12/2/21 

Pilot/Controller Glossary 

ARMY AVIATION FLIGHT INFORMATION 
BULLETIN

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 A bulletin that provides air operation 

data covering Army, National Guard, and Army 
Reserve aviation activities. 

ARO

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(See AIRPORT RESERVATION OFFICE.) 

ARRESTING SYSTEM

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 A safety device consisting 

of two major components, namely, engaging or 
catching devices and energy absorption devices for 
the purpose of arresting both tailhook and/or 
nontailhook­equipped aircraft. It is used to prevent 
aircraft from overrunning runways when the aircraft 
cannot be stopped after landing or during aborted 
takeoff. Arresting systems have various names; e.g., 
arresting gear, hook device, wire barrier cable. 

(See ABORT.) 
(Refer to AIM.) 

ARRIVAL CENTER

−

 The ARTCC having jurisdic­

tion for the impacted airport. 

ARRIVAL DELAY

−

 A parameter which specifies a 

period of time in which no aircraft will be metered for 
arrival at the specified airport. 

ARRIVAL/DEPARTURE WINDOW (ADW)

−

 A 

depiction presented on an air traffic control display, 
used by the controller to prevent possible conflicts 
between arrivals to, and departures from, a runway. 
The ADW identifies that point on the final approach 
course by which a departing aircraft must have begun 
takeoff

. 

ARRIVAL SECTOR (En Route)

−

 An operational 

control sector containing one or more meter fixes on 
or near the TRACON boundary. 

ARRIVAL TIME

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 The time an aircraft touches down 

on arrival. 

ARSR

−

 

(See AIR ROUTE SURVEILLANCE RADAR.) 

ARTCC

−

 

(See AIR ROUTE TRAFFIC CONTROL 

CENTER.) 

ASDA

−

 

(See ACCELERATE-STOP DISTANCE 

AVAILABLE.) 

ASDA [ICAO]

−

 

(See ICAO Term ACCELERATE-STOP 

DISTANCE AVAILABLE.) 

ASDE

−

 

(See AIRPORT SURFACE DETECTION 

EQUIPMENT.) 

ASLAR

−

 

(See AIRCRAFT SURGE LAUNCH AND 

RECOVERY.) 

ASR

−

 

(See AIRPORT SURVEILLANCE RADAR.) 

ASR APPROACH

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(See SURVEILLANCE APPROACH.) 

ASSOCIATED

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 A radar target displaying a data 

block with flight identification and altitude 
information. 

(See UNASSOCIATED.) 

ATC

−

 

(See AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL.) 

ATC ADVISES

−

  Used to prefix a message of 

noncontrol information when it is relayed to an 
aircraft by other than an air traffic controller. 

(See ADVISORY.) 

ATC ASSIGNED AIRSPACE

−

 Airspace of defined 

vertical/lateral limits, assigned by ATC, for the 
purpose of providing air traffic segregation between 
the specified activities being conducted within the 
assigned airspace and other IFR air traffic. 

(See SPECIAL USE AIRSPACE.) 

ATC CLEARANCE

−

 

(See AIR TRAFFIC CLEARANCE.) 

ATC CLEARS

−

 Used to prefix an ATC clearance 

when it is relayed to an aircraft by other than an air 
traffic controller. 

ATC INSTRUCTIONS

−

 Directives issued by air 

traffic control for the purpose of requiring a pilot to 
take specific actions; e.g., “Turn left heading two five 
zero,” “Go around,” “Clear the runway.” 

(Refer to 14 CFR Part 91.) 

ATC PREFERRED ROUTE NOTIFICATION

−

 

EDST notification to the appropriate controller of the 
need to determine if an ATC preferred route needs to 
be applied, based on destination airport. 

(See ROUTE ACTION NOTIFICATION.) 
(See EN ROUTE DECISION SUPPORT TOOL.) 

ATC PREFERRED ROUTES

−

 Preferred routes that 

are not automatically applied by Host. 

ATC REQUESTS

−

 Used to prefix an ATC request 

when it is relayed to an aircraft by other than an air 
traffic controller. 

PCG A

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