ABBREVIATIONS

Abbreviations are given in the decode format. Abbreviations are pronounced as each letter using the
corresponding phonetics. Any deviations to this rule are given either against the abbreviation or as
note in the end of the list.
* Transmitted as spoken word; e.g. AIRPROX is pronounced as airprox and not as Alpha India
Romeo Papa Romeo Oscar X-ray.
** Transmitted using the individual letters in non-phonetic form; e.g. VOR is transmitted as VOR
and not as Victor Oscar Romeo.
1

NOVEMBER ALPHA AVIATION ACADEMY

PLOT NO. 2 JEROME COMPOUND SUNDAR NAGAR
KALINA SANTACRUZ EAST
MUMBAI 400098

CONTACT : +919463222223
A
A Amber
A/A Air to Air
AAD Assigned altitude deviation
AAL Above Aerodrome Level
ABM Abeam
ABT About
ABV Above
ACAS* Airborne Collision Avoidance System (pronounced AY-KAS) (see TCAS)
ACC** Area Control Centre or Area Control
ACCID Notification of an aircraft accident
ACFT Aircraft
ACK Acknowledge
ACL Altimeter Check Location
ACPT Accept or accepted
ACT Active or Activated or Activity

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AD Aerodrome
ADA Advisory Area
ADDN Addition or Additional
ADF** Automatic Direction-Finding Equipment
ADIZ Air Defence Identification Zone (pronounced AY-DIZ)
ADJ Adjacent
ADR Advisory Route
ADS-B** Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast
ADS-C** Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Contract
ADVS Advisory Service
ADZ Advice
AES Aircraft Earth Station
AFIL Flight plan filed in the air
AFIS Aerodrome Flight Information Service
AFTN** Aeronautical Fixed Telecommunication Network
AFS Aeronautical Fixed Service
AFT After (time or place)
A/G Air to Ground
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AGA Aerodrome, air routes and ground aids
AGCS Air Ground Communication Service
AGL Above Ground Level
AGN Again
AIC Aeronautical Information Circular
AIP Aeronautical Information Publication
AIRAC Aeronautical Information Regulation and Control
AIREP* Air Report
AIRMET* Information concerning en-route weather phenomena which may affect the safety of low-level
aircraft operations
AIS Aeronautical Information Service
AIRPROX* Code word used in air traffic incident to designate aircraft proximity.
ALA Alighting area
ALERFA* Alert phase
ALR Alerting service
ALS Approach lighting system
ALT Altitude

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ALTN Alternate or alternating (light alternates in colour or alternate aerodrome)
AMA Area Minimum Altitude
AMD Amend or Amended
AMDT Amendment
AMS Aeronautical Mobile Service
AMSL Above Mean Sea Level
AMSS Aeronautical Mobile Satellite Service
ANO Air Navigation Order
AOC Aerodrome Obstacle Chart
AP Airport
APAPI* Abbreviated Precision Approach Path Indicator (pronounced AY-PAPI)
APCH Approach
APN Apron
APP Approach control office or approach control or approach control services
APR April
APRX Approximate or Approximately
APV Approve or Approved or Approval

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ARFOR Area forecast
ARNG Arrange
ARO Air traffic services reporting office
ARP Air Report (message type designator)
AS Altostratus
ASC Ascend or ascending to
ASDA Accelerated stop distance available
ASPH Asphalt
ATA** Actual Time of Arrival
ATC** Air Traffic Control (in general)
ATCO* Air Traffic Control Officer (M)
ATD** Actual Time of Departure
ATFM Air traffic flow management
ATIS* Automatic Terminal Information Service
ATM Air traffic management
ATN Aeronautical telecommunication network
ATS Air Traffic Service
ATSU Air Traffic Service Unit
ATSOCAS Air Traffic Services outside Controlled Airspace
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ATTN Attention
AT-VASIS* Abbreviated T Visual Approach Slope Indicator System (pronounced AY- TEEVASIS)
ATZ Aerodrome Traffic Zone
AUG August
AUW All up weight
AUTH Authorised or Authorisation
AUX Auxilliary
AVASIS Abbreviated visual approach slope indicator system
AVBL Available
AVG Average
AVGAS* Aviation gasoline
AWY Airway
AZM Azimuth

