M2C2 Airports

Module 2 Aircraft Systems and Airports

ATC

Air Traffic Control

beacon

a tower-mounted, large rotating light located at an airport. The light gives pilots a guide to the airport's location and the type of airport

controlled airport

an airport with an operating control tower

control tower

a structure that houses air traffic controllers

course

the intended path of flight, which is measured in angular degrees from true or magnetic north on a compass

FAA

Federal Aviation Administration

FSS- Flight Service Station

a FAA facility that provides pilots with weather briefings and flight planning (opening and closure) and coordination of search and rescue

heading

the direction that an airplane points with respect to true, or magnetic, north including any wind displacement; based on its longitudinal axis

noise abatement

a policy set forth by a governing body that controls the noise impact upon a community surrounding an airport

ramp

the airport's "parking lot."

runway

a dedicated pathway for taking off and landing airplanes

runway heading

a magnetic number that corresponds with the runway

segmented circle

a set of indicators, usually surrounding an airport's wind sock, that provide traffic pattern information to a pilot in the air

taxi

ground movement of an airplane

taxiway

a passageway between the parking area and the runways of an airport

tetrahedron

a device that gives an indication of the landing direction at an airport

uncontrolled airport

an airport without an operating control tower

wind direction indicators

several devices that give a pilot an indication of wind direction

traffic pattern

a rectangular pattern around an airport that facilitates the flow of aircraft