AEROSPACE ACRONYM & Abbreviation Guide

December 2006

Avionics Magazine presents the third edition of our comprehensive Aerospace Acronym Guide. Since we started compiling the list in 2002, the number of acronyms and abbreviations has grown by 660 entries, from 2,306 to 2,966.

Though it is not an exhaustive list, we trust it will serve you well.

• 3D, 4D three- or four-dimensional

• 3G third generation

• 3GCN third generation cabin network

• 4096 CODE the octal base, four-digit code used between framing pulses of a reply to identify an aircraft or for general use and emergency codes (XPD)

• A ampere(s)

• A autotuned navaid

• AAC aeronautical administration communications

• AAC airline administrative communications

• AAIB Air Accident Investigation Branch (UK equivalent of NTSB)

• AAF airway facilities service

• AAIPT again aircraft integrated product team

• AAIU air accident investigation unit

• AAL above aerodome level

• AALC autonomous approach landing capability

• AAMP advanced architecture microprocessor

• AATT advanced aviation transportation technology

• AAS advanced automation system (FAA)

• A/B autobrake

• ABC automatic brightness control

• A-BPSK aviation binary phase shift keying

• AC advisory circular

• AC alternating current

• AC2 Dolby surround

• A/C aircraft

• ACAA Air Carrier Association of America

• ACAC air-cooled air cooler

• ACAMS aircraft condition analysis management system

• ACARS aircraft communications addressing and reporting system

• ACAS airborne collision avoidance system (FAA)

• ACC active clearance control

• ACC area control center

• ACC airspace control center

• ACD automatic conflict detection

• ACDO Air Carrier District Office

• ACE actuator control electronics

• ACE advanced certification equipment

• ACG Assessment Compliance Group

• ACIPS airfoil cowl ice protection system

• ACF area control facility

• ACK acknowledgment

• ACMF airplane condition monitoring function

• ACMP alternating current motor pump

• ACMS aircraft condition monitoring system

• ACNSS/ advanced communication/ navigation/surveillance system

• ACP audio control panel

• ACS active control system

• ACS audio control system

• ACT active

• ACTC airport traffic control towers

• ACTD advanced concept technology demonstration

• ACU aircraft communications system

• ACU apron control unit

• ACU autopilot control unit

• ACU antenna control unit

• AD airworthiness directives (FAA)

• A/D analog-to-digital

• ADA a computer programming language

• ADAS automated weather observing system data acquisition system

• ADB airport data base

• ADC air data computer

• ADC Air Defense Command

• ADE application development engineer

• ADF automatic direction finding

• ADG air-driven generator

• ADI attitude director indicator

• ADIRS air data inertial reference system

• ADIRU air data inertial reference unit

• ADL aeronautical data link

• ADLP aircraft data link processor (Mode S)

• ADLP airborne data link protocol

• ADM air data module

• ADMS airline data management system

• ADN aircraft data network

• ADO airline dispatch office

• ADO airport district office

• ADP air driven pump

• ADR address

• ADR Advanced Data Research

• ADR alternative dispute resolution

• ADRAS airplane data recovery and analysis system

• ADS automatic dependent surveillance

• ADS air data system

• ADS-A automatic dependent surveillance- addressed

• ADSA automatic dependent surveillance- automation

• ADS-B automatic dependent surveillance- broadcast

• ADS-C ADS contract

• ADSEL address selective

• ADSP automatic dependent surveillance panel

• ADSSG ADS Study Group (ICAO)

• ADSU automatic dependent surveillance unit

• ADT air data tester

• AEA Aircraft Electronics Association

• AECU audio electronic control unit

• AED ALGOL extended for design

• AEEC Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee (ARINC)

• AEP ARINC engineering practices

• AEP audio entertainment player

• AERA automated en route air traffic control

• Aero B-Gan next generation broadband

• AES aircraft earth station (Inmarsat)

• AESA active electronically scanned array

• AESS aircraft environment surveillance system

• AEW airborne early warning

• AF airway facilities

• AFC Aeronautical Frequency Committee (AEEC)