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B

B Blue
BA Braking action
BASE* Cloud base
BCFG Fog patches
BCN Beacon
BCST Broadcast
BDRY Boundary
BECMG Becoming
BFR Before
BKN Broken
BLDG Building
BLO Below clouds
BLSN Blowing snow
BLW Below
BRG Bearing
BRKG Breaking
BTN Between 8
C

C Degree Celsius (Centigrade)

CAT Category or clear air temperature
CAVOK* Visibility, cloud and present weather better than prescribed values or conditions
(CAVOK is pronounced as KAV-OH-KAY)
CB** Cumulonimbus (pronounced as CEE-BEE)
CC Cirrocumulus
CDN Coordination (message type designator)
CFM* Confirm or I confirm
CHG Change or changed
CIDIN Common ICAO data interchange network
CL Centre line
CLBR Calibration
CLD Cloud
CLR Clear(s) or cleared to or clearance
CLSD Close or closed or closing
CM Centimetre
CMB Climb to or climbing to 9
CNS Communication navigation and surveillance
COM Communication
COND Condition
CONR Continue(s) or Continued
COOR Coordinate or Coordination
COORDS Coordinates
COP Change over point
COR Correct or correction or corrected (message type designator)
CPDLC** Controller Pilot Data Link Communication
CS Cirrostratus
C/S Call sign
CTA Control area
CTAM Climb to and maintain
CTC Contact
CTN Caution
CTR Control zone
CU Cumulus
CW Continuous wave
CWY Clearway
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D

D Danger area (followed by identification)

DA Decision altitude
D-ATIS* Data link automatic terminal information service (pronounced DEE-ATIS)
DCD Double channel duplex
DCKG Docking
DCS Double channel simplex
DCT Direct (in relation to flight plan clearance and type of approach)
DE From (used to precede the call sign of a calling station)
DEP Depart or departure
DES Descend to or descending to
DEST Destination
DETRESFA* Distress phase
DEV Deviation
DFTI Distance from touch down indicator
DGCA Director General of Civil Aviation
DF Direction Finding
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DH Decision height
DISP Displaced
DIST Distance
DIV Divert or diverting
DLA Delay or delayed (message type designator)
DLY Daily
DME** Distance measuring equipment
DNG Danger or dangerous
DOC Document(s)
DP Dew point temperature
DPT Depth
DR Dead Reckoning
DSB Double side band
DTAM Descend to and maintain
DTRT Deteriorate or deteriorating
DUR Duration
DW Dual wheels
DVOR Doppler VOR
DZ Drizzle
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E

EAT Expected Approach Time

EB East bound
EET Estimated elapsed time
EFIS* Electronic Flight Instrument System (pronounced as EE-FIS)
ELBA* Emergency location beacon aircraft
ELEV Elevation
ELR Extra long range
EM Emission
EMERG Emergency
EN English
END Stop-end (related to RVR)
ENE East north east
ENRT En-route
EOBT Estimated off block time
EQPT Equipment

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ERC En-route chart
ESE East south east
EST Estimate or estimated (message type designator)
ETA Estimated Time of Arrival
ETC Etcetera
ETD Estimated Time of Departure
ETO Estimated time over significant point
EV Every
EXC Except
EXER Exercises or exercising or to exercise
EXP Expect or expected or expecting
EXTD Extend or extending

