TVOR Terminal VOR (low power)
HILS Helicopter Instrument Lighting System   TWEB Transcribed Weather Enroute Broadcast
HIRL High Intensity Runway Lights   TWR, twr Tower
HIRO High Intensity Runway Operations   Twy, twy Taxiway
HISL High Intensity Strobe Lights   U/S, u/s Unserviceable
HITL High Intensity Taxiway Lights   UAC Upper Area Control Centre
HIWAS Hazardous In-flight Weather Advisory Service   UDF UHF Direction Finding
HJ Operates during day   UFN Until Further Notice
HN Operates during night   UHF Ultra High Frequency
HO Hours available to meet operational requirements   UIC [Upper Information Centre
Hols Holidays, Public   ULD Unit Load Device
HQ Headquarters   Unicom Universal Communication (private radio communications advisory service (USA))
HR Restricted operating hours   USAF United States Air Force
HRS, hrs Hours   USCG United States Coast Guard
HS Scheduled operating hours   USDA United States Department of Agriculture
Hwy, hwy Highway   USMC United States Marine Corps
HX No specific operating hours   USN United States Navy
Hz Hertz (frequency)   UTC Universal Time Co-ordination (equivalent to Zulu Time and GMT)
IAHA International Aviation Handlers’ Association   V Volts
IAOPA International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Associations   VASI Visual Approach Slope Indicator
IAP Instrument Approach Procedure   VAT Value Added Tax (EU)
IAS Indicated Airspeed   VDF VHF Direction Finding
IASA International Aviation Safety Assessment   VFR Visual Flight Rules
IASTA International Air Services Transit Agreement   VHF Very High Frequency
IATA International Air Transport Association   VIP Very Important Person
IATP International Airlines Technical Pool   VLJ Very Light Jet
IBAC International Business Aviation Council   VMC Visual Meteorological Conditions
ICAO International Civil Aviation Organisation   VOLMET Meteorological information for aircraft in flight
ID Identity   VOR VHF Omni-Range
IFIM International Flight Information Manual   VORTAC VHF Omni-directional Range and Tactical Air Navigation equipment (VOR+TACAN)
IFR Instrument Flight Rules   VOT VOR Receiver Testing Facilities
IGHC IATA Ground Handling Council   VP Vice-President
IGS Instrument Guidance System   W Watts; West; Winter
ILS Instrument Landing System   W/E, w/e Weekend (usually Saturday and Sunday)
IM Inner Marker   W/SHEAR Windshear
IMM Immigration   WAAS Wide Area Augmentation System
INFO, Info Information   WC Wire Comb or Wire Tine
INFRAERO Empresa Brasileira de Infra-Estrutura Aeroportuária (Brazil)   Web Website address; URL
INS Inertial Navigation System   WFS Withdrawn From Service
INTL, Intl International   WIP, wip Work in Progress (under construction)
ISAGO IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations (accreditation)   WMSC Weather Message Switching Centre
ISO International Organization for Standardization   WNW West-Northwest
ITAF Italian Air Force   WSO Weather Service Office
JAA TO Joint Aviation Authorities – Training Organisation   WSW West-Southwest
JAR Joint Airworthiness Requirements   WX Weather
JASU Jet Aircraft Starting Unit   X-WIND Crosswind

 

     Z Zulu Time (equivalent to GMT and UTC)
 

RUNWAY CODES

Runway strengths can be identified in several ways: PCN/ACN, LCG and by aircraft type and weight.

Pavement Classification Number (PCN) is the ICAO standard for the bearing strength for unrestricted operations by aircraft over 5,700 kg (12,500 lbs). PCN descriptions use the following format:
  • PCN number: scale from 5 (weakest) to 110 (strongest) pavements.
  • Pavement type:
    R (Rigid)
    F (Flexible)
  • Sub-grade strength category:
    A (High)
    B (Medium)
    C (Low)
    D (Ultra-Low)
  • Maximum allowable tyre pressure category:
    W (High, no limit)
    X (Medium, maximum 1.50 MPa)
    Y (Low, maximum 1.00 MPa)
    Z (Very Low, maximum 0.50 MPa)
  • Evaluation method:
    T (Technical evaluation)
    U (Using aircraft experience)
Aircraft Classification Number (ACN) is based upon the aircraft type, pavement type and sub-grade category. ICAO has calculated ACN values for selected aircraft.

LCG (Load Classification Group) is proportional to LCN (Load Classification Number). The LCG groups relate to the following LCN values:
 
LCG LCN
I 101-120
II 76-100
III 51-75
IV 31-50
V 16-30
VI 11-15
VII ≤10

If a LCG is listed, aircraft operators should calculate the correct LCN for their aircraft. This is based on the SIWL rating. Operators will then need to check that their aircraft are in the correct LCG.

Permitted LCN Operations
After consulting the table above, this will determine what operations the aircraft may undergo:
  • LCN is equal to or lower than listed LCG – operations are unlimited;
  • LCN is in the relevant LCG or one category higher – operations are by prior arrangement;
  • LCN is in an LCG two higher than listed – operations are permitted only in an emergency.
Aircraft Type and Weight Restrictions
Aircraft can be classified according to the weight bearing of the undercarriage assemblies. These are shown in a number of ways, depending on the country where the airport is based. This may be the weight per principal undercarriage assembly or the Maximum All-Up Weight of the aircraft dependant upon the undercarriage type. These figures are expressed in tonnes (t) or thousands of kilograms (kg).

The main abbreviations are:
S Single Wheel
T Twin Wheel
B Bogie
DB Double Bogie

In the USA, weight bearings are often shown in pounds or thousands of pounds. For example: DTWL 120,000 lbs or DTWL 120. The USA normally uses slightly different terms:
SWL Single Wheel Limit
DWL Dual Wheel Limit
DTWL Dual Tandem Wheel Limit
TDTWL Twin Delta Tandem Wheel Limit
DDTWL Double Dual Tandem Wheel Limit
TRTWL Triple Tandem Wheel Limit
TTTWL Twin Triple Tandem Wheel Limit