The A to Z of Business Aviation Terminology
Below, we share some of the commonly used terminology in business aviation. Before you get confused when speaking to one in the business aviation industry, it will be recommended to familiarize yourself with these commonly used industry jargon.
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| Air Ambulance | Air charter of a private jet, helicopter or turbo-prop certified to provide air transport to medical patients. |
| Air Charter | Act of renting or leasing a jet or plane for transport of cargo or passengers. |
| Air Charter Agent | One who is contracted on behalf of the end user of the charter flight. A charter agent works to ensure fair market value, reasonable safety measures are followed and to provide flexibility and options for the purchaser of the air charter flight. |
| Air Charter Operator | Responsible for the licensing, maintenance, safety and operations of the air charter company. The air charter operator is not always the owner of the luxury jet, business jet or private jet that is available for charter. |
| Air Traffic Controller | The service to pilots that promotes the safe, orderly and expeditious flow of air traffic. Usually each country operates its own Air Traffic Control service. In the UK, Air Traffic Control services are provided by NATS. |
| Airshow | A cabin information system that displays the aircraft’s position on a moving map, with altitude, time to destination, outside temperature and other flight data. |
| Alternate Airport | An airport other than the intended airport, where an aircraft can land for safety or other reasons. |
| Annual Inspection | A nose-to-tail inspection of an aircraft that is required every 12 months. |
| AOC | An Air Operator’s Certificate is the approval granted from a national aviation authority to an aircraft operator to allow it to use aircraft for commercial purposes. This requires the operator to have personnel, assets and systems in place to ensure the safety of its employees and the general public. The certificate will list the aircraft types and registrations to be used, for what purpose and in what area – specific airports or geographic region. |
| Apron | Hard-surfaced or paved area around a hangar. See also Ramp. |
| APU | Auxiliary Power Unit. An onboard source of power that enables air conditioning, heating, galley facilities and cabin lighting to be used on the ground when the main engines are not operating. The APU is actually a small additional jet engine that doesn’t provide any forward thrust and acts solely as a generator of electricity. |
| Arg/US Gold Rated Charter Operator | Requires operating certificate for at least one year, at least one turbine aircraft on certificate, in-depth historical safety analysis, and pilot background check and aircraft operational control validations. |
| Arg/US Gold Rated Charter Plus Operator | Requires all of the Gold Rated requirements plus an on-site audit with no safety of flight findings. |
| Arg/US Level | ARG/US or ARGUS provides audits of private jet operators spanning over 500 operators globally. There are three levels: ARGUS Gold Rated Charter Operator, ARGUS Gold Rated Plus Charter Operator, and ARGUS Platinum Rated Charter Operator. |
| Arg/US Platinum Rated Charter Operator | Requires all of the Gold Plus rated standards plus on-site audit with zero findings, plus functioning SMS and Emergency Response Plan. |
| Augmented Crew | See Heavy Crew. |
| Avionics | Aviation Turbine fuel (kerosense). Used by turboprops and jet aircraft. |
| Base | Base of operations or a hub for an airline. The base leg is also one of the many words describing the approach segments. |
| Beechcraft Hawker | Business jet aircraft built by Hawker Beechcraft Corporation (HBC) between 2006 and 2013. |
| Black Box | Popular name given to either the CVR or the FDR used to investigate an accident. |
| Black Out Days | Some jet programs do not guarantee service on specific dates. |
| Block Flying Time | Time between an aircraft first moving from its parking place for the purpose of taking off until it comes to rest on the designated parking position and until all engines are stopped. |
| Block Hours | The advance purchase of a specific number of hours of flying time, to be flown as and when required. |
| Block Rates | Rate for scheduling significant amounts of air charter time in advance under a prearranged agreement. |
| Boeing Business Jet | A series of Boeing airliners designed for the corporate jet market and seating between 25 and 50 passengers within a luxurious configuration. |
| Bombardier | A family of business jets. |
| Broker | Many jet card providers are brokers who sourced aircraft for their clients’ trips from charter operators. These programs typically sell by cabin category, although some offer specific aircraft types. |
| Business Jet | A smaller Commercial jet aircraft model, configured to transport smaller groups of people. |
| Business Jet Charter | An aircraft that is chartered for the purpose or use in business transportation. |
| Cardinal Altitude | An altitude, or flight level, of a thousand feet. |
| Cargo | Goods carried on an airplane. |
| Catering | A service provided for luxury jet charters. Catering is the provision of in-flight meals. |
| Ceiling | Height above ground or water level of the base of the lowest layer of cloud, below 20,000 feet, covering more than half of the sky. Service ceiling also means an aircraft’s DENSITY ALTITUDE at which its maximum rate of climb is lower or equal to 100 feet per minute. The absolute ceiling is the highest altitude at which the aircraft can maintain level flight. |
