AEROSPACE ACRONYM & Abbreviation Guide

Download the PDF of the Acronym Guide

December 2010

Avionics Magazine proudly presents the fifth edition of our biennial Aerospace Acronym & Abbreviation Guide. Updated with the latest terms from the magazine’s pages, this comprehensive guide has grown to more than 3,000 civil and military acronyms.

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

  • 1090 ES 1090 MHz extended squitter

  • 3D, 4D three- or four-dimensional

  • 3G third generation

  • 3GCN third-generation cabin network

  • 4DT 4-Dimensional Trajectories

  • 4096 Code combinations of four-digit transponder code

  • A autotuned navaid

  • A-BPSK aviation binary phase shift keying

  • A-QPSK aeronautical quadrature phase shift keying

  • A-SMGCS advanced surface movement guidance and control systems

  • A/B autobrake

  • A/C aircraft

  • A/D analog-to-digital

  • A/FD Airport/Facility Directory

  • A/G air/ground; air to ground

  • A/L airline

  • A/L autoland

  • A/N alphanumeric

  • A/P autopilot

  • A/T autothrottle

  • A/V aircraft/vehicle

  • A&P airframe and power plant

  • AAC aeronautical administration communications

  • AAC airline administrative communi­cations

  • AAIB Air Accident Investigation Branch (U.K. equivalent of NTSB)

  • AAF airway facilities service

  • AAI Airline Avionics Institute

  • AAIPT Aging Aircraft Enterprise Team (Naval Air Systems Command)

  • AAIU air accident investigation unit

  • AAL above aerodome level

  • AALC autonomous approach landing capability

  • AAMP advanced architecture micro­processor

  • AAR Automated Aerial Refueling

  • AATD Aviation Applied Technology Directorate (U.S. Army)

  • AATT advanced air transportation technology

  • AAS advanced automation system (FAA)

  • ABC automatic brightness control

  • ABCS Army Battle Command System

  • ABSAA Airborne Sense and Avoid

  • AC advisory circular

  • AC alternating current

  • AC2 Dolby surround

  • 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

  • ACC active clearance control

  • ACC airspace control center

  • ACC area control center

  • ACD automatic conflict detection

  • ACDO Air Carrier District Office

  • ACE actuator control electronics

  • ACE advanced certification equipment

  • ACG Assessment Compliance Group

  • ACI-NA Airport Council International - North America

  • ACIPS airfoil cowl ice protection system

  • ACF area control facility

  • ACK acknowledgment

  • ACM adjacent center metering

  • ACMF airplane condition monitoring function

  • ACMP alternating current motor pump

  • ACMS aircraft condition monitoring system

  • ACNSS advanced communication/navi­gation/surveillance system

  • ACO Aircraft Certification Office (FAA)

  • ACP audio control panel

  • ACS active control system

  • ACS aerial common sensor

  • ACS audio control system

  • ACT active

  • ACTC airport traffic control towers

  • ACTD advanced concept technology demonstration

  • ACU aircraft communications system

  • ACU antenna control unit

  • ACU apron control unit

  • ACU autopilot control unit

  • AD airworthiness directive (FAA)

  • ADA Air Defense Artillery

  • ADAHRS air data attitude heading reference system

  • ADAS automated weather observing system data acquisition system

  • ADB airport database

  • ADC air data computer

  • ADC Air Defense Command

  • ADC analog to digital converter

  • 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

  • ADIZ Air Defense Identification Zone

  • ADL aeronautical data link

  • ADLP airborne data link protocol

  • ADLP aircraft data link processor (Mode S)

  • 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 accumulated Doppler range

  • ADR accumulated Delta range

  • ADR address

  • ADR Advanced Data Research

  • ADR alternative dispute resolution

  • ADRAS airplane data recovery and analysis system

  • ADS air data system

  • ADS automatic dependent surveillance

  • ADS-A ADS-addressed

  • ADS-A ADS-automation

  • ADS-B ADS-broadcast

  • ADS-C ADS-contract

  • ADS-R ADS-rebroadcast

  • 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

  • AEB Aerial Exploitation Battalion

  • AECU audio electronic control unit

  • AED automated engineering design

  • AEDT Aviation Environmental Design Tool

  • AEE Office of Environment & Energy (FAA)

  • AEEC formerly Airlines Electronic Engi­neering Committee (ARINC)

  • AEO all engines operative

  • AEP ARINC engineering practices

  • AEP audio entertainment player

  • AERA automated en route air traffic control

  • AES aircraft earth station (Inmarsat)

