Aviation Regulations - Parts 1, 39, and 43

Vocabulary flashcards generated from lecture notes on FAR Part 1 definitions, Part 39 Airworthiness Directives, and Part 43 maintenance rules.

Advisory Circular (AC)

A document published by the FAA that provides an acceptable, clearly understood method for complying with a regulation, standardizes or harmonizes implementation, and resolves general misunderstandings of regulations.

Calibrated Airspeed (CAS)

The indicated airspeed of an aircraft, corrected for position and instrument error, which is equal to true airspeed in standard atmosphere at sea level.

Equivalent Airspeed (EAS)

The calibrated airspeed of an aircraft corrected for adiabatic compressible flow for the particular altitude, which is equal to calibrated airspeed in standard atmosphere at sea level.

Indicated Airspeed (IAS)

The speed of an aircraft as shown on its pitot static airspeed indicator calibrated to reflect standard atmosphere adiabatic compressible flow at sea level uncorrected for airspeed system errors.

Mach Number

The ratio of true airspeed to the speed of sound.

True Airspeed (TAS)

The airspeed of an aircraft relative to undisturbed air.

Landing Gear Extended Speed

The maximum speed at which an aircraft can be safely flown with the landing gear extended.

Landing Gear Operating Speed

The maximum speed at which the landing gear can be safely extended or retracted.

Flap Extended Speed

The highest speed permissible with wing flaps in a prescribed extended position.

$$V_A$$

Design maneuvering speed.

$$V_B$$

Design speed for maximum gust intensity.

$$V_C$$

Design cruising speed.

$$V_D$$

Design diving speed.

$$V_{DF}/M_{DF}$$

Demonstrated flight diving speed.

$$V_{EF}$$

The speed at which the critical engine is assumed to fail during takeoff.

$$V_F$$

Design flap speed.

$$V_{FC}/M_{FC}$$

Maximum speed for stability characteristics.

$$V_{FE}$$

Maximum flap extended speed.

$$V_H$$

Maximum speed in level flight with maximum continuous power.

$$V_{LE}$$

Maximum landing gear extended speed.

$$V_{LO}$$

Maximum landing gear operating speed.

$$V_{LOF}$$

Lift-off speed.

$$V_{MC}$$

Minimum control speed with the critical engine inoperative.

$$V_{NE}$$

Never-exceed speed.

$$V_{NO}$$

Maximum structural cruising speed.

$$V_R$$

Rotation speed.

$$V_S$$

The stalling speed or the minimum steady flight speed at which the airplane is controllable.

$$V_{S0}$$

The stalling speed or the minimum steady flight speed in the landing configuration.

$$V_{S1}$$

The stalling speed or the minimum steady flight speed obtained in a specific configuration.

Air Carrier

A person who undertakes directly by lease, or other arrangement, to engage in air transportation.

Air Commerce

Interstate, overseas, or foreign air commerce or the transportation of mail by aircraft or any operation or navigation of aircraft within the limits of any Federal airway or any operation or navigation of aircraft which directly affects, or which may endanger safety in, interstate, overseas, or foreign air commerce.

Commercial Operator

A person who, for compensation or hire, engages in the carriage by aircraft in air commerce of persons or property, other than as an air carrier or foreign air carrier or under the authority of Part 375.

Aircraft

A device that is used or intended to be used for flight in the air.

Airframe

The fuselage, booms, nacelles, cowlings, fairings, airfoil surfaces (including rotors but excluding propellers and rotating airfoils of engines), and landing gear of an aircraft and their accessories and controls.

Airplane

An engine-driven fixed-wing aircraft heavier than air, that is supported in flight by the dynamic reaction of the air against its wings.

Air Traffic Clearance

An authorization by air traffic control, for the purpose of preventing collision between known aircraft, for an aircraft to proceed under specified traffic conditions within controlled airspace.

Appliance

Any instrument, mechanism, equipment, part, apparatus, appurtenance, or accessory, including communications equipment, that is used or intended to be used in operating or controlling an aircraft in flight, is installed in or attached to the aircraft, and is not part of an airframe, engine, or propeller.

Area Navigation (RNAV)

A method of navigation that permits aircraft operations on any desired flight path.

Category (Airmen)

As used with respect to the certification, ratings, privileges, and limitations of airmen, a broad classification of aircraft such as airplane, rotorcraft, glider, and lighter-than-air.

Class (Airmen)

As used with respect to the certification, ratings, privileges, and limitations of airmen, a classification of aircraft within a category having similar operating characteristics, such as single engine, multiengine, land, water, gyroplane, helicopter, airship, and free balloon.

Category (Aircraft Certification)

As used with respect to the certification of aircraft, a grouping of aircraft based upon intended use or operating limitations, such as transport, normal, utility, acrobatic, limited, restricted, and provisional.

Class (Aircraft Certification)

As used with respect to the certification of aircraft, a broad grouping of aircraft having similar characteristics of propulsion, flight, or landing, such as airplane, rotorcraft, glider, balloon, landplane, and seaplane.

Controlled Airspace

An airspace of defined dimensions within which air traffic control service is provided to IFR flights and to VFR flights in accordance with the airspace classification.

Ceiling

The height above the earth's surface of the lowest layer of clouds or obscuring phenomena that is reported as "broken", "overcast", or "obscuration", and not classified as "thin" or "partial".

Flight Visibility

The average forward horizontal distance, from the cockpit of an aircraft in flight, at which prominent unlighted objects may be seen and identified by day and prominent lighted objects may be seen and identified by night.