| Cessna | An American general aviation aircraft manufacturing corporation headquartered in Wichita, Kan. Known for small, piston-powered aircraft, as well as business jets. |
| Charter | Hiring an airplane. Business and high-profile clients may often charter a private jet. |
| Charter Broker | An individual or company that acts as a middle man between the charter operators and the charter passengers. A good broker will be able to find the best deal for his customer’s needs. |
| Charter Card | Pre-paid air charter plan, either for a block of charter hours at a pre-defined fee, or a set debit balance in dollars. |
| Clearance | Authorization given by ATC to proceed as requested or instructed (for example: “Cleared for take-off”, “Cleared for visual approach”). |
| Climb | A maneuver that increases the altitude of the aircraft. |
| Club Seating | A seating layout where pairs of seats face each other, as in a railway carriage compartment, rather than all face the same way, as on a bus. The club configuration is more sociable and enables easy conversation between occupants. |
| Commercial Flight | A “commercial” flight is when the customer has paid for a commercial charter of that aircraft. The rules for commercial flights are more stringent than private flights and include limitations on crew duty hours, runway length and other safety considerations. For commercial private jet charter the minimum stopping distance for the aircraft is multiplied by 1.6, to create the minimum landing distance required (LDR). |
| Connection | Transfer between two different flights at an intermediate airport (for example: flight 123 from New York to Miami followed by flight 456 from Miami to Sao Paulo). If a passenger’s flights are operated by two different airlines, they may check baggage or obtain boarding passes for the entire itinerary directly at the departure city’s airport, pursuant to interlining agreements or airline alliances. A connection is not the same as a stopover. |
| Controlled Airspace | A defined area of the sky that is controlled by ATC services. Controllers direct planes through the airspace, plotting the safest and most efficient route for each aircraft. All airplanes flying in controlled airspace must get clearance to enter the zone and be equipped to national regulations. The pilot must have the correct qualifications. |
| Corporate Operator | A company flight department which has earned a “Part 135” certificate to carry passengers for compensation. |
| Crew ‘Day Room’ Charges | The FAA allows a crew to rest at any point to break their duty time. Putting the crew to rest during the day on a charter in order to accommodate later flight times is called ‘Day Room’. In instances where a charter requires longer time on the ground than the standard duty day (usually 12hrs) allows, the crew can be put to rest during the day in order to come back on duty later on, past the standard day cut-off. This additional rest period must last 10 consecutive hours. |
| Crew Duty Time | The FAA has strict regulations on the number of consecutive hours a charter pilot can be on duty. The standard duty day for a crew is 14hrs total, which includes the time required to do pre and post-flight routines. The general rule of thumb for a standard duty is that the charterer can have the aircraft under their control for a maximum of 12hrs, which allows for crew to perform pre and post-flight checks. |
| Cruise Speed | The normal speed attained at altitude once the aircraft is no longer climbing and is en route. |
| Cruise Altitude | A level altitude maintained by an aircraft while in flight. |
| Daily Minimum Flight Time Adjustments (Daily Mins) | Many aircraft require the charterer to pay a daily minimum in flight charges in order to reserve. For short trips, it is often more costly for an owner to fly the airplane, pay a crew, devote operational resources to booking/payment/client service/etc. than it is to charge less than 2hrs of flight time to a customer. In order to protect the owner from losses on such trips, Daily Min fees are imposed. Daily Mins typically range from 1.5 – 2.5 hours, depending on the aircraft. |
| Dassault Falcon | A family of business jets manufactured by Dassault Aviation. |
| De-Ice Charges | De-ice Charges are required when an aircraft has been subjected to the winter elements while on a charter. In heavy winter weather conditions, aircraft may require a de-icing fluid to be applied to its wings. The fluid is charged by the gallon, provided by the ground crew at the airport and the pilots determines how much the aircraft needs. |
| Dead Head | A leg of an air charter with no cargo or no passengers. Commonly the return leg, but may also be the repositioning. |
| Dead Leg | See empty leg |
| Dead-Heading | See Repositioning |
| Deadstick | A term for a forced landing, which takes place when the plane loses all propulsive power because the engine and propeller have stopped. |
| Demurrage | Refers to the charges that are levied by an operator when a charterer keeps an aircraft after the completion of the flight. For example, if an aircraft is chartered for two flights with a week intervening, an aircraft may remain or lay over at the destination. The charterer will pay demurrage charges for every day that this aircraft remains at the charterer’s destination without returning home. |
| Density Altitude | Pressure altitude (as indicated by the altimeter) corrected for air temperature. |
