Descriptionary

angle of attack the set of an airfoil as it meets the air, determining the amount of lift or other aerody­namic control.

approach approaching an airport for landing.

artificial horizon a gyrostabilized instrument dis­playing the airplane's pitching and rolling.

autopilot a gyroscopically controlled device that automatically keeps an aircraft steady or is pro­grammed for various maneuvers, such as climbing to a desired altitude.

aviator a pilot.

aviatrix a female pilot.

backwash the powerful air current driven behind an aircraft by its propellers; also known as prop wash or the slipstream.

bank to turn right or left by rolling or tilting an air­plane laterally in flight.

barnstorming an exhibition of stunt flying.

bearing the horizontal direction of an aircraft in flight.

belly landing an emergency landing on the bottom of the fuselage, with the landing gear retracted.

biplane a plane with two sets of wings.

black box the flight data recorder, actually colored orange and situated in the tail, impervious to crashes due to its reinforced construction.

bogie a four-, six-, or eight-wheeled truck on a main landing leg.

bogy slang for an unidentified flying object.

cabane the framework and struts that support the wings at the fuselage.

cabin the cockpit.

camber the curve of a wing from its leading edge to its trailing edge.

CAT abbreviation for clear air turbulence.

ceiling the maximum altitude to which an aircraft can climb under specific weather conditions.

chandelle a high-performance 180° climbing turn, usually only performed at air shows or in combat.

clean slang term for an in-flight plane, having all landing gears, flaps, or other extendable devices retracted.

clearance permission from air traffic control to proceed.

cockpit the cabin or compartment accommo­dating the pilot, the copilot, the controls, and the instruments.

cockpit voice recorder a cabin recorder used to record dialogue of the flight crew and radio transmis­sions, used for safety and crash review purposes.

cowling the removable covering protecting the top and sides of an airplane motor.

critical speed the lowest possible speed of an air­craft in which control can be maintained.

crosswind a wind striking a plane broadside, creat­ing a hazard for landing.

dead reckoning plotting a position by using calcu­lations combining speed, course, time, and wind.

deadstick an emergency descent and landing with the engines shut down.

delta wing a triangular-shaped wing.

dihedral angle the angle attained when the main wings are inclined up from the center of the fuselage so that the tips are higher than the remaining portion of the wings, for lateral stability.

dive a steep descent.

drag the resistance the surrounding air exerts on a moving airplane.

drone an unmanned, radio-controlled airplane, often used for military reconnaissance missions.

Dutch roll a sudden roll and yaw caused by a wind gust.

elevator a hinged horizontal surface on the tail assembly, controlling the up-and-down direction of an airplane.

ELT emergency locator transmitter. An aircraft radio transmitter automatically activated on crash impact with the ground or water, used to aid in loca­tion by rescuers.

ETA estimated time of arrival.

FAA Federal Aviation Administration, the govern­ment agency that oversees aviation in the United States.

fin the fixed vertical stabilizer at the tail helping to control roll and yaw.

flameout loss of combustion in a gas-turbine engine, resulting in a complete loss of power.

flap any one of the movable surfaces on a wing used for producing either lift or drag.

flight data recorder see black box.

flight path an air course or route.

fly-by-wire of pilot controls, activated by electronics or fiber optics rather than mechanical connections.

fuselage the long body portion to which the wings, tail, and landing gear are attached.

glide a slow descent without engine power.

glidepath the descending path a plane follows when approaching for landing.

glider a motorless airplane towed aloft and used for recreational soaring.

global positioning system (GPS) a satellite-based navigational system, used by commercial carriers and the military.

GPWS ground proximity warning system. An onboard radar system that sounds an alarm when an aircraft is too close to the ground.

hangar an aircraft shelter and workshop.

holding pattern a circling pattern made by aircraft awaiting landing clearance at an airport.

hydraulics the fluid-based controls used to maneu­ver flaps, brakes, landing gear, and other apparatus.

hypersonic greater than five times the speed of sound.