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F

F Fixed
FAC Facilities
FAF Final Approach Fix
FAL Facilitation of international air transport
FAP Final approach point
FATO Final approach and take off area
FAX Fascimile transmission
FCST Forecast
FCT Friction coefficient
FG Fog
FIC Flight Information Centre
FIR** Flight Information Region
FIS Flight Information Service
FISA Automated flight information service
FL Flight Level
FLG Flashing
FLR Flares
FLT Flight 15
FLTCK Flight check
FLUC Fluctuating or fluctuated or fluctuation
FLW Follow(s) or following
FLY Fly or flying
FM From
FMU Flow management unit
FNA Final approach
FOD Foreign Object Damage
FPL Filed flight plan (message type designator)
FPM Feet per minute
FREQ Frequency
FRNG Firing
FRQ Frequent
FSL Full stop landing
FSS Flight service station
FST First
Ft Foot (feet)
FTU Flying Training Unit (M)
FU Smoke
FZ Freezing 16
G

G Green
G/A Ground to Air
G/A/G Ground to Air and Air to Ground
GAGAN* GPS and geostationary earth augmented navigation
GAT General Air Traffic
GBAS* Ground-based augmentation system (pronounced GEE-BAS)
GCA** Ground Control Approach system or Ground Control Approach
GEN General
GEO Geographic
GES Ground Earth Station
GLD Glider
GLONASS* Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System (pronounced Glo-NAS)
GND Ground

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GNDCK Ground check
GS Gliding School (M)
GMC Ground Movement Control
GNSS** Global Navigation Satellite System
GP Glide Path
GPS** Global Positioning System
GPWS** Ground Proximity Warning System
GRAS* Ground-based regional augmentation system (pronounced GRASS)
GS Ground speed

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H

H+ Hours plus…minutes past the hour

H24 Continuous day and night service (H24 pronounced Aitch Twenty Fower)
HBN Hazard beacon
HDF High frequency direction finding station
HDG Heading
HEL Helicopter
HEL-H Heavy helicopter (radius of action in excess of 100 nm and capacity for evacuating more than 5
persons)
HEL-L Light helicopter (radius of action in excess of 50 nm and capacity for evacuating more than one
person)
HEM-L Medium helicopter (radius of action in excess of 50-100 nm and capacity for
evacuating more than 2-5 persons)
HF** High Frequency (3-30 MHz)
HGT Height or height above
HJ Sunrise to Sunset
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HLDG Holding
HN Sunset to Sunrise
HO Service available to meet operational requirements
HOL Holiday
HOSP Hospital aircraft
HPA Hectopascal
HQ Headquarters
HR Hours
HS Service available during hours of scheduled operations
HX No specific working hours
HZ Dust haze
Hz Hertz

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I

IAC Instrument Approach Chart

IAF Initial Approach Fix
IAR Intersection of air routes
IAS Indicated Air Speed
IBN Identification beacon
ICAO* International Civil Aviation Organisation
ID Identifier or Identify
IDENT* Identification
IF Intermediate approach fix
IFR** Instrument Flight Rules
IGA International General Aviation
ILS** Instrument Landing System
IM Inner Marker
IMC** Instrument Meteorological Conditions
IMG Immigration
IMPR Improve or Improving
IMT Immediate or immediately
INA Initial Approach 21
INBD Inbound
INCERFA* Uncertainty phase
INFO* Information
INOP Inoperative
INP If not possible
INPR In progress
INS Inertial Navigation System
INSTL Install or installed or installation
INSTR Instrument
INT Intersection
INTL International
INTRG Interrogator
INTRP Interrupt or interruption or interrupted
INTSF Intensify or intensifying
INTST Intensity
IRVR Instrumented Runway Visual Range
ISA International standard atmosphere
ISB Independent side band
ISOL Isolated
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J

JAN January
JUL July
JUN June

Kg Kilogramme(s)
KHz Kilohertz
Km Kilometre(s)
KMH Kilometers per hour
KT Knot(s)
KW Kilowatt

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L

L Left (runway identification)

L Locator (see LM, LO)
LAT Latitude
LDA Landing distance available
LDG Landing
LDI Landing direction indicator
LEN Length
LF Low frequency (30-300 KHz)
LGT Light
LGTD Lighted
LIH Light intensity high
LIL Light intensity low
LIM Light intensity medium
LLZ Localizer