| Descent | A flight maneuver that causes a downward inclination. |
| Destination Surcharge | Some programs have surcharges for travel outside the U.S., typically when flying more than 220 miles off the U.S. coastline, but also for high-density airports, something more common in Europe. |
| Direct Flight | A flight that operates from point A to point B without a connection. A direct flight is not necessarily non-stop. |
| Distress | A condition on the aircraft that signals danger and requires immediate action. |
| Double Round Trip | Occurs when an air charter itinerary is designed such that it is more costly to keep the plane away from base than it would be to return home empty the report for pick up to complete the air charter itinerary. |
| Duty Time | A pilot or crew member is logging duty time whenever he is serving in any capacity. There are safety restrictions on duty time to ensure pilots and crew are sufficiently rested. |
| ELT (Emergency Locator Transmitter) | A radio transmitter activated automatically by the impact of an accident. Emits a warbling tone on the international emergency frequencies of 121.5 MHz, 243 MHz and (newer models) 406 MHz. ELT signals can be received by nearby FAA facilities, aircraft overhead, and search and rescue (SARSAT) satellites. |
| Emergency Overrun | A surface before the take-off area on the runway that is kept clear. This portion is designed to minimize damage to an aircraft if it is unable to stop. |
| Descent | A flight maneuver that causes a downward inclination. |
| Density Altitude | Pressure altitude (as indicated by the altimeter) corrected for air temperature. |
| Empennage | A term for the aircraft’s tail, which is made up of a rudder, a fin and a stabilizer. This is also known as the tail or tail assembly and provides stability for the jet during flight. |
| Empty Leg | A re-positioning flight where the aircraft is flying empty. Chartering an empty leg can cost significantly less than a full-price charter. |
| Engine | An aircraft engine is a machine that converts energy to power the plane. |
| Estimated Time En Route | Commonly referred to as “ETE”; the estimated flight time a journey will take from departure to arrival in the destination or checkpoint. |
| Estimated Time of Arrival | Commonly referred to as “ETA”; the time an aircraft is predicted to arrive in its destination or checkpoint. |
| Executive Jet Charter | An aircraft that is chartered for the purpose or use in the transportation of executives. Typically the aircrafts that are chartered are midsize jets. |
| FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) | The US Department of Transportation’s agency for aviation in the United States. In addition to regulating airports, aircraft manufacturing and parts certification, aircraft operation and pilot certification, the FAA operates Air Traffic Control, purchases and maintains navigation equipment, certifies airports and aids airport development, among other activities. |
| FAA Part 135 Certificate | The certification required for aircraft operators to perform ‘air taxi’ services. All aircraft in the private jet charter marketplace must hold a valid FAA Part 135 certificate. |
| FAA Part 91 Certificate | The certification required for aircraft to perform ‘owner-operated’ flights. For private aircraft owners and personnel only, flying non-commercial missions. |
| Fixed Based Operator (FBO) | A business or organization that operates at an airport. An FBO provides aircraft operating and ground services for air charter clients such as: onsite mechanic, fuel service, catering, ground transportation, maintenance, fueling, hangaring, parking and other services. |
| Featured Charter | The chartering of a specific aircraft to a specific destination. Featured charters often include hotel accommodations, luxury car rentals, golf and spa packages etc. |
| Federal Aviation Authority (Faa) | A national authority in the United States that regulates all aspects of civil aviation. |
| Federal Excise Tax (FET) | Some programs include FET when marketing hourly rate, while for other programs the rate being promoted is without FET. If the client is flying within the Continental U.S. or within 220 miles of the coast and to, from or between Hawaii and Alaska the government assesses the 7.5% tax on top of their base hourly rate. As part of the CARES Act, the tax was suspended through Dec. 31, 2020. |
| Ferry Flight | A flight for the purpose of returning an aircraft to base, delivering an aircraft from one location to another, moving an aircraft to and from a maintenance base. |
| Final | Final Approach. One of the many words describing the approach segments. The part of a landing sequence or aerodrome circuit procedure in which the aircraft has made its final turn and is inbound to the active runway. |
| Final Approach | A flight path that leads towards the landing runway. |
| Fixed One-Way Rates | Fixed One-Way Rates mean that the client won’t have to pay for ferry fees to reposition the aircraft either before or after the flights within the Primary Service Area. By choosing a program with fixed one-way rates the client can more accurately budget how much their private flying will cost in advance. |
| Fleet Manager | A commercial aviation entity developed to subcontract the maintenance and operation of corporate aircraft, which are often chartered out to the general public. |
| Flight Deck | Another name for the cockpit, which is located at the front of the aircraft and holds the pilot and instrument panels. |
