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

  • P2FEP Preliminary Eurocontrol test of air/ground datalink (PETAL)-II front-end processor

  • P3I preplanned product improvements

  • P-Code GPS precision code

  • P-DME precision DME P-RNAV precision area navigation P/F poll/final

  • P/R ST press to reset

  • PA passenger address

  • PA pow er amplifier

  • PA precision approach

  • PABX private automatic branch exchange

  • PAC path attenuation compensa tion

  • PACIS passenger address and commu­nication interphone system

  • PAD packet assembler-disassembler

  • PAL programmable array logic

  • PAM pulse amplitude modulation

  • PAMRI peripheral adapter module replacement item

  • PANS-OPS procedures for air navigation services-aircraft operations

  • PANYNJ Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

  • PAPD precise and accurate positioning device

  • PAPI precision approach path indicator

  • PAR precision approach radar

  • PARTNER Partnership for Air Transportation Noise and Emissions Reduction

  • PAT process action team

  • PATS portable avionics test solution

  • PAU passenger address unit

  • PAVES programmable audio video enter­tainment system

  • PAWES performance assessment and workload evaluation

  • PAX passenger

  • PBD place bearing/distance (waypoint)

  • PBID post burn-in data

  • PBN performance-based navigation

  • PBL performance-based logistics

  • PBX public/private branch exchange

  • PC personal computer

  • PC printed circuit

  • PCA physical configuration audit

  • PCB printed circuit board

  • PCC pilot controller communication

  • PCD panoramic cockpit display

  • PCI peripheral component interface (32-bit local bus)

  • PCI protocol control information

  • PCM pulse code modulation

  • PCMIA Personal Computer Memory Card Interface Association

  • PCO protocol converter unit

  • PCU passenger control unit

  • PCU personal control unit

  • PCU power control unit

  • PCU program coordination office

  • PD profile descent

  • PDB performance data base

  • PDC pre-departure clearance

  • PDCU panel data concentrator unit

  • PDD package design document

  • PDDI product definition data interface

  • PDF primary display function

  • PDL program design language

  • PDM predefined controller text message

  • PDM project development manager

  • PDN public data network

  • PDOP position dilution of precision

  • PDR preliminary design review

  • PDS persistent data storage

  • PDS primary display system

  • PDU protocol data unit

  • PE precision engagement

  • PECT peer entity contact table

  • PED portable electronic device

  • PEO C3T Army Program Executive Office Command, Control and Commu­nications Tactical

  • PER packed encoding rule

  • PERT program evaluation and review technique

  • PETAL preliminary Eurcontrol test of air/ground data link

  • PF pilot flying

  • PF power factor

  • pFAST passive final approach spacing tool

  • PFC passenger facility charge

  • PFC primary flight computer

  • PFCS primary flight control system

  • PFD primary flight display

  • PHARE Program for Harmonized ATM Research in Europe (Eurocontrol)

  • PHY physical

  • PI parameter identifier

  • PICMG PCI Industrial Computer Manufac­turers Group

  • PIA performance, integrity and availability

  • PICS protocol implementation confor­mance statements

  • PID parameter identifier

  • PID pilot information display

  • PID primitive identifier

  • PID process ID

  • PIM programmable infosec module

  • PIP product improvement program

  • PIREP pilot report

  • PKI public key infrastructure

  • PL parameter length

  • PLA power lever angle

  • PLB personal locator beacon

  • PLBT personal locator beacon and voice transceiver

  • PM program manager

  • PM phase modulation

  • PMA parts manufacturer approval

  • PMA parts manufacturer authority

  • PMA permanent magnet alternator

  • PMAT portable maintenance access terminal

  • PMC provisional memory cover

  • PMC PCI mezzanine card

  • PMG permanent magnet generator

  • PMOS p-type metal oxide semiconductor

  • PMP project/program management plan

  • PMS performance management system

  • PN pseudo noise

  • PNCS performance navigation computer system

  • PND primary navigation display

  • PNF pilot not flying

  • PNR point of no return

  • PO part of

  • POA plain old ACARS

  • POA position offset applied

  • POC point of contact

  • POC proof of concept

  • POCC project operations control center

  • POH pilot’s operating handbook

  • POM program objective memorandum

  • POP plug-in optronic payload

  • POP point of presence

  • POR Pacific Ocean region

  • POR program of record

  • POSIX portable operating system interface

  • POTS plain old telephone system/service

  • PPA production preparation agreement

  • PPDU physical layer protocol data unit

  • PPI planned position indicator

  • PPL processor-to-processor link

  • PPM pages per minute

  • PPM parts per million

  • PPM pulse position modulation

  • PPP point-to-point protocol

  • PPS packets per second

  • PPS precise positioning service

  • PPS pulse per second

  • PRAIM predictive RAIM

  • PRF pulse repetition frequency

  • PRI primary rate interface

  • PRM precision runway monitor

  • PRM-A Precision Runway Monitor-Alter­nate (FAA)

  • PROM programmable read-only memory

  • PRN pseudo random noise

  • PRS public regulated service

  • PRSOV pressure regulating and shutoff valve

  • PS power supply

  • PSA PS assembly

  • PSD port sharing device

  • PSDN packet switched data network

  • PSE packet-switching exchange

  • PSEU proximity sensor electronic unit

  • PSL projected service life

  • PSL/PSA problem statement language/problem statement analyzer

  • PSM power supply modules

  • PSN packet switching network

  • PSPL preferred standard parts list

  • PSR primary surveillance radar

  • PSS proximity sensor system

  • PSSA preliminary system safety assessment

  • PSTN public switched telephone network

  • PSU passenger service unit

  • PT plane talk

  • PTAN precision terrain aided navigation

  • PTD performance test domain

  • PTI packet type identifier

  • PTM peripheral transition module

  • PTR production test requirements

  • PTS problem tracking system

  • PTSD production test specification document

  • PTT push to talk

  • PTU power transfer unit

  • PV parameter value

  • PV photovoltaic

  • PVC permanent virtual circuit

  • PVD plan view display

  • PVT position, velocity, time

  • PWM pulse-width modulation

  • PWR power

  • PXI PCI extensions for instrumentation