• AFC automatic frequency compensation

• AFC automatic frequency control

• AFCAS automatic flight control augmentation system

• AFCS automatic flight control system

• AFD adaptive flight display

• AFD autopilot flight director

• AFDC autopilot flight director computer

• AFDS autopilot flight director system

• AFDX avionics full-duplex Ethernet switch

• AFEPS ACARS front-end processing system

• AFGCS automatic flight guidance and control system

• AFI authority format identifier

• AFIRS autonomous flight information collection and reporting system

• AFIS airborne flight information system

• AFIS Airbus in-flight information service

• AFIS automatic flight information service

• AFIS automated flight inspection system

• AFM aircraft flight manual

• AFMS automatic flight management system

• AFN air traffic services facilities notification

• AFP Airspace Flow Program

• AFRL Air Force Research Lab

• AFS additional secondary factors

• AFS aeronautical fixed service (ICAO)

• AFS automatic flight system

• AFSK audio frequency shift keying

• AFSS automated flight service stations

• AFTN aeronautical fixed telecommunications network

• AFTRCC Aerospace and Flight Test Radio Coordinating Council

• AFU artificial feel unit

• A/G air/ground; air to ground

• AGACS automatic A/G communication system

• AGAE A/G applications engineering

• AGATE Advanced General Aviation Transport Experiments (NASA)

• AGCS air-ground communication system

• AGC automatic gain control

• AGCOS A/G communication services

• AGCS air-ground communication systems

• AGCU auxiliary generator control unit

• AGDL A/G data link

• AGIS A/G intermediate system

• AGL above ground level

• AGR A/G router

• AGRM air/ground router-regional manager

• AGS A/G system

• AGSS ACARS ground system standard (AEEC)

• AGTS A/G test station

• AGVS A/G voice sub-network

• AGW ARTS gateway

• AHC attitude heading computer

• AHMS aircraft health monitoring system

• AHRS attitude heading reference system

• AI alternative interrogator

• AI application interface

• AI area incursion

• AI artificial intelligence

• AIA Aerospace Industries Association

• AIAA American Institute of Aeronautics and Astonautics

• AIC aeronautical information circular

• AIDC air traffic services interfacility data communications

• AIDS aircraft/airborne integrated data system

• AIED aeronautical industry engineering and development

• AIEM Airlines International Electronic Meeting (AMC)

• AIFSS automated international flight service stations

• AIL aileron

• AIM airman's information manual

• AIMS airplane information management system (Boeing 777)

• AIMS airport information management system

• AINSC aeronautical industry service communication

• AIO analog input/output

• AIP aeronautical information publication

• AIP analog input

• AIP Airport Improvement Program

• AIRAC aeronautical information regulation and control

• AIRCOM digital air/ground communications service (SITA)

• AIRMET airman's meteorological information

• AIRO analog input/reference output

• AIS aeronautical information service

• AIS automatic information services (Eurocontrol)

• AISG Applications Interface Sub-Group (IATA)

• AIV accumulator isolation valve

• AJPS AFEPS journal processing system

• a/l airline

• A/L autoland

• ALC airline link control

• ALC asynchronous link control

• ALC automatic level control

• ALMDS airborne laser mine detection system

• ALPA Air Line Pilots Association

• ALPS automatic line protection service

• ALS application layer structure

• ALT airborn link terminal

• ALT altitude/alternate

• ALD HOLD altitude hold mode

• ALTM altimeter

• ALTN alternate

• ALTN alternate (airport)

• ALTRV altitude reservation

• ALTS altitude select

• ALU arithmetic and logic unit

• AM access module

• AM amplitude modulation

• AMASS airport movement area safety system

• AMC Air Mobility Command

• AMC auxiliary maintenance computer

• AMC Avionics Maintenance Conference

• AMCP aeronautical mobile communications panel

• AMD advisory map display

• AME amplitude modulation equivalent

• AMI airline modifiable information

• AMLCD active matrix liquid crystal display

• AMIS aircraft management information system

• AMOSS airline maintenance and operation support system

• AMP audio management panel

• AMP Avionics Modernization Program

• AMPL amplifier

• AMS ARINC maintenance service

• AMS apron management service

• AMS avionics management service

• AMS acquisition management system

• AMS(R)S aeronautical mobile satellite (route) service

• AMSS aeronautical mobile satellite service

• AMTOSS aircraft maintenance task oriented support system

• AMTS aeronautical message transfer service

• AMU audio management unit

• AMU ACARS/avionics management unit

• AMUX audio multiplexer

• A/N alphanumeric

• ANA All Nippon airways

• ANC Air Navigation Commission (ICAO)