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LM Locator Middle
LNAV* Lateral navigation (pronounced as EL-NAV)
LNG Long (used to indicate the type of approach desired or required)
LO Locater Outer
LOC Local or locally or location or located
LONG Longitude
LORAN* Long range navigation system
LRG Long range
LSQ Line squall
LTD Limited
LTT Landline teletypewriter
LV Light and variable (relative to wind)
LVL Level
LYR Layer or layered

25
M

M Mach number (followed by figures) or Meters (preceded by figures)

MAG Magnetic
MAINT Maintenance
MAP Aeronautical maps or charts
MAPt Missed Approach Point
MAR March
MATZ* Military Aerodrome Traffic Zone
MAX Maximum
MAY May
Mb Millibars
MCA Minimum crossing altitude
MCW Modulated Continuous Wave
MDA Minimum descent altitude
MDH Minimum descent height
MEA Minimum enroute altitude

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MEDA* Military Emergency Diversion Aerodrome
MEHT Minimum eye height threshold (for VASI system)
MET* Meteorological or Meteorology
METAR* Routine aviation aerodrome weather report
MHz Megahertz
MIFG Shallow Fog
MIL Military
MIN* Minutes
MKR Marker radio beacon
MLS** Microwave Landing System
MM Middle Marker
MNM Minimum
MNPS Minimum navigation performance specification
MNT Monitor or monitoring or monitor
MNTN Maintain
MOA Military operating area
MOC Minimum obstacle clearance (required)

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MOD Moderate (used to indicate the intensity of weather phenomena, interference or static
reports e.g. MODRA-Moderate rain)
MON Monday
MOR Mandatory Occurrence Report
MOV Move or moving or movement
MPS Meters per second
MRA Minimum reception altitude
MRG Medium range
MRP ATS/MET reporting point
MS Minus
MSA Minimum sector altitude
MSG Message
MSL Mean sea level
MTU Metric units
MWO Meteorological watch office

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N

N North or northern latitude

NAV Navigation
NC No change
NDB** Non-Directional Radio Beacon
NE North East
NGT Night
NIL** None or I have nothing to send to you
NM Nautical mile
NML Normal
NNE North North East
NNW North North West
NOF International NOTAM Office
NOSIG** No significant change (used in trend type landing forecasts)
NOV November
NR Number
NS Nimbostratus
NW North West
NXT Next 29
O

OAC Oceanic Area Control Unit

OAS Obstacle assessment surface
OBS Observe or observed or observation
OBST Obstacle
OBSTR* Obstruction
OCA Oceanic Control Area
OCA Obstacle Clearance Altitude
OCC Occulting light
OCH Obstacle Clearance Height
OCNL Occasional or occasionally
OCS Obstacle clearance surface
OCT October

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OCU Operational Conversion Unit (M)
OM Outer Marker
OPC Operational Control Communications
OPMET* Operational Meteorological (information)
OPN Open or opened or opening
OPR Operator or operate or operative or operating or operational OPS* Operations
O/R On request
OTP On top
OTS Organised track system
OUBD Out of bound

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P

P Prohibited area (followed by identification)

PALS Precision approach lighting system
PANS Procedure for air navigation services
PAPI* Precision Approach Path Indicator (pronounced PAPI)
PAR** Precision Approach Radar (M)
PARL Parallel
PAX Passengers
PCN Pavement classification number
PDC** Pre departure clearrance
PER Performance
PERM Permanent
PIB Pre-flight information bulletin
PJE Parachute jumping exercise
PLA Practice low approach
PLN Flight plan
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PN Prior notice required
PNR Point of no return
POB (Total) Persons on Board
POSS Possible
PPI Plan position indicator
PPR Prior permission required
PRI Primary
PRKG Parking
PROB Probability
PROC Procedure
PROV Provisional
PS Plus
PSN Position
PSP Pierced steel plank
PSR** Primary surveillance radar
PTN Procedure turn
PVT Private
PWR Power
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Q