| Flight Plan | Filed with an Air Traffic Control Facility a flight plan is the specific information regarding the flight or intended flight of an aircraft. |
| Flight Time | The time between take-off and landing. Excludes any time spent taxiing to and from the stand. |
| Fms | (Flight Management System) A regional office of the United States Federal Aviation Administration that concentrates on enforcing regulations. |
| Fod | Foreign object debris. FOD refers to anything on the runway that may cause hazards to aircrafts or people on the ground. |
| Fractional Fleet | Some jet card providers use aircraft from their fractional lease and ownership programs to sell jet cards. These programs are more likely to enable the client to choose a specific aircraft type as opposed to broker programs, which more typically sell by category. |
| Fractional Ownership | The purchase of a “share” of an aircraft. Fractional owners are guaranteed access to an aircraft but not necessarily the same one each time. They usually pay a fixed monthly maintenance fee as well as an hourly fee. |
| Fuel Surcharge | During periods of fuel price increases, some programs reserve the right to impose fuel surcharges. Others have fuel surcharges as part of their normal pricing. Fuel surcharges are typically updated monthly or quarterly. |
| Fuselage | An aircraft’s main body structure housing the flight crew, passengers, and cargo. |
| GAT | Abbreviation for General Aviation Terminal. The Handling Agents will often be located here as GA terminals are much quieter than scheduled terminals. |
| General Aviation | The aviation industry categorises flights as either Scheduled, Cargo, Military or General. Non-airline passenger flights fall in the broad General Aviation category, however the terms Business Aviation or Executive Aviation are frequently used to differentiate private jet charter flights from light aircraft enthusiast flights. |
| Global Positioning System (GPS) | Satellite positioning, velocity and time system. Highly accurate navigation aid. |
| Go-Around | Balked approach, when the aircraft climbs away from the runway during the approach, to either start the approach again, or proceed to the ALTERNATE AIRPORT. |
| GPWS | (Ground Proximity Warning System) System designed to alert pilots if their aircraft is in immediate danger of flying into the ground. Also called Ground-Collision Warning System. |
| Great Circle Distance | The shortest distance between two points on a globe. All distances shown in distance tables in the Air Charter Guide are “great circle distance”. |
| Ground Control | The personnel and equipment in a control tower who are responsible for the safe and efficient movement of aircraft on the ground. |
| Ground Speed | The speed of an aircraft relative to the surface of the earth. |
| Ground Transportation | A service provided for luxury jet charters before or after the flight. Ground transportation can be limo service or luxury car rental. |
| Groundspeed | The horizontal speed that an aircraft travels over the ground. |
| Guaranteed Availability | Guaranteed availability refers to the window in a contract the client can call their provider for an aircraft. Providers that provides a fixed-rate program typically require six to 48 hours lead time, and longer during Peak Day periods. Guaranteed availability and fixed one-way rates are considered two key benefits of a Jet Card vs. On-Demand Charter. |
| Guaranteed Downgrade | Guaranteed downgrades enable the client to trade down from their program jet type or size to a smaller jet. This can save money if the client is for example traveling alone on a shorter flight and want a smaller plane to save on hourly rate. |
| Guaranteed Upgrade | Guaranteed upgrades enable the client to reserve a larger aircraft than the program he/she bought. This is useful if the client is traveling with a larger group or need a longer ranger plane. Some programs such as NetJets only guarantee downgrades and make upgrades in aircraft size as available. |
| Gulfstream | Business jet aircraft designed and manufactured by Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics. Gulfstream’s fleet consists of these models: G150, G280, G350, G450, G500, G550, and G650. |
| Handling Agent | A company appointed by the operator to greet and ease their passengers’ passage through an airport. Will typically feature a dedicated car park, VIP lounge, security and immigration liaison and baggage porterage. |
| Hangar | An enclosed structure for housing aircraft. Originated with lake-based floating homes of the original German Zeppelins in which they were “hung” from cables. |
| Heavy Crew | Flying with one or more additional flight crew members. On occasion an ultra-long range aircraft might carry additional pilots to allow each to rest in rotation and counter the onset of fatigue. |
| Heavy Jet | An aircraft with a minimum takeoff weight of 255,000 lbs. |
| Hourly Rate | Hourly rate is the rate per hour a program charges. Hours are typically broken down by 6, 10, or 12-minute increments and rounded up. |
| IATA | Code International aviation codes for international airports |
| ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) | An agency of the United Nations. The IACO is charged with the development of principles and techniques of international air navigation. |
| Included Catering | Most programs include basic catering which might include non-alcoholic beverages and snacks. Some programs include more substantial catering such as sandwiches, fruit plates, hot meals, gourmet preparation, alcoholic beverages, or credits. All programs allow the client to order for an additional charge catering to meet the clients’ needs. |
