12/2/21 

Pilot/Controller Glossary 

C 

CALCULATED LANDING TIME

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 A term that may 

be used in place of tentative or actual calculated 
landing time, whichever applies. 

CALL FOR RELEASE

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 Wherein the overlying 

ARTCC requires a terminal facility to initiate verbal 
coordination to secure ARTCC approval for release 
of a departure into the en route environment. 

CALL UP

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 Initial voice contact between a facility 

and an aircraft, using the identification of the unit 
being called and the unit initiating the call. 

(Refer to AIM.) 

CANADIAN MINIMUM NAVIGATION PERFOR-
MANCE SPECIFICATION AIRSPACE

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 That 

portion of Canadian domestic airspace within which 
MNPS separation may be applied. 

CARDINAL ALTITUDES

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 “Odd” or “Even” 

thousand-foot altitudes or flight levels; e.g., 5,000, 
6,000, 7,000, FL 250, FL 260, FL 270. 

(See ALTITUDE.) 
(See FLIGHT LEVEL.) 

CARDINAL FLIGHT LEVELS

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(See CARDINAL ALTITUDES.) 

CAT

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(See CLEAR-AIR TURBULENCE.) 

CATCH POINT

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  A fix/waypoint that serves as a 

transition point from the high altitude waypoint 
navigation structure to an arrival procedure (STAR) 
or the low altitude ground

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based navigation 

structure. 

CEILING

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 The heights 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.” 

(See ICAO term CEILING.) 

CEILING [ICAO]

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 The height above the ground or 

water of the base of the lowest layer of cloud below 
6,000 meters (20,000 feet) covering more than half 
the sky. 

CENTER

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(See AIR ROUTE TRAFFIC CONTROL 

CENTER.) 

CENTER’S AREA

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 The specified airspace within 

which an air route traffic control center (ARTCC) 
provides air traffic control and advisory service. 

(See AIR ROUTE TRAFFIC CONTROL 

CENTER.) 

(Refer to AIM.) 

CENTER WEATHER ADVISORY

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 An unsched-

uled weather advisory issued by Center Weather 
Service Unit meteorologists for ATC use to alert 
pilots of existing or anticipated adverse weather 
conditions within the next 2 hours. A CWA may 
modify or redefine a SIGMET. 

(See AIRMET.) 
(See CONVECTIVE SIGMET.) 
(See SAW.) 
(See SIGMET.) 
(Refer to AIM.) 

CENTRAL EAST PACIFIC

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 An organized route 

system between the U.S. West Coast and Hawaii. 

CEP

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(See CENTRAL EAST PACIFIC.) 

CERAP

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(See COMBINED CENTER-RAPCON.) 

CERTIFICATE OF WAIVER OR AUTHORIZA-
TION (COA)

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  An FAA grant of approval for a 

specific flight operation or airspace authorization or 
waiver. 

CERTIFIED TOWER RADAR DISPLAY (CTRD)

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An FAA radar display certified for use in the NAS. 

CFR

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(See CALL FOR RELEASE.) 

CHA 

(See CONTINGENCY HAZARD AREA) 

CHAFF

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 Thin, narrow metallic reflectors of various 

lengths and frequency responses, used to reflect radar 
energy. These reflectors, when dropped from aircraft 
and allowed to drift downward, result in large targets 
on the radar display. 

CHART SUPPLEMENT U.S.

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 A publication 

designed primarily as a pilot’s operational manual 
containing all airports, seaplane bases, and heliports 
open to the public including communications data, 
navigational facilities, and certain special notices and 

PCG C

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