QBI Compulsory IFR flight

QDM Magnetic heading (zero wind) (Sometimes employed to indicate magnetic heading of a
runway)
QDR Magnetic bearing
QFE Altimeter subscale setting to indicate height above either aerodrome elevation, or threshold
elevation, or helideck elevation
QNE Landing altimeter reading when subscale set 1013 millibars
QNH Altimeter subscale setting to indicate elevation (AMSL) when on the ground and altitude in
the air
QTE True Bearing
QUAD Quadrant

34
R

R Red
R Restricted area (followed by identification)
R Runway (runway identification)
RA Resolution Advisory (see TCAS)
RAC Rules of the air traffic services
RAD Radius
RAG Runway arresting gear
RAI Runway alignment indication
RAIM* Receiver autonomous integrity monitoring (pronounced as RAIM, similar to ‘rain’)
RASH Rain showers
RCA Reach cruising altitude
RCC Rescue Co-ordination Centre
RCF Radio communication failure (message type designator)
RCL Runway centre line
RCLL Runway centre line lights
RDH Reference datum height (for ILS)
RDL Radial
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RDO Radio
REC Receive or receiver
REDL Runway edge lights
REF Reference to or refer to
REG Registration
RENL Runway end lights
REP Report or reporting or reporting to
RERTE Re-route
RES Reservation
RFC Radio facility chart
RG Range
RH Rescue helicopter
RIF Reclearance in flight
RITE Right (direction of turn)
RLLS Runway lead in lighting system
RMK Remark
RNAV* Area navigation (to be pronounced “AR NAV”)
RNP** Required navigation performance
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ROC Rate of climb
ROD Rate of descent
ROFOR Route forecast (in aeronautical meteorological
code)
RON Receiving only
RPL Repetitive flight plan
RPLC Replace
RPS Radar position symbol
RPS Regional Pressure Setting
RPT Repeat
RQMNTS Requirements
RQP Request flight plan (message type designator)
RQS Request supplementary flight plan (message type
designator)
RR Report reaching
RSC Rescue sub centre
RSCD Runway surface condition

37
RSP Responder beacon
RSR En-route surveillance radar
RTE Route
RTF Radiotelephone/Radiotelephony
RTG Radio telegraph
RTHL Runway threshold lights
RTN Return or returned or returning
RTS Return to service
RTT Radio teletypewriter
RTZL Runway touch down zone light
RUT Standard regional route transmitting frequencies
RV Rescue vessel
RVR** Runway Visual Range
RVSM** Reduced Vertical Separation Minima (pronounced AHH VEE ESS EMM)
RWY Runway

38
S

S South or southern latitude

SALS Simple approach lighting system
SAN Sanitary
SAP As soon as possible
SAR Search and Rescue
SARPS Standards and recommended practices (ICAO)
SAT Saturday
SATCOM* Satellite communication
SB South bound
SBAS* Satellite-based augmentation system (pronounced ESS-BAS)
SC Strato cumulus
SCT Scattered
SDBY Standby
SE South east
SEC Seconds
SECT Sector
SELCAL* Selective calling system
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SEP September
SER Service or servicing or served
SEV Serve (used e.g. to qualify icing and turbulence reports)
SFC Surface
SGL Signal
SID* Standard Instrument Departure
SIF Selective identification feature
SIGMET* Significant information concerning en-route weather phenomena which may affect the safety of
aircraft operations
SIGWX Significant weather
SIMUL Simultaneous or simultaneously
SKED Schedule or scheduled
SLW Slow
SMC Surface movement control
SMR Surface movement radar
SPECI* Aviation selected special weather report (in aeronautical, meteorological code)
SPECIAL* Special meteorological report (in aeronautical, meteorological code)
SPL Supplementary flight plan (message type designator)
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SPOT* Spot wind
SQ Squall
SR Sunrise
SRA Surveillance Radar Approach
SRE Surveillance Radar element of PAR system
SRG Short range
SRR Search and rescue region
SRY Secondary
SS Sunset
SSB Single side band
SSE South south east
SSR** Secondary Surveillance Radar
SST Supersonic transport
SSW South south west
ST Stratus
STA Straight in approach
STANAG Standing Agreement (M)
STAR* Standard Instrument Arrival
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STD Standard
STF Stratiform
STN Station
STNR Stationary
STOL Short take off and landing
STWL Stopway lights
SUBJ Subject to
SUN Sunday
SUP Supplement (AIP supplement)
SUPPS Regional supplementary procedures
SVC Service message
SVCBL Serviceable
SW South west
SWY Stopway