• ANDC airport and navigation data compiler

• ANFR Agence Nationale des Frequences

• ANFS aircraft network and file server

• ANICS Alaskan NAS Interfacility Communication

• ANLP ARINC network layer protocol

• ANP actual navigation performance

• ANP air navigation plan/performance

• A-NPA advanced notice of proposed amendment

• ANR active noise reduction

• ANS air navigation system

• ANS ambient noise sensor

• ANSI American National Standards Institute

• ANSIR advanced navigation system inertial reference

• ANSP air navigation service providers

• ANSU avionics network server unit

• ANTC advanced networking test center

• AO acronymic obfuscation

• AOA ACARS over AVLC

• AOA Office of the Administrator (FAA)

• AOA angle of attack

• AOA angle of arrival

• AOAS advanced oceanic automation system

• AOC airport obstruction chart

• AOC Airline Operational Control Center

• AOC airport operational communications

• AOC aircraft operational control

• AOC airline operational control

• AOC aeronautical operational control

• AOC airline operations center

• AOCC airline operations control center

• AODB airport operational database

• AODC age of data, clock (GPS)

• AODE age of data, ephemeris (GPS)

• AOG aircraft on ground

• AOHE air/oil heat exchanger

• AOM aircraft operating manual

• AOP analog output

• AOP aeronautical OSI profile

• AOP airline operational procedure

• AOPA Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association

• AOR area of responsibility

• AOR Atlantic Ocean region

• AOR-E Atlantic Ocean region-east

• AOR-W Atlantic Ocean region-west

• A&P airframe and power plant

• AP airport location (ACARS/AFEPS)

• A/P autopilot

• APA autopilot amplifier

• APA Allied Pilots Association

• APANPIRG ASIA/PAC Air Navigation Planning & Implementation Regional Group

• APB auxiliary power breaker

• APB acquisition program baseline

• APC aeronautical passenger communication

• APC aeronautical public correspondence

• APC autopilot computer

• APCO Association of Public Safety Communications Officials

• APFA Association of Professional Flight Attendants

• APFDS autopilot flight director system

• APEX application/executive software

• API application programming interface

• APIRS attitude and positioning inertial reference system

• APIM ARINC IA project initiation/modification

• APMS automated performance measurement system

• APL Applied Physics Laboratory

• APLCs airport performance laptop computers

• APM approach path monitor

• APN ARINC packet network

• APP approach control

• APPR approach

• APR actual performance reserve

• APRL ATN profile requirement list

• APU auxiliary power unit

• APUC auxiliary power unit controller

• APX application/executive software

• AQF avionics qualification facility

• AQP advanced qualification program

• AQP avionics qualification procedure/program

• A-QPSK aeronautical quadrature phase shift keying

• AQS advanced quality system

• ARAC Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (FAA)

• ARB arbitrary waveform generator

• ARD advanced requirement definition

• ARDEP analysis of research & development in Eurocontrol programs

• ARF airline risk factor

• ARM area regional manager

• ARMC area regional maintenance center

• ARP air data reference panel

• ARTAS ATM surveillance tracker and server

• ASAS aviation safety analysis system

• ASAS aircraft separation assurance system (AEEC)

• ASC aircraft system controller

• ASC aural synthesizer card

• ASCII American standard code for information interchange

• ASCB avionics standard communication bus

• ASCPC air supply and cabin pressure controllers

• ASCS air supply control system

• ASCU anti-skid control unit

• ASD aircraft situation display

• ASDAR aircraft-to-satellite data relay

• ASDB aircraft specific database

• ASDE airport surface detection equipment

• ASDEX airport surface detection equipment, model X

• ASDL aeronautical satellite data link

• ASDR airport surface detection radar

• ASE altimetry system error

• ASECNA Agency for Security of Aerial Navigation in Africa and Madagascar

• ASG ARINC signal gateway

• ASI airspeed indicator

• ASI avionics system integration

• ASIC application specific integrated circuit

• ASL above sea level

• ASM airspace management

• ASM autothrottle servo motor

• ASME American Society of Mechanical Engineers

• A-SMGCS advanced surface movement guidance and control systems

• ASOR Allocating Safety Objectives and Requirements

• ASOS automated surface observation system

• ASP ACARS sub-network protocol

• ASP altitude set panel

• ASP aeronautical fixed service systems planning (AFS)

