The Flight Environment

Ground School Vocab

Land and Hold Short Operations (LAHSO)

ATC tool to increase airport capacity; pilot must accept; no student solo pilots may participate

VASI

lighting system that indicates position in relation to the desired glide path to a runway

Warning

area of airspace extending from three nautical miles outward from coast of the United States; contain hazards such a as aerial gunnery or guided missiles

Tetrahedron

landing direction indicator; located near a wind direction indicator

Transponder

electronic device aboard the airplane which enhances your aircraft’s identity on an ATC radar screen

Restricted

area pilots must have controlling agency’s permission to enter; invisible hazards to aircraft

Beacon

used to guide pilots to lighted airports

Military Operations Area (MOA)

airspace blocked for military training; VFR traffic is not prevented from flying through, but wise to avoid

Temporary Flight Restrcitions (TFRs)

restrictions imposed by FAA to protect persons or property on the surface or in the air from a specific hazard or situation

Prohibited

area established for the security associated with national welfare

Class A

Airspace extending from 18,000’ MSL up to and including FL 600; transponder required; IFR flight plan

Class D

airspace at an airport with a part-time control tower; two-way radio communication

Blast Pad

sometimes referred to as an overrun; cannot be used for taxiing, takeoff, or landing

Displaced Threshold

utilized to avoid obstructions off the end of the runway during landing

Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ)

established to facilitate identification of all aircraft entering domestic U.S. airspace from outside the country

Wind Sock

wind direction indicator; most common

Controlled

airport with an operating control tower

Alert

area of unusual types of aerial activities; parachute jumping, glider towing, or high concentrations of student pilot training

Noise Abatement

procedures used to reduce the level of noise generated by aircraft near airports

Class C

established around some busy airports with control towers; two-way radio communication; transponder with mode C

Traffic Patterns

established to ensure that air traffic flows into and out of an airport in an orderly manner

Wind Tee

wind direction indicator; wind intensity or gusty conditions not indicated

Military Training Route (MTR)

low-level, high-speed military training flights

Minimum Safe Altitude (MSA)

altitude required following an engine failure without undue hazards to persons or property on the surface; 500’ sparsely populated and uncongested; 1,000’ above & 2,00'0’ horizontal congested area

Class B

established around very large major airports; two-way radio communication; transponder with mode C