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Click here to view Definitions of Aircraft Options

M
Maximum Payload = Maximum Zero Fuel Weight - (minus) Basic Operating Weight
MCU- Minimum configuration unit.
MDAU - Maintenance data acquisition unit.
MDH - Major damage history.
MFD - Multifunction display. The third or fifth tube in an EFIS, it replaces the weather radar screen and displays radar data, navigation maps, checklists and other information.
Microline - Trade name owned by Collins.
MNPS - Minimum navigational performance specificaitons.
MLS - Microwave Landing System
Mode- A - A transponder which does not give the controllers altitude information
Mode-C - A transponder and encoding altimeter which together give air traffic controllers altitude information
Mode-S - A transponder which features unique identification per unit, the potential for low-speed up and down datalinks, and "selective interrogation" triggered by ground facilities
MOH - Major overhaul.
MOPS - Minimum operational performance standard (RTCA)
MSP - Maintanance Servie Program. (Garret engine)

N
NARA - NARA is a professional trade association of 54 reputable business companies organized to promote the growth and public understanding of the aircraft resale industry. Its members abide by a 12-point Code of Ethics that provides standards of business conduct regarding aircraft transactions.
NAT - North Atlantic Tracks.
Nautical Mile - Measurment of distance. Equals 1.15 statute miles.
NAV - Navigation Receivers
NAV/COM - Navigation and communication radios combined in a single unit.
NBAA IFR Fuel Reserves = Fuel for go-around at destination airport + climb to 500 ft. and hold for 5 minutes + fly to and land at alternate airport 200 NMi. away + fuel to hold at 5000 ft. for 30 minutes.
NDB - Non-Directional Beacon - an older type of electronic navigation aid, basically a low-power AM radio station
NMS - Navigation management system.
NMU - Navigation management unit.
NTSB - National Transportation Safety Board. Investigates airplane accidents. Plays at most an advisory role in flightworthiness accreditation.
NVM - Nonvolatile memory. Digital memory that retains information through system shutdown.

O
OAT - Outside Air Temperature.
OBS - Omnibearing Selector - part of a VOR receiver system, which allows the pilot to select a course to or from a VOR station
OFUELWT - Zero Fuel Weight.
OH - Overhaul.
Omega - A very-low-frequency navigation system.
Opitcal digitizer - Any device using a photosensor that can convert analog informatin to digital code.
OXY - Oxygen system for passengers and crew.

P
Payload with Full Fuel = Useful Load - (minus) Usable Fuel
PBH - Power by the Hour. (Rolls Royce engines)
PC - Positive Control. (Trade name for Mooney Aircrft wing leveler)
PAR - Precision Approach Radar - a ground-radar based instrument approach which provides both horizontal and vertical guidance
Peak power output - The maximum transitter power output measured over a short time; usually used to rate pulse transmissions.
PEP - Peak envelope power. A standard electronic rating of any AC source, including a radio transmitter.
PNT - Paint
port - Nautical usage adopted in aviation. The left side, as determined by an observer in the vehicle, when vehicle and observer are right side up, and observer is looking ``forward'' (in the normal direction of travel of the vessel or vehicle).
PSI - Pounds per square inch.
PTT - Push-to-talk (switch)
Pulse - A transmission of very brief duration used to carry information by using time measurement or as a series of pulses representing code.
PVT - Private (pilot certificate)
PW - Pratt & Whitney, the world's leading designer, developer and manufacturer of gas turbine engines for commercial, military and general aviation aircraft.''

Q

R
RA - (1) Radio altitiude; (2) Resolution advisory (TCAS)
radal - Radio Altimeter
Radar - On-board weather radar.
Radar Altimeter - Device that senses aircraft's height above the terrain. Different from normal (barometric) altimeter.
Radome - A detachable nose cone made of plastic-type material, used to cover and protect an airplane's radar antenna.
RAIM - Receiver autonomous integrity monitoring (GPS)
RAM - Random access memory.
Ramjet - A type of jet engine with very few moving parts which consists of a specially shaped tube open at both ends.
Rate of roll - A measure of the speed with which an airplane can turn around its long axis, or roll.
RCA - Avionics mfgr.
RCU - Radio control unit.
Reversers - System for braking aircraft during landing roll.
RFU - Radio frequency unit.
RG - Retractable landing gear.
RMI - radio magnetic indicator - an ADF-like display with a pair of pointers which might be attached to either VOR or ADF receivers
RNAV - Area navigation device.
RNP - Required navigation performance.
ROM - Read-only memory.
RR - Rolls Royce makes engines for a variety of aircraft, including the Boeing 777 and Airbus 330.
RT - Receiver-transmitter combined in a singel line-replacable unit.
RTCA, Inc. - An association of U.S. governmental and industry aeronautical organizations dedicated to advancing aeronautics through consensus and recommendations.
Runway XX - Runways are numbered after magnetic compass points, minus the 1's column (where North is 0, and 360, degrees).
RVSM - Reduced Vertical Seperatation Minimum

S
SAR - Search and rescue.
Satcom - Satellite communications system.
SDU - Satellite data unit.
SELCAL - Selective Calling system (used primarily with HF)
Service ceiling - The altitude above sea level beyond which an airplane can no longer climb more than 30 m(100 ft) per minute.
SHP - Shaft horsepower. (refers to turbine engines.)
Silver Crown - Trade name owned by King Radio.
Simplex - Single frequency for both transmitting and recieving in communications; generally implies a push-to-talk function and verbal procedures.
Slaved compass - North-seeking gyro-stabilized compass system. Technically superior to DG.
slip - A way to lose altitude in a hurry (on purpose), or slide into a final approach during a heavy wind. The technique is to put nearly full rudder in one direction, and then bank in the opposite. This keeps the plane almost level, except pointing to one side.
SMOH - Since major overhaul.
SMPI - Time Since Major Periodic Inspection
SN - Serial Number.
Spar - A principal section of the wing structure of an airplane, going from tip to tip.
Sperry - Avionics mfgr.
SPOH - Since prop overhaul.
Squawk - A 4-digit (actually 4-octal-digit -> 12-bit) number which is set into a transponder by the pilot to identify the aircraft to air traffic controllers
Squitter - The transmission of a specified reply format at a minimum rate without the need to be interrogated (transponders)
SSB - Single sideband. A highly efficient form of radio transmission wherein information is carried on a sideband instead of the center carrier in order to gain range performance; usually used in HF communication transceivers.
SSCVR - Solid state cockpit voice recorder.
stall - The point at which wings fail to generate enough lift to keep the plane stable.
starboard - Nautical usage adopted in aviation. The right side, as determined by an observer in the vehicle, when vehicle and observer are right side up, and observer is looking ``forward'' (in the normal direction of travel of the vessel or vehicle).
STC - (1) Supplemental Type Certificate. (2) Sensitivity-time compensation. In weather radar, a technique and circuit for calibrating a display.
STOL - Short takeoff and landing ability.
sumps - Points underneath each fuel tank to test for contamination like water or other debris.
Supercharged - Method for increasing engine power.
Synchro - Any device capable of converting mechanical position into an analog electronic signal.
Synthesizer - Frequency synthesizer, an electronic circuit capable of generating multiple frequencies from a single crystal oscillator.
Swept-wing - A wing in which both the leading and trailing edges are slanted backward, to reduce air resistance at high speed.
synch - Engine Fan Synchronizer

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