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This is a glossary of acronyms, initialisms and terms used for gliding and soaring. This is a specialized subset of broader aviation, aerospace, and aeronautical terminology. Additional definitions can be found in the FAA Glider Flying Handbook.
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- A/C
- aircraft
- ACFT
- aircraft
- AGL
- above ground level
- AHRS
- Attitude and heading reference system
- AIP
- Aeronautical Information Publication
- AIRAC
- Aeronautical information regulation and control
- ALT
- Altitude
- AME
- Aviation Medical Examiner
- AMO
- Approved Maintenance Organization
- AMSL
- above mean sea level
- AOA
- angle of attack
- ARC
- airworthiness review certificate
- ASI
- airspeed indicator
- ASL
- above sea level
- ATC
- air traffic control
- BGA
- British Gliding Association
- bhp
- brake horsepower
- CAA
- Civil Aviation Authority
- CAMO
- Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisation
- CFI
- Certified Flight Instructor or Chief Flying Instructor
- CG
- center of gravity
- CofA
- Certificate of airworthiness
- EASA
- European Aviation Safety Agency
- ELT
- emergency locator transmitter
- FAA
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAI
- Fédération Aéronautique Internationale, the world governing body for air sports
- FL
- flight level
- FPM
- feet per minute
- GA
- general aviation
- GSPU
- Glider snatch pick-up
- IAS
- indicated airspeed
- IFR
- instrument flight rules
- IVSM
- International Vintage Sailplane Meet - meeting for vintage gliders in the USA
- JAA
- Joint Aviation Authorities
- JAR
- Joint Aviation Requirements
- JWGC
- Junior World Gliding Championships[1]
- knot
- A unit of speed. While the knot is commonly used in aviation and other contexts as an abbreviation of nautical miles per hour, in soaring the knot is also used to describe lift (and sink conditions). Using approximations, one knot of upward velocity in a thermal equates to roughly 100 feet per minute of climb.[2]
- LOA
- letter of authorization or agreement
- L/D
- Lift-to-drag ratio
- M-ASA
- Mid-Atlantic Soaring Association[3]
- MSL
- mean sea level
- MTOW
- maximum take-off weight
- NOTAM
- notice to airmen
- OGN
- Open Glider Network project[4]
- OAT
- outside air temperature
- OLC
- Online Contest. A moderated forum that allows subscribers from various countries and regions to compete individually and as teams in flying contests.[5]
- PPL
- private pilot licence
- PPR
- prior permission required, eg to land at another airfield
- PTT
- push to talk
- QFE
- the Q-code for: Atmospheric pressure at aerodrome elevation (or at runway threshold)
- QNE
- the Q-code for pressure altitude
- QNH
- the Q-code for: Altimeter sub-scale setting to obtain elevation when on the ground, i.e. altitude above MSL
- RAFGSA
- Royal Air Force Gliding & Soaring Association
- SSA
- Soaring Society of America[6]
- SSF
- Soaring Safety Foundation - Training and safety arm of the Soaring Society of America [7]
- RT
- radiotelephony
- TAS
- true airspeed
- TMA
- Terminal manoeuvring area (Europe)/inal control area (USA and Canada)
- TMG
- touring motor glider
- TMZ
- transponder mandatory zone
- TP
- turning point
- TRA
- temporary reserved area (airspace)
- UTC
- Universal Time Coordinated
- VFR
- visual flight rules
- VHF
- very high frequency
- VMC
- visual meteorological conditions
- Va
- maneuvering speed
- Vne
- never-exceed speed
- Vra
- Rough Air Speed
- WDA
- World Distance Award for US pilots to encourage cross-country flying
- WGC
- World Gliding Championships
- WWGC
- Women's World Gliding Championships
- XC
- cross-country
- XPDR
- transponder
- Z
- Zulu Time (UTC)
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