| Initiation Fee | Some jet-card programs have a one-time initiation fee. |
| Instrument Approach | An airport installation that enables the aircraft to safely land in poor visibility. All commercial airports and all but the smallest general aviation aerodromes have at least one instrument approach. A private jet charter can be arranged to any licensed airport or aerodrome with a runway sufficient for the aircraft. |
| Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) | The rules that govern flying under instrument meteorological conditions. Pilots follow these rules and create IFR flight plans for various weather conditions. |
| Instrument Landing System (ILS) | A radar-based system which allows ILS-equipped aircraft to find a runway and land safely, even when clouds are as low as 200 feet. |
| Instrument Meterological Conditions | Conditions such as visibility, distance between clouds, ceiling level that does not meet the standard for visual meteorological conditions. |
| Interchange Fees | Interchange fees are additional fees charged if the client upgrade or downgrade the size of their jet or go between two service areas in a program, for example, North America and Europe. |
| Jet Airliner | An airliner that uses jet engine propulsion. Capable of efficiently functioning at a high altitudes and high speeds. |
| Jet Cards | Schemes by which operators sell individuals block hours on their aircraft. |
| Jet Charter | Act of hiring crew; leasing an aircraft for the purpose of private air transportation. |
| Jet Charter Broker | An intermediary who facilitates the leasing or purchasing of air charter. See also Private Jet Broker. |
| Joint Ownership | Purchase or lease of a complete aircraft by a relatively small number of owners, often through a partnership or limited liability corporation. |
| Joystick | Also known as the control column, the joystick is the main device in the cockpit for controlling the aircraft. The joystick is usually floor- or roof-mounted. |
| Knot | A measurement or unit of speed that equals one nautical mile and about 1.15 statute miles. |
| Knot (Kt) | Standard unit of speed in aviation and marine transportation, equivalent to one nautical mile per hour. One knot equals 1.1515 mph, and one nautical mile equals 6,080 feet. The word “knot” replaces “nautical miles per hour.” |
| Landing Fees | Landing Fees are paid to the airport the client flies into and will vary by location. Major metro airports like Los Angeles International (LAX) and Miami International (MIA) are considerably more expensive to land in than smaller, rural airports. |
| Layover | A rest stop away from home base for the aircraft and crew in the middle of a flight. |
| Leg | A single direction of travel between two points. For an air charter itinerary a leg could be represented by repositioning and fuel stops. |
| Level Flight | A flight maneuver that causes the aircraft to stay at the same altitude. |
| Mach Number | Ratio of true airspeed to the speed of sound. Mach 1 is the speed of sound at sea level. Its value is approximately 760 mph. |
| Managed Fleet | Some jet card providers use aircraft they manage for individual owners to sell jet cards. Like a broker-based jet card program, Managed Fleet jet cards typically sell by size category as they have a variety of aircraft types in each category, meaning the client are likely to get a different jet type per trip. |
| Manufacturer | Aircraft builder, such as Airbus, Boeing, Embraer, etc. |
| Master Switch | The switch that controls power to all electrical circuits in an aircraft. |
| Mayday | The ultimate international radio distress call, indicating imminent danger to the life of the occupants onboard and requiring immediate assistance. |
| Mean Sea Level (Msl) | The average height of the surface of the sea. MSL is used in aviation to measure altitude. |
| Medevac (Medical Evacuation) | Medical evacuation – the term commonly applied to an aircraft used to transport injured patients to hospital. See also Air Ambulance. |
| Mid-Size Jets | Aircraft designed for longer-range travel such as transcontinental flights. Provide larger passenger capacity. |
| Minimum Flight Time Charged | Different programs have minimum times charged, so a 40-minute flight might be charged as one hour of program time if that is the minimum. Also, some programs charge a daily minimum. Minimums are typically one to two hours and can depend on the size of the plane. |
| Minimum Seating | Within a category, a provider might offer aircraft between six and eight seats, so if the client typically travel with seven people, that may mean he/she will need to choose a larger cabin program to ensure their needs will be met. |
| MTOW | Maximum Take-Off Weight. |
| Multiple Same Time Aircraft Access | This allows the client to use two or more planes from a single program at the same time. |
| N Number | The registration number on a US-registered plane. The letter N is the letter internationally used to identify a US plane. |
| NARA | National Aircraft Resale Association |
| National Airspace System | National Airspace System is the network of airspace, navigational services facilities and equipment. |
| NATS | Provider of Air Traffic Control services to aircraft flying in UK airspace and over the eastern part of the North Atlantic. |
| Nautical Mile | Used to measure distances at sea. 2,025 yards or 6,076 feet. |
| Navaid | Stands for Navigational Aid, a device in an aircraft used to help with navigation. |
