Effective air traffic control is possible because of efficient two-way radio communications and radar that allow controllers to keep track of all the aircraft they are controlling.
14 CFR Part 1: “A service operated by appropriate authority to promote the safe, orderly and expeditious flow of air traffic.”
air traffic control specialist. A person authorized by the FAA to provide air traffic control service.
air traffic control system command center. See ATCSCC.
air traffic service. A generic term meaning flight information service, alerting service, air traffic advisory service, and air traffic control service, including area control service, approach control service, and airport control service.
Air Transport Association (ATA) Specification 100. See ATA 100.
air transportation. The business of moving people, mail, or cargo by air.
14 CFR Part 1: “Interstate, overseas, or foreign air transportation or the transportation of mail by aircraft.”
air turbine starter (gas turbine engine starter). An air-driven turbine used to spin the engine compressor through a system of reduction gears.
A large volume of compressed air from an auxiliary power unit or bleed air from an operating engine is directed into the air-turbine starter. This air spins the turbine inside the starter, and the starter, which is geared to the main engine compressor, spins the engine fast enough for it to start.
airway beacon. A light beacon used to mark certain segments of airways in remote mountainous areas. These beacons flash Morse code to identify their location.
Airworthiness Alert. A notice sent by the FAA to certain interested maintenance personnel, identifying problems with aircraft that have been gathered from Malfunction and Defect Reports.
These are problems being studied at the time the Airworthiness Alert is issued yet not fully evaluated at the time the material goes to press.
Airworthiness Certificate. A certificate issued by the Federal Aviation Administration to aircraft which meet the minimum standards for airworthiness as specified in the appropriate part of the Federal Aviation Regulations.
Airworthiness Directive. See AD.
airworthy. A condition in which the aircraft or component meets the conditions of its type design and is in a condition for safe operation.
albedo (meteorology). The ratio of the amount of electromagnetic radiation reflected by a body to the amount falling on it.
Albedo, which is normally expressed as a percentage, is used in reference to solar radiation. For example, the albedo of wet sand is 9, meaning that about 9% of the electromagnetic radiation from the sun falling on the sand is reflected.
Albedo ranges upward to 80-85 for fresh snow cover. The average albedo for the earth and its atmosphere has been calculated to range from 35 to 43.
Alclad. The trade name registered by the Aluminum Company of America for clad structural aluminum alloy.
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