• ASP acquisition strategy paper

• ASP arrival sequencing program

• ASPP application specific programmable processor

• ASR airport surveillance radar

• ASRAAM advanced short range air-to-air missile

• ASRS aviation safety reporting system

• ASSTC aerospace simulation and systems test center

• ASSV alternate source selection valve

• ASTA airport surface traffic automation

• ASTERIX all purpose structured Eurocontrol Radar information exchange

• ASTF airspace system task force

• ASTM American Society for Testing and Materials

• ASTOR Airborne Stand-Off Radar (UK)

• ASVI avionics serial video interface

• ASV alternate servo valve

• AT air transport

• AT at an altitude

• A/T autothrottle

• ATA actual time of arrival

• ATA Air Transport Association

• ATA Air Transport Association of America

• ATAS aviation traffic and application software

• ATC advanced technology center

• ATC air traffic control

• ATCA Air Traffic Control Association

• ATCBI ATC beacon interrogator

• ATCC area and terminal control center

• ATCRBS ATC radar beacon system

• ATCSS ATC signaling system

• ATCT air traffic control tower

• ATIS airport traffic information system

• ATIS automated terminal information service

• ATIS-B automatic terminal information service - broadcast

• ATDL air transport data link

• ATE automatic test equipment

• ATE avionics test and evaluation

• ATFM air traffic flow management

• ATG advanced concept technology demonstration

• ATHR autothrust system

• ATSRAC aging transport systems rulemaking advisory committee

• ATI airborne tracker illuminator

• ATIDS airport surface target identification system/service

• ATIS automatic terminal information service

• ATL autothrottle limit

• ATLAS abbreviated test language for avionics systems

• ATM air traffic management

• ATM asynchronous transfer mode

• ATMAS ATM automation system

• ATMB Air Traffic Management Bureau

• ATM DSS ATM decision support service

• ATMS area navigation, test and management services

• ATN aeronautical telecommunication network

• ATNE ATN engineering

• ATNP ATN panel

• ATO air traffic operations

• ATO Air Traffic Organization (FAA)

• ATOP advanced technologies and oceanic procedures

• ATP acceptance test procedure/plan

• ATPAC Air Traffic Procedures Advisory Committee (FAA)

• ATR air transport radio: ARINC form-factor/standard case dimensions; 1

• ATR acceptance test report

• ATR air transport racking

• ATS air traffic services

• ATS air turbine starter

• ATS autothrottle system

• ATSC air traffic services communication

• AT/SC autothrottle/speed control

• ATSGF air traffic services geographic filter

• ATSMP air traffic services message processor

• ATSO air traffic services organization

• ATSP air traffic services provider

• ATSRAC Aging Transport Systems Rulemaking Advisory Committee (FAA)

• ATSU air traffic services unit

• ATWR apron tower (and operator)

• AUSRIRE All Union Scientific Research Institute of Radio Equipment: CIS (former Soviet) agency

• AUX auxiliary

• AVC aviation VHF car rental availability (messages)

• AVH aviation VHF hotel availability (messages)

• AVLAN avionics local area network

• AVLC aviation VHF link control

• AVM airborne vibration monitor

• AVN avionics

• AVOD audio and video channels on demand

• AVOL aerodrome visibility operational level

• AVPAC aviation VHF packet communications

• AVS aviation VHF seat availability (messages)

• AVS avionics management system

• AWACS airborne warning and control system

• AWAS automated weather advisory station

• AWG American wire gauge

• AWIN advanced weather information system

• AWIN aviation weather information

• AWIPS advanced weather interactive processing system

• AWLU aircraft wireless LAN unit

• AWM auto warning mixer

• AWO all weather operations

• AWOP AWO panel

• AWOS automated/airport weather observing system

• AWR aviation weather research

• AZ azimuth: angular measurement in horizontal plane