| Navaids | Navigational aid is any form of device that guides a pilot and his aircraft from one area to another. There are many different kinds of Navaids in use to provide guidance, location, and direction, the most popular being the Global Positioning System (GPS) but the term can also apply to a map, a beacon or a compass. |
| Navigation | Recording, planning and controlling the movement of an aircraft from one point to another. |
| NBAA | National Business Aviation Association |
| Nm | Nautical Miles |
| No show | Passenger with a confirmed reservation, who failed to check-in or board on time. |
| Non-Revenue | Passenger flying free of charge, on a STANDBY basis, by presenting an airline/aviation employee pass. Non-Revenue passengers may or may not be on duty, therefore this expression also applies to repositioning crew members. Also known as Non-Rev for short. |
| Non-Stop | A direct flight that operates from point A to point B without a stopover. |
| NTSB | National Transportation Safety Board. A United States government organization in charge of investigating in the case of an accident. In many countries, an AAIB fulfills that role. |
| One-way surcharge | Charter pricing for one-way flights is typically more expensive than roundtrip flights on a per leg basis as it entails flying the plane to or from as an empty leg in which the operator incurs costs but doesn’t generate revenue, so the client will have to pay. Many jet card and prepaid programs do not have one-way surcharges giving clients extra flexibility, however they will offer roundtrip discounts. |
| One-Ways | The air charter of an aircraft for a particular leg of an existing air charter itinerary. |
| Operating Limitations | Indicates limits for a specific aircraft’s speed, weight, pressure, and passenger and crew size. The limits are determined by the aircraft manufacturer. |
| Operator | Responsible for the licensing, maintenance, safety and operations of one or more private charter aircraft. The operator is not always the owner of the luxury jet, business jet or private jet that is available for charter. |
| Overnight Fees | Overnight Fees are assessed when an aircraft and crew are kept at a location overnight, and typically include hotels for the pilots and hangar fees for the airplane. |
| Owned Fleet | Some jet card providers own the aircraft they use to sell time for their jet cards. These programs are more likely to enable clients to choose a specific aircraft type as opposed to broker programs, which more typically sell by category. |
| Pan Pan | International radio urgency call. It usually indicates a threat to the safety of an aircraft or its passengers. It is, however, less urgent than Mayday. Pan Pan comes from the French word “Panne” which means “failure.” |
| Part 135 | The U.S. government regulations and rules that all domestic private jet operators providing on-demand charter and jet card flights operate. |
| Pax | Passengers |
| Payload | Anything that an aircraft carries beyond what is required for its operation during flight, theoretically cargo or passengers from which revenue is derived. |
| Peak Day Surcharge | Most programs have surcharges for peak travel days. The number of peak days vary by program as do the surcharge. |
| Pet Policy | Most programs allow the passengers to take certain types of pets. Some programs have mandatory or discretionary cleaning fees. |
| Pilot Experience | Jet card companies have different standards and minimums for pilot experience above government requirements, typically both for Captain and First Officer, and also by total hours of flight time and type in the type of aircraft they will be flying the client. |
| Pilot In Command (PIC) | The pilot responsible for the safety and operation of the plane for the duration of the flight. |
| Point To Point Pricing | Usually occurs when one charters a jet from a location other than where that aircraft is based; also known as a transient aircraft charter. Point to point pricing is typically the result of an empty leg being chartered for a portion of the primary routing of the original air charter itinerary. |
| Positioning | When aircraft is ferried from its originating airport to another airport for departure. |
| Positioning Flight | To fly an aircraft empty to a particular airport in order for it to be able to commence a flight from that airport. |
| Primary Flight Display | Also called “PDF”, this is the electronic display screen that indicates the horizon, altitude, airspeed, vertical speed, rate of turn, trend and more. |
| Private Airport | An airport used by general aviation and private aviation but is ineligible for use by scheduled airline travel. |
| Private Flight | A “private” flight is when an owner of the aircraft (or one of their friends or family) are using the aircraft for private use. No money changes hands for the use of the aircraft. (As opposed to a commercial flight) |
| Private Jet | An aircraft that is privately owned. |
| Private Jet Broker | An intermediary who compares options from operators to facilitate selling or buying a private aircraft. |
| Private Jet Charter | Hiring a private jet aircraft for a specific itinerary – as opposed to ownership or fractional ownership of an aircraft. |
| Prohibited Area | An airspace area where flight is prohibited except by prior arrangement with the controlling agency. |
| Quadraplane | A type of aircraft that has four or more wings of similar spans, also known as quadruplanes. |
