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.

• F fahrenheit

• FA final approach

• FAA Federal Aviation Administration (U.S.)

• FAA/EURO FAA/Eurocontrol R&D committee

• FAATC FAA Technical Center

• FAB-T family of advanced beyond-line-of-sight terminals

• FAC flight augmentation computer

• FADEC full authority digital engine/electronic control

• FAF final approach fix

• FAI first article inspection

• FAMIS full aircraft management/inertial system

• FANS Future Air Navigation System (ICAO)

• FAR federal acquisition regulation

• FAR federal aviation regulation

• FAST final approach spacing tool

• FAT factory acceptance test

• FBL fly by light

• FBN fly by night

• FBO fixed-base operator

• FBW fly by wire

• FC functional capability

• FC foot candles

• FCA functional configuration audit

• FCC flight control computer

• FCC Federal Communications Commission

• FCDC flight critical direct current

• FCM future concepts for maintenance

• FCMA FANS central Monitoring Agency

• FCP flight control processor

• FCP flight control panel

• FCS flight control system

• FCS frame check sequence

• FCS future concepts for simulators

• FD flight dynamics/director

• FD final data

• FDAF flight data acquisition function

• FDAU flight data acquisitions unit

• FDB flight plan data bank

• FDDI fiber distribution data interface

• FDE fault detection and exclusion

• FDEP flight data entry panel

• FDH flight deck handset

• FDI fault detection and isolation

• FDIMU flight data interface management unit

• FDIO flight data input/output

• FDM flight data monitoring

• FDM frequency division multiplex

• FDMA frequency division multiple access

• FDPS flight data processing system

• FDR flight data recorder

• FDRS flight data recorder system

• FDP flight data processor

• F&E facilities and equipment

• FEATS future European air traffic management system

• FEC forward error correction

• FEP front-end processor

• FERNS Far East Radionavigation Service

• FF fuel flow

• FFIC free flight implementation committee

• FFS full flight simulator

• FFT full flight trainer

• FGC flight guidance computer

• FGS flight guidance system

• FHA functional hazard assessment

• FIAO flight inspection area office

• FIB forwarding information base

• FIFO first in, first out

• FIM fault isolation manual

• FIR flight information region

• FIS flight information services

• FIS-B FIS-broadcast

• FIX position in space usually on aircraft's flight plan

• FL flight level

• FL foot lampert

• FLCH flight level change

• FLIR forward-looking infrared

• FLTCK flight check

• FltWinds flight and weather information and decision support

• FLW forward-looking windshear radar

• FM frequency modulation

• FMA flight mode annunciator

• FMAC Frequency Management Advisory Council

• FMC flight management control/ computer

• FMC future concepts for maintenance

• FMCDU flight management control and display unit (FMS)

• FMCF flight management computer function

• FMCS flight management computer system

• FMCW frequency-modulated continuous wave

• FMEA failure mode and effects analysis

• FMF flight management function

• FMGC flight management guidance computer

• FMGEC flight management guidance envelope computer

• FMP flight mode panel

• FMS flight management system

• FMSG Frequency Management Study Group (ICAO)

• FMST flight management system trainer

• FMU fuel metering unit

• FNPRM further notice of proposed rulemaking

• F/O first officer

• FOC full operational capability

• FOC fuel/oil cooler

• FOD foreign object debris

• FODA flight operations data assurance

• FOG fiber optic gyro

• FOQA flight operational quality assurance

• FOS fiber optics subcommittee

• FOV field of view

• FOWG fiber optics working group

• FPA focal plane array

• FPA flight path angle

• FPAC flight path acceleration

• FPC flight profile comparator

• FPGA field programmable gate array

• FPM feet per minute

• FPV flight path vector

• FQIS fuel quality indicating system

• FQPU fuel quality processor unit

• FQR formal qualification review

• FR frame relay

• FRA flap retraction altitude

• FRAD frame relay access device

• FRCS flight recorder configuration standard

• FRED flight recorder electronic documentation

• FRM fault reporting manual

• FRM flammability reduction means

• FRM frame reject mode

• FRMR frame reject

• FRP Federal Radionavigation Plan

• FRPA fixed reception pattern antenna

• FRQ frequency

• FSAS flight service automation system

• FSC future combat systems (US Army)

• FSE FANS systems engineering

• FSE field service engineer

• FSEMC Flight Simulator Engineering and Maintenance Conference

• FSEU flap slat electronics unit

• FSF Flight Safety Foundation

• FSM flight schedule monitoring

• FSS flight service station

• FSWE FANS software engineering

• FT functional test

• FT/ADIRS fault tolerant/air date inertial reference system

• FTE flight technical error

• FTP file transfer protocol

• FTPP fault tolerant power panel

• FTS Federal Telecommunications System

• FVHF future VHF system study (Eurocontrol)

• FW failure warning

• FW firewall router

• FWC flight warning computer

• FWD forward

• FWS flight warning system

• FY fiscal year