Acronym Glossary
Quick reference for the acronyms and abbreviations that appear throughout the AvPlot tools. Definitions are reference summaries only — the cited FAA document is the governing text. No design dimensions are stated here; the tools carry the numbers, with their citation trail.
A letter grouping (A–E) of aircraft by approach speed in kt. Together with the ADG and the approach visibility minimums, the AAC forms a runway’s Runway Design Code and drives which design standards apply.
The FAA’s series of guidance documents. The 150-series covers airports; AC 150/5300-13B (Airport Design) is the governing standard behind most AvPlot outputs.
A Roman-numeral grouping (I–VI) of aircraft by wingspan and tail height. The ADG drives most airfield separation and clearance standards, including safety areas and object free areas.
The FAA web portal through which airport sponsors submit and maintain airport data, including the Airport Master Record (5010) program data that formerly circulated with NASR.
A height reference measured from the ground surface directly below, as distinct from a sea-level datum. Obstruction heights are commonly stated in both AGL and MSL terms.
The internationally synchronized 28-day cycle on which aeronautical data publications take effect. FAA NASR subscriptions follow this cycle, which is why AvPlot’s airport data carries a cycle date.
The FAA-approved scaled drawing set depicting existing and proposed airport facilities. A current ALP is a prerequisite for federally funded development, and its data tables are standardized by FAA Office of Airports SOPs.
A configuration of lights extending from the runway threshold into the approach area to aid the transition from instrument to visual flight. The installed ALS type factors into achievable visibility minimums.
The high-intensity approach lighting configuration associated with Category II/III precision approaches. In practice ALSF-2 is effectively ILS-only, unlike MALSR.
An instrument approach that provides vertical guidance but does not meet precision-approach standards — for example LPV or LNAV/VNAV procedures. APV runways sit between non-precision and precision tiers for several design standards.
The designated latitude/longitude representing the approximate geometric center of an airport’s usable runway system. AvPlot’s ARP Lookup and ARP Centroid tools work with this point.
In FAA organizational context, ARP also designates the Office of Airports (as in “ARP SOP” standards).
A declared distance: the runway length plus any stopway available for acceleration and then deceleration to a stop after a rejected takeoff.
The control tower facility from which controllers manage airport surface and local airspace operations. Tower siting requires an unobstructed view of the movement areas, evaluated as line-of-sight analysis.
The codification of federal rules. Title 14 covers Aeronautics and Space; citations such as “14 CFR Part 77” identify the binding regulatory text.
The distance from the cockpit to the main gear, measured parallel to the aircraft centerline. Together with MGW, CMG determines an aircraft’s Taxiway Design Group and the swept path used in fillet design.
A plain-text tabular file format. AvPlot accepts CSV uploads for point data (for example the ATCT line-of-sight workflow) and exports analysis results as CSV.
The Autodesk CAD interchange format. AvPlot exports runway linework, taxiway fillet geometry, and ALP data tables as layered DXF for direct use in CAD drafting.
The United States civil aviation authority. The FAA publishes the Advisory Circulars, orders, and data products that AvPlot consults and cites. AvPlot is independent and not affiliated with the FAA.
Legacy shorthand for the aviation rules codified in Title 14 of the CFR. The FAA now prefers the “14 CFR Part …” citation form, but “FAR” remains common in practice.
The UN civil aviation body. In AvPlot you will most often meet it as the four-letter ICAO location identifier (for example KDEN) accepted by the airport lookup tools.
The ground-based precision approach system pairing a localizer (lateral guidance) with a glideslope (vertical guidance). Precision approaches trigger the most demanding airport design standards.
A compressed KML file for geographic visualization in Google Earth and similar viewers. AvPlot exports geo-referenced surfaces and analysis layers as KMZ.
A declared distance: the runway length declared available and suitable for the ground run of a landing airplane.
In instrument-procedure context, LDA can also mean Localizer-type Directional Aid, an offset localizer approach — AvPlot uses the declared-distance sense.
An unobstructed sight line between two points. In AvPlot it refers to ATCT visibility analysis: whether the tower cab can see target points on the movement area, and where intervening obstacles cast shadow.
A common approach lighting configuration. MALSR does not require an ILS — it is valid for APV and non-precision instrument approaches as well.
The span across an aircraft’s main landing gear, measured to the outside edges of the outermost tires. Together with CMG, MGW determines the Taxiway Design Group.
The sea-level elevation datum. Airport elevations, traffic pattern altitudes, and obstruction surface heights are stated in feet MSL unless noted as AGL.