  • AESA active electronically scanned array

  • AESS aircraft environment surveillance system

  • AEW airborne early warning

  • AEW&C Airborne Early Warning and Control

  • AF airway facilities

  • AFB Air Force base

  • 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 switched Ethernet

  • AFEPS ACARS front-end processing system

  • AFGCS automatic flight guidance and control system

  • AFI authority format identifier

  • AFIRS autonomous flight information reporting system

  • AFIS airborne flight information system

  • AFIS automated flight inspection system

  • AFM aircraft flight manual

  • AFMS airplane flight manual supplement

  • 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

  • AGACS automatic A/G communication system

  • AGAE A/G applications engineering

  • AGATE Advanced General Aviation Transport Experiments (NASA)

  • AGC automatic gain control

  • AGCOS A/G communication services

  • AGCS air-ground communication systems

  • AGCU auxiliary generator control unit

  • AGD ADS-B guidance display

  • 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

  • AIA Aerospace Industries Association

  • AIAA American Institute of Aeronau­tics and Astronautics

  • 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 aeronautical information management

  • 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 Airport Improvement Program

  • AIP analog input

  • AIR Aircraft Certification Service (FAA)

  • AIRAC aeronautical information regula­tion and control

  • AIRCOM digital air/ground communica­tions service (SITA)

  • AIRE Atlantic Interoperability Initiative to Reduce Emissions (FAA)

  • AIRMET airman’s meteorological information

  • AIRO analog input/reference output

  • AIS aeronautical information service

  • AIS Automated Identification System (U.S. Army)

  • AIS automatic information services (Eurocontrol)

  • AISG Applications Interface Sub-Group (IATA)

  • AIT Advanced Individual Training (U.S. Army)

  • AIV accumulator isolation valve

  • AJPS AFEPS journal processing system

  • AK authentication key

  • AKO Army Knowledge Online

  • AL alarm limit

  • 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

  • ALSF-2 Approach Lighting System with Sequenced Flashing Light-Model 2

  • ALT-HOLD altitude hold mode

  • ALT airborne link terminal

  • ALT altitude/alternate

  • AltBOC alternate binary offset carrier

  • ALTM altimeter

  • ALTN alternate

  • ALTRV altitude reservation

  • ALTS altitude select

  • ALU arithmetic and logic unit

  • AM access module

  • AM amplitude modulation

  • AMASS airport movement area safety system

  • AMC acceptable means of compliance (EASA)

  • AMC advanced mezzanine card

  • 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

  • AMF Airborne, Maritime and Fixed Station

  • AMF-M AMF-Maritime

  • AMF-SA AMF-Small Airborne

  • AMF JTRS Airborne and Maritime/Fixed Station Joint Tactical Radio System

  • AMI airline modifiable information

  • AML approved model list

  • 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

  • AMRAAM Advanced Medium-Range Air to Air Missile

  • AMS acquisition management system

  • AMS apron management service

  • AMS ARINC maintenance service

  • AMS avionics management service

  • AmSAT American satellite

  • AMSL above mean sea level

  • 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 ACARS/avionics management unit

  • AMU audio management unit

  • AMUX audio multiplexer

  • ANC Air Navigation Commission (ICAO)

  • ANDC airport and navigation data compiler

  • ANFR Agence Nationale des Frequences (France)

  • 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

  • ANPA advanced notice of proposed amendment

  • ANPE actual navigation performance effect

  • 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 provider

  • ANSU avionics network server unit

  • ANTC advanced networking test center

  • AO acronymic obfuscation

  • AO Area of Operation (U.S. Army)

  • AOA ACARS over aviation VHF link control

  • AOA angle of arrival

  • AOA angle of attack

  • AOAS advanced oceanic automation system

  • AOC aeronautical operational control

  • AOC aircraft operational control

  • AOC Airline Operational Control Center

  • AOC airline operations center

  • AOC airport obstruction chart

  • AOC airport operational communications

  • 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 aeronautical OSI profile

  • AOP airline operational procedure

  • AOP analog output

  • AOPA Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association

  • AOR Atlantic Ocean region

  • AOR area of responsibility

  • AOR-E Atlantic Ocean region-east

  • AOR-W Atlantic Ocean region-west

  • AP airport location (ACARS/AFEPS)

  • APA Allied Pilots Association

  • APA autopilot amplifier

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

  • APAS Active/Passive Aircraft Survivability

  • APB acquisition program baseline

  • APB auxiliary power breaker

  • APC aeronautical passenger communication

  • APC aeronautical public correspondence

  • APC aircraft power conditioner

  • APC autopilot computer

  • APCO Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials - International

  • APFA Association of Professional Flight Attendants

  • APFDS autopilot flight director system

  • APEX application/executive software

  • APEX Airline Passenger Experience Association (formerly WAEA)