| Ramp | The apron or open “tarmac” in front of an FBO or terminal facility. This space is busy, used for deplaning, parking of aircraft, etc. |
| Registration Number | The number assigned to an aircraft by the government for purposes of identification. The number must be displayed on the exterior of the aircraft so it is visible. |
| Release Time | A departure time restriction issued to a pilot by ATC (either directly or through an authorized relay) when necessary to separate a departing aircraft from other traffic. |
| Reposition | To undertake a positioning flight. |
| Repositioning | Flying from the point of destination to the next point of origin, without carrying any PAYLOAD (in the case of an aircraft) or without being responsible for payload (in the case of a crew member). Example: a scheduled U.S. airline operates a charter flight from Los Angeles to Lisbon. Then, payload-free, it flies to Paris, where it will board passengers and cargo for a scheduled flight back to Los Angeles. Also known as deadheading, ferry flight. |
| Restricted Area | “Active” or “Hot” airspace that usually excludes civilian aircraft. May include airspace used for rocket flights, practice air-to-air combat or ground-based artillery practice. Temporary restricted areas are established for forest fires, natural disasters or major news stories. Flight through a restricted area may be authorized by the FAA. |
| Revenue Flight | Any flight that generates revenue for the operator. i.e. not a positioning, crew training or maintenance flight. |
| Runway | Smooth area prepared for landings and takeoffs of aircrafts. |
| Scheduled Air Transportation | Airline Transportation regulation for scheduled air service requiring the FAA Part 121 certificate. |
| Sector | Segment involving a take-off and landing (for example: a London-Bangkok-Sydney flight contains two sectors). |
| Service Area (Primary Service Area) | Some programs enable the client to travel globally while others will only fly the client in a limited area, typically North America and parts of the Caribbean, Mexico or possibly Hawaii. Some service areas aren’t country specific, but refer to a mileage limit outside of the Continental U.S. border. |
| Service Recovery | Outside of weather, different programs have different commitments for mechanical delays, pilots running out of flight hours, etc. This is another benefit compared to on-demand charter. |
| Short Field | A short runway length at the airport that requires a pilot to take off or land an aircraft within the shortest possible distance. |
| Short Leg Fees | Short Leg Fees are assessed when an aircraft is made to fly for a very short distance (anywhere from 10 to 90 minutes, depending on the aircraft). Flying a plane up in the air and back down again is called a ‘cycle’ in aviation. With each cycle, the plane’s value effectively decreases due to wear and tear on the engines and various insurance and maintenance triggers. Repositioning a plane from its home base to a nearby location in order to pick up passengers will often result in Short Leg fees, in order to compensate the owner for the loss in value to his aircraft without sufficient air time charges. |
| Sigmet | An advisory issued in times of severe weather that is significant to the safety of ALL aircraft. |
| Small Cabin Jets | Private jets built primarily for efficiency and lower cost of operation. A good choice for business travel and still afford plenty of luxury on shorter journeys. |
| SOB | Souls (persons) On Board. Also POB, Persons on Board. |
| Soft Field | An unpaved airport runway typically comprised of grass or dirt. |
| Sport Jet Charter | The chartering of an aircraft for the purpose of transporting members of sports teams to sporting events. |
| Squawk | A four-digit number assigned to an aircraft. The pilot can use this number to identify his or her plane when contacting ATC. |
| Stage Length | The distance of the air charter client’s itinerary. |
| Stand | The part of the tarmac on which the aeroplanes stand when idle, separate from the taxiways and runways. Many airports allow private charter customers’ cars to be escorted to and from the stand for transferring passengers and luggage. If preferred, or where airport regulations prohibit passenger vehicles airside, the handling agent will transfer passengers and luggage in their own vehicles. |
| Stand-Up Cabin | A cabin designed for sufficient height to allow passengers to move around the cabin with relative ease. Typically taken to be a ceiling height of 5’8″ or greater. |
| Standby | In radio communications, is a word to ask the other person to wait for further instructions. A standby reservation is conditional and is on a waiting list, in case of any NO-SHOWS. |
| Statute Mile | A unit of length equal to 5,280 feet. |
| STOL | Short Take-Off and Landing |
| Stopover | Scheduled interruption of a flight at an intermediate airport, either to refuel (in which case, it is known as a “technical stopover”) or to pick up/drop off PAYLOAD (for example: flight 789 from New York to Delhi, with a stopover in London). Unlike a connection, a stopover usually does not involve a change of flight number or airline, but may involve a change of aircraft. |
| STOVL | Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing |
| Straight Flight | The flight maneuver that causes the aircraft to maintain the same direction. |
| Super Mid-Size Jets | Combining transatlantic capability with the speed and comfort of a wide-body, high-altitude aircraft. Feature wide-body cabin space, high-altitude capability, speed and ultra-long range. |