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T

T Temperature
TA Traffic Advisory (see TCAS)
TA Transition altitude
TACAN* UHF Tactical air navigation
TAF* Terminal Aerodrome Forecast
TAIL* Tail wind
TAR Terminal area surveillance radar
TAS True air speed
TAX Taxiing or taxi
TCAS* Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (pronounced TEE-CAS) (see ACAS)
TCAS RA* Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (pronounced TEE-CAS-AR-AY)
TCU Towering cumulus
TDZ Touchdown zone
TECR Technical reason
TEL Telephone
TEMPO* Temporary or temporarily
TFC Traffic
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TGL Touch and go landing
TGS Taxiing guidance system
THR Threshold
THRU Through
THU Thursday
TIL* Until
TKOF Take off
TLOF Touch down and lift off area
TMA** Terminal Control Area
TOC Top of climb
TODA Take off distance available
TOP Cloud top
TORA Take off run available
TP Turning point
TR Track
TRA Temporary reserved air space
TREND* Trend forecast
TRNG Training
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TRANS Transmit or transmitter
TRL Transition level
TS Thunder storm
TSUNAMI* Tsunami (used in aerodrome warnings)
TT Teletypewriter
TUE Tuesday
TURB Turbulence
TVOR Terminal VHF Omni Range
T-VASIS T Visual Approach Slope Indicator System (pronounced TEE-VASIS)
TWR Aerodrome Control Tower pr aerodrome control
TWU Tactical Weapons Unit (M)
TWY Taxi
TWYL Taxiway link
TYT Type of aircraft
TYPH Typhoon

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U

UAB Until advised by…

UAC Upper area control centre
UAR Upper air route
UAS Upper Airspace
UFN Until further notice
UHF* Ultra High Frequency (300-3000 MHz)
UIC Upper information centre
UIR** Upper Flight Information Region
ULR Ultra long range
UNA Unable
UNL Unlimited
UNREL Unreliable
U/S Unserviceable
UTA Upper control area
UTC Coordinated universal time
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V

VA Volcanic ash
VAC Visual approach chart
VAR Visual aural radio range/ magnetic variation
VASIS* Visual Approach Slope Indicator System (pronounced VASIS)
VCY Vicinity
VDF Very High Frequency Direction-Finding Station
VER Vertical
VFR** Visual Flight Rules
VHF** Very High Frequency (30 to 300 MHz)
VIP Very Important Person
VIS Visibility
VLF Very Low Frequency (3-30 KHz)
VLR Very long range (navigation)
VMC** Visual Meteorological Conditions
VOLMET* Meteorological information for aircraft in flight
VOR** VHF Omnidirectional Radio Range
47
VORTAC* VOR and TACAN combination
VOT VOR airborne equipment test facility
VRB Variable
VSA By reference to ground
VSP Vertical speed
VTOL Vertical take off and landing

48
W

W West or western latitude or white

WAC World aeronautical chart ICAO 1:10,00,000
WAAS* Wide Area Augmentation System
WBAR Wing bar lights
WDI Wing direction indicator
WDSPR Wide spread
WED Wednesday
WEF With effect from or effective immediately
WI Within
WID Width
WIF With immediate effect or effective immediately
WILCO Will comply

49
WIP Work in progress
WKN Weaken or weakening
WNW West North West
WPT Waypoint
WRNG Warning
WS Wind shear
WSW West south west
WT Weight
WTSPT Waterspout
WX Weather

50
X

X Cross
XBAR Cross bar (of approach lighting system)
XNG Crossing
XS Atmospherics

Y Yellow
YCZ Yellow caution zone (RWY lighting)
YES* Affirmative
YR Yours

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