  • API application programming interface

  • APIM ARINC Industry Activities Project Initiation/Modification

  • APIRS attitude and positioning inertial reference system

  • APMS automated performance measurement system

  • APL Applied Physics Laboratory

  • APLC 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 avionics qualification procedure/program

  • AQP advanced qualification program

  • AQS advanced quality system

  • AR authorization required

  • ARB arbitrary waveform generator

  • ARC aviation rulemaking committee (FAA)

  • ARD advanced requirement definition

  • ARDEP analysis of research & develop­ment in Eurocontrol programs

  • ARF airline risk factor

  • ARFORGEN Army Force Generation

  • ARM area regional manager

  • ARMC area regional maintenance center

  • ARMS Airspace resource management system

  • ARNS aeronautical radio navigation services

  • ARP aerospace recommended practice

  • ARP airport reference point

  • ARP antenna reference point

  • ARTAS ATM surveillance tracker and server

  • ARTCC air route traffic control center

  • ARTP NextGen Aviation Research and Technology Park

  • ARTS automated radar terminal system

  • ASA aircraft surveillance applications

  • ASAS aircraft separation assurance system (AEEC)

  • ASAS aircraft surveillance application system

  • ASAS aviation safety analysis system

  • 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

  • ASDE-3 airport surface detection equipment, model 3

  • ASDE-X airport surface detection equipment, model X

  • ASDI Aircraft Situation Display to Industry

  • ASDL aeronautical satellite data link

  • ASDR airport surface detection radar

  • ASE aircraft survivability equipment (U.S. Army)

  • 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

  • ASIAS Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing (FAA)

  • ASIC application specific integrated circuit

  • ASL above sea level

  • ASM airspace management

  • ASM autothrottle servo motor

  • ASME American Society of Mechani­cal Engineers

  • ASOR Allocating Safety Objectives and Requirements

  • ASOS automated surface observa­tion system

  • ASP ACARS sub-network protocol

  • ASP acquisition strategy paper

  • ASP aeronautical fixed service sys­tems planning (AFS)

  • ASP Airspace Systems Program (NASA)

  • ASP altitude set panel

  • ASP arrival sequencing program

  • ASPIRE Asia and Pacific Initiative to Reduce Emissions

  • ASPP application specific program­mable processor

  • ASR airport surveillance radar

  • ASRAAM advanced short range air-to-air missile

  • ASRS aviation safety reporting system

  • ASSA Airport Surface Situational Awareness

  • ASSTC aerospace simulation and sys­tems test center

  • ASSV alternate source selection valve

  • ASTA airport surface traffic automation

  • ASTAMIDS Airborne Standoff Minefield Detection System

  • ASTERIX All-Purpose Structured Euro­control Surveillance Information Exchange

  • ASTF airspace system task force

  • ASTM American Society for Testing and Materials

  • ASTOR Airborne Stand-Off Radar (U.K.)

  • ASVI avionics serial video interface

  • ASV alternate servo valve

  • AT air transport

  • AT at an altitude

  • ATA actual time of arrival

  • ATA Air Transport Association

  • 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

  • ATI airborne tracker illuminator

  • ATIDS airport surface target identifi­cation system/ service

  • ATIS airport traffic information system

  • ATIS automatic terminal information service

  • ATL autothrottle limit

  • ATLAS abbreviated test language for avionics systems

  • ATM air traffic management

  • ATM asynchronous transfer mode

  • ATMAC Air Traffic Management Committee (RTCA)

  • ATMAS ATM automation system

  • ATMB Air Traffic Management Bureau (China)

  • 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)

  • ATOL automatic take-off and landing

  • ATOP advanced technologies and oce­anic procedures

  • ATP acceptance test procedure/plan

  • ATPAC Air Traffic Procedures Advisory Committee (FAA)

  • ATR acceptance test report

  • ATR air transport racking

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

  • ATS air traffic services

  • ATS air turbine starter

  • ATS autothrottle system

  • ATS air traffic service

  • ATSAP Air Traffic Safety Action Program (FAA)

  • ATSAW Airborne Traffic Situational Awareness

  • 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 (U.S.)

  • 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)

  • AVIM Aviation Intermediate Level Maintenance (U.S. Army)

  • AVL automated vehicle locations

  • AVLAN avionics local area network

  • AVLC aviation VHF link control

  • AVM airborne vibration monitor

  • AVS aviation VHF seat availability

  • AVOD audio and video channels on demand

  • AVOL aerodrome visibility operational level

  • AVPAC aviation VHF packet communications

  • AVS aviation VHF seat availability (messages)

  • AVUM Aviation Unit-Level Maintenance (U.S. Army)

  • 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