GAEN N201 – Oxford –

English for Aviation

Unit 2 Vocabulary
Tail assembly (n)
 The rear part of an aircraft.

 The tail assembly provide stability to the aircraft.

Cargo (n)
 The goods that are being carried on a ship or plane or
other large vehicle; freight

 The plane was carrying a cargo of medicine and food

supplies to the refugee camp.
Cowling (n)
 A metal cover for an aircraft engine

 The mechanic had the cowling open so he could check the

engine.
Trailing edge (n)
 The rearmost, back edge of a wing

 Flaps are used to increase lift

 and are located on the trailing
 edge of wings.
Access hatch (n)
 A trap door set into a floor or ceiling

 The access hatch is sometimes used as an emergency

exit.
Navigation (n)
 The science of planning which way you need to go when
you are travelling from one place to another

 Successful air navigation involves piloting an aircraft

from place to place without getting lost, breaking the laws
applying to aircraft or injuring anyone in the air or on the
ground.
Undercarriage (n)
 The part of an aircraft, including the wheels, that supports it
when it is taking off or landing; landing gear

 The undercarriage was damaged on landing and caused the

aircraft to skid off the runway.
Leading edge (n)
 The front edge of a wing

 The front of the wing is called the leading edge.

Fuselage (n)
 The main part of a plane, in which people sit or goods are
carried

 A close inspection found cracks in the aircraft’s fuselage

and wings.
Damage (n)
 Physical harm that is done to something or to a part of
someone’s or something’s body, so that it is broken or
injured

 The damage to the aircraft happened when another vehicle

backed into it by accident.
Manual (n)
 A book that gives instructions about how to do something,
especially how to use a machine

 Sony has an online user guide manual for PlayStation 3.

Medical kit (n)
 A collection of supplies and equipment for use in giving first aid

 Everyone should keep a small medical kit at home in case

anyone cuts or burns themselves.
Checklist (n)
 A list that helps you by reminding you of the things you
need to do or get for a particular job or activity
 Pre-flight Checklists
 PRE-EXTERNAL CHECK
 Parking Brakes — ON
 Batteries — ON
 External Power — a/r
 Flight Controls — Locked
 Safety Equipment — Checked
 Batteries — a/r
 EXTERNAL CHECK
 A checklist helps you make sure that everything is done.
Equip (v) / equipment (n)
 The tools, machines, clothes, etc. that you need to do a
particular job or activity

Flying can be fun but it’s import to make sure you have the
right aviation equipment for a safe and enjoyable flight.
Troubleshoot (v)
 Find and correct faults in mechanical and electrical
systems

 The mechanic is always ready to troubleshoot any engine

problems.
Fault (n)
 Something that is wrong with a machine, system, design,
etc., which prevents it from working properly

 There is no power so it must be an electrical fault.

Precaution (n)
 Something that is done to prevent possible harm or trouble
from happening in the future

 Be sure to follow the usual safety precautions when

cooking outdoors.
Prohibit (v)/ prohibited (adj)
 to say that an action is illegal or not allowed; ban, forbid

 The military prohibit the use of mobile phones by cadets.

Departure (n)
 An act of leaving a place, especially at the start

 The departure of the aircraft for London was delayed

because of engine problems.
Arrival (n)
 The act of coming to or reaching a place

 They were waiting for the arrival of the passengers.

Unreadable (adj)
 That cannot be understood or read; illegible

 The notes he took at the meeting were unreadable.

Pitot cover (n)
 A cover used when an aircraft is parked to keep obstructions like
insects and ice off the pitot tube

 A blocked pitot tube can cause problems with aircraft

instruments so it needs to be protected with a pitot cover when
the aircraft is parked.
ATIS
(Automated Terminal Information Service)
 A continuous broadcast of recorded non-control
aeronautical information at busier terminal / airport
areas

ATIS broadcasts contain essential information, such

as weather information, which runways are active, available
approaches, and any other information required by the
pilots.
NOTAM
(Notice to AirMen)
 A written
notification issued to pilots before a flight, advising them
of circumstances relating to the state of flying

Example:
 NATURE OF THE NOTAM : Replacing NOTAM 1212 issued in 2014
 FIR: EGTT (LONDON FIR)
 SUBJECT: Taxiway (MX)
 CONDITION: Closed (LC)
 TRAFFIC: NOTAM issued for IFR (I) flights and VFR flights (V)
 PURPOSE: NOTAM selected for immediate attention of flight crew members (N)

 A NOTAM is filed with an aviation authority to alert aircraft of any

hazards along the way or at a specific location.
Hazard (n)
 Something that may be dangerous, or cause accidents or
problems; a risk that cannot be avoided; danger; peril; jeopardy

 Birds around an aircraft are a common hazard around many

airports, often resulting in damage to aircraft.
Visibility (n)
 The distance it is possible to see, especially when this is
affected by weather conditions

 The visibility during landing was very poor due to fog

conditions.
Ceiling (n)
 The greatest height an aircraft can fly at or the level of the
clouds

 Most commercial jetliners have a ceiling of 42,000 feet.

Disaster (n) Disastrous (adj)
 An unexpected event that kills a lot of people and causes a
lot of damage; calamity; catastrophe; cataclysm

 The bad weather could have a disastrous effect on the

area's tourism industry.