The horizontal geodetic datum underlying current U.S. survey coordinates, including the State Plane Coordinate System zones AvPlot converts to and from.
The FAA’s authoritative 28-day subscription of airport, runway, and navaid data. NASR is AvPlot’s primary source for U.S. airport facts; every record carries its cycle date so citations are traceable.
A ground-based navigation facility such as a VOR or ILS component. NAVAID locations and types are part of the NASR data AvPlot ingests.
An instrument approach (or runway so served) providing lateral but no vertical guidance. Visibility minimums for NPI runways sit between visual and precision tiers in the design-standards tables.
The FAA’s inventory of airports considered significant to national air transportation. NPIAS inclusion is the eligibility basis for Airport Improvement Program funding, which is why planning studies reference it.
An evaluation surface used in instrument procedure design (TERPS): if the surface is penetrated by an obstacle, the procedure’s minimums or design must be adjusted. Distinct from the Part 77 imaginary surfaces used for obstruction evaluation.
A volume of airspace centered on the runway centerline that must remain clear of objects, except frangible visual NAVAIDs that must be located there. Sub-zones cover the runway itself and inner approach/transitional areas.
The most common Visual Glide Slope Indicator: a row of light units beside the runway whose red/white presentation shows the pilot’s position relative to the visual glidepath.
The federal regulation defining the imaginary surfaces (primary, approach, transitional, horizontal, conical) used to evaluate obstructions around airports, and the notice requirements for proposed construction. AvPlot’s surface generation and ALP tables build on these definitions.
A volume near the runway threshold that must be kept clear when a vertically guided approach is in use under low ceiling and visibility conditions, protecting aircraft on short final.
The code combining AAC, ADG, and approach visibility minimums (for example C-III-2400) that identifies which row of the design-standards matrix governs a runway.
The matrix in AC 150/5300-13B Appendix G tabulating runway design standards by design group and visibility minimums. It is the authoritative source behind AvPlot’s reference endpoints — the tools fetch from it rather than restating values.
A ground area centered on the runway centerline that must be kept clear of above-ground objects, except those fixed by function such as NAVAIDs. Its dimensions vary by design group and visibility minimums per the RDSM.
A trapezoidal area beyond the runway end intended to protect people and property on the ground. Approach and departure RPZs are sized by AAC and visibility minimums; AvPlot’s RPZ tool fetches the governing dimensions from the design-standards data.
The prepared, graded surface surrounding the runway intended to reduce damage to aircraft in the event of an undershoot, overshoot, or excursion. Dimensions vary by design group and visibility minimums per the RDSM.
An instrument-derived measurement of how far a pilot can see along the runway, reported in ft. RVR values map to the statute-mile visibility tiers that select design standards and approach minimums.
The system of map-projection zones (SPCS83, on NAD 83) giving survey-grade plane coordinates in U.S. units. AvPlot’s coordinate tools convert between geographic and State Plane coordinates and identify the governing zone.
The FAA’s official forecast of aviation activity (operations, based aircraft, enplanements) for U.S. airports, published annually. AvPlot’s forecasting tool benchmarks planner-developed forecasts against the TAF for FAA consistency review.
Not to be confused with the weather Terminal Aerodrome Forecast, which shares the abbreviation.
A classification of aircraft by undercarriage dimensions — Main Gear Width and Cockpit-to-Main-Gear distance — that governs taxiway and taxilane geometry: width, edge safety margin, shoulder, and fillet design.
The minimum distance maintained between the outside of the main gear tires and the taxiway pavement edge when the cockpit is over the centerline. TESM varies by TDG and shapes fillet geometry on curved taxiway segments.
FAA operations-count data derived from flight plans, used in critical aircraft analysis. Because TFMSC undercounts itinerant activity at non-towered airports, FAA guidance applies a normalization factor when using it for regular-use determinations.
A declared distance: the takeoff run available plus the length of any clearway beyond the runway end.
An area centered on the taxiway or taxilane centerline that must be kept clear of objects, providing wingtip clearance for the design aircraft. Width is a function of ADG per the design-standards tables.
A declared distance: the runway length declared available and suitable for the ground run of an airplane taking off. In AvPlot, the departure RPZ anchors to the TORA end.
The prepared, graded area centered on the taxiway centerline, capable of supporting aircraft and rescue equipment under dry conditions. Width is a function of ADG per the design-standards tables.
The generic term for visual glidepath aids such as PAPI and VASI installations. VGSI type and location are among the runway-end facts AvPlot reads from NASR.
The Excel spreadsheet format. AvPlot exports ALP data tables as XLSX and accepts the FAA’s official TAF bulk XLSX files as forecast input.