Ground Visibility

Prevailing horizontal visibility near the earth's surface as reported by the United States National Weather Service or an accredited observer.

Decision Altitude (DA)

A specified altitude in an instrument approach procedure at which the pilot must decide whether to initiate an immediate missed approach if the pilot does not see the required visual reference, or to continue the approach, expressed in feet above mean sea level.

Decision Height (DH)

A specified height above the ground in an instrument approach procedure at which the pilot must decide whether to initiate an immediate missed approach if the pilot does not see the required visual reference, or to continue the approach, expressed in feet above ground level.

Minimum Descent Altitude (MDA)

The lowest altitude specified in an instrument approach procedure, expressed in feet above mean sea level, to which descent is authorized on final approach or during circle-to-land maneuvering until the pilot sees the required visual references.

IFR Conditions

Weather conditions below the minimum for flight under visual flight rules.

IFR Over-the-Top

The operation of an aircraft over-the-top on an IFR flight plan when cleared by air traffic control to maintain "VFR conditions" or "VFR conditions on top".

VFR Over-the-Top

The operation of an aircraft over-the-top under VFR when it is not being operated on an IFR flight plan.

Instrument Approach Procedure (IAP)

A series of predetermined maneuvers by reference to flight instruments with specified protection from obstacles and assurance of navigation signal reception capability, beginning from the initial approach fix or defined arrival route.

Nonprecision Approach Procedure

A standard instrument approach procedure in which no electronic glide slope is provided.

Precision Approach Procedure

A standard instrument approach procedure in which an electronic glide slope is provided, such as ILS and PAR.

Special VFR Conditions

Meteorological conditions that are less than those required for basic VFR flight in controlled airspace and in which some aircraft are permitted flight under visual flight rules.

Extended Over-Water Operation

An operation over water at a horizontal distance of more than $50\,\text{nautical miles}$ from the nearest shoreline (or for helicopters, more than $50\,\text{nautical miles}$ from the nearest shoreline and an off-shore heliport structure).

Flightcrew Member

A pilot, flight engineer, or flight navigator assigned to duty in an aircraft during flight time.

Flight Level

A level of constant atmospheric pressure related to a reference datum of $29.92\,\text{inches of mercury}$, stated in three digits representing hundreds of feet.

Flight Time

Pilot time that commences when an aircraft moves under its own power for the purpose of flight (or when towed for a glider without self-launch capability) and ends when the aircraft comes to rest after landing.

Large Aircraft

Aircraft of more than $12,500\,\text{pounds}$, maximum certificated takeoff weight.

Small Aircraft

Aircraft of $12,500\,\text{pounds}$ or less, maximum certificated takeoff weight.

Light-Sport Aircraft

An aircraft other than a helicopter or powered-lift meeting specific criteria including a maximum takeoff weight of not more than $1,320\,\text{pounds}$ ($1,430\,\text{pounds}$ for water operation), a maximum level flight speed ($V_H$) of $120\,\text{knots CAS}$, and a maximum seating capacity of two persons.

Load Factor

The ratio of a specified load to the total weight of the aircraft, expressed in terms of aerodynamic forces, inertia forces, or ground or water reactions.

Major Alteration

An alteration not listed in the aircraft, aircraft engine, or propeller specifications that might appreciably affect weight, balance, structural strength, performance, powerplant operation, flight characteristics, or airworthiness, or is not done according to accepted practices or elementary operations.

Major Repair

A repair that, if improperly done, might appreciably affect weight, balance, structural strength, performance, powerplant operation, flight characteristics, or airworthiness, or is not done according to accepted practices or elementary operations.

Maintenance

Inspection, overhaul, repair, preservation, and the replacement of parts, excluding preventive maintenance.

Preventive Maintenance

Simple or minor preservation operations and the replacement of small standard parts not involving complex assembly operations.

Night

The time between the end of evening civil twilight and the beginning of morning civil twilight, as published in the Air Almanac, converted to local time.

Operational Control

The exercise of authority over initiating, conducting, or terminating a flight.

Pilotage

Navigation by visual reference to landmarks.

Pilot in Command

The person who has final authority and responsibility for the operation and safety of the flight, has been designated before or during the flight, and holds the appropriate category, class, and type rating for the flight.

Airworthiness Directives (ADs)

Legally enforceable rules issued by the FAA under Part 39 addressing products (aircraft, engines, propellers, or appliances) when an unsafe condition exists and is likely to exist or develop in other products of the same type design.

Special Flight Permit

A permit issued by the local Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) authorizing an aircraft that may not meet airworthiness requirements to be flown to a repair facility to perform required work.

Overhaul

A maintenance process where an aircraft, engine, propeller, appliance, or component part is disassembled, cleaned, inspected, repaired as necessary, reassembled, and tested in accordance with approved standards and technical data.

Rebuilt

A maintenance process where an item is disassembled, cleaned, inspected, repaired as necessary, reassembled, and tested to the same tolerances and limits as a new item, using new or conforming used parts.

Life-Limited Part

Any part for which a mandatory replacement limit is specified in the type design, the Instructions for Continued Airworthiness, or the maintenance manual.

Life Status

The accumulated cycles, hours, or any other mandatory replacement limit of a life-limited part.

FAA Form 337

The required official form executed in duplicate (or triplicate for internal extended-range fuel tanks) by the person performing major repairs or major alterations.