| Tail | The aerodynamic surfaces located at the rear of an aircraft. |
| Tail Number | An airplane’s registration number |
| Tarmac | An airport surface paved with the substance, especially a runway or an apron at a hangar. |
| TAWS (Terrain Awareness and Warning System) | An advanced type of GPWS that provides the flight crew earlier aural and visual warning of impending terrain, forward looking capability and continued operation in the landing configuration. |
| Taxi Time | The time the aircraft takes taxiing from the stand to runway on departure and from the runway to the stand on landing. Typically totals around 10 minutes per leg. |
| TCA (Terminal Control Area) | A volume of controlled airspace set up at the confluence of airways in the vicinity of one or more major airports to protect traffic climbing out from and descending into the airports. |
| TCAD | A proprietary low cost anti-collision system detecting and alerting pilots to nearby transponders but not providing evasive instructions or coordination with other aircraft. |
| TCAS | Traffic alert and Collision Avoidance System. U.S. developed radar-based airborne collision avoidance system operating independently of ground-based equipment. TCAS-I generates traffic advisories only, TCAS-II provides advisories and collision avoidance instructions in the vertical plane. |
| Technical Stop | Landing at an airport en-route to the destination airport for technical rather than operational reasons, most typically to upload fuel if the total journey exceeds the range of the aircraft. |
| Third Party Verification | Refers to the verification of safety, maintenance and operations by an independent auditor. |
| Threshold | The portion of a runway that is available for landing. |
| Throttle | A valve in the carburetor that controls the amount of fuel that can enter the engine. |
| Thrust | An aerodynamic force produced by a propeller or engine that pushes an aircraft forward. |
| Toga | Take-off/Go Around. An autopilot setting activating take-off or GO-AROUND thrust. |
| Touchdown | Synonym of landing. May also refer to a stopover that does not involve a change of aircraft or flight. |
| Transponder | Airborne receiver/transmitter portion of the SSR system which receives the interrogation signal from the ground and automatically replies according to mode and code selected. Modes A and B are used for identification, using a four-digit number allocated by air traffic control. Mode C gives automatic altitude readout from an encoding altimeter. |
| True Airspeed | Also called “TAS”; the speed of an aircraft as it moves through the air. The number is corrected to account for temperature and altitude. |
| True Altitude | The distance of an aircraft above sea level. This is represented in Mean Sea Level. |
| Turbine | Engine that uses compressed air to generate thrust to spin a metal shaft inside the motor. Turbines are vital components in jet engines and also power turboprop aircraft. |
| Turbo Jet Aircrafts | Aircrafts with jet engines that operate turbines which operate air compressors. |
| Turbo Prop Aircraft | An aircraft with turbine and propeller powered by a jet engine. |
| UM | Unaccompanied Minor. Underage passenger (typically 5-15 years old) travelling without a parent, guardian or trusted adult. An UM is under the constant supervision of airline staff from the departure gate until he or she is picked up at the arrival airport. |
| Unicom | (universal communication) A common radio frequency (usually 121.0 mHz) used at controlled (non-tower) airports for local pilot communication. UNICOM is also used by a Fixed Base Operator for general administrative uses, including fuel orders, parking instructions, etc. |
| UTC | Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). The abbreviation is a compromise between the French language term Temps Universel Co-ordonné and the English language equivalent Universal Co-ordinated Time. |
| Very Light Jets (VLJ) | Very Light Jet (may also be referred to as entry-level jet) is a small, short-range and jet that can be operated by a single pilot and seats 2-4 passengers. |
| Wait Time | The time the aircraft is waiting on the tarmac for the departure of its next leg of the itinerary. |
| Waiting Time | The time that the crew and aircraft must spend on the ground waiting for passengers to return to the airport on a multi-leg trip. |
| Wake Turbulence | Turbulent air condition caused by small, tornado-like horizontal whirlwinds trailing an aircraft’s wingtips (wingtip vortices). Wake turbulence associated with larger aircraft flying at slow speeds (as on take-off or landing approach) is the most severe and can cause loss of control for smaller aircraft following close behind. Controllers use defined separation standards to avoid the problem for take-off, landing, approach and departure operations. |
| Waypoint | Reference point used for navigation, usually indicated by latitude and longitude and sometimes altitude and typically used for GPS and INS navigation. |
| Wyvern Wingman | Wyvern Wingman is a third-party rating system of private aircraft operators measuring adherence to ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) standards for safety management systems, emergency response plans, and internal evaluations. Included is a two-day, on-site audit recurring every 24 months. |
| Zulu Time | UTC or Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). The aviation convention is to append the characters Z to times written as UTC and L to times written as local time. In the phonetic alphabet, Z is pronounced Zulu. |