ABSOLUTE ALTITUDE - The measurable height of an aircraft above the actual terrain.

ABSOLUTE CEILI! - The ma"imum altitu#e above sea level at $hich an aircraft can maintain level flight
un#er Stan#ar# Air con#itions.
ACCELE%ATED STALL - An& stall ma#e to occur at other than 'g.
ACCESSO%( !%OU) - *echanical an# electrical units mounte# on an engine necessar& for its o+eration,
such as starter, magnetos, fuel +um+s, etc.
AD-E%SE (A. - (a$ generate# $hen the ailerons are use#. The lifting $ing generates more #rag, causing an
air+lane to &a$ /turn0 to$ar# it.
A!L - Above !roun# Level, as a measurement of altitu#e above a s+ecific lan# mass, an# #ifferentiate# from
*SL.
AI% S)EED IDICATO% - An instrument or #evice that measures the air s+ee# of an aircraft through an air
mass, but not its groun# s+ee#.
AI% S)EED IDICATO% - An instrument or #evice that measures the air s+ee# of an aircraft through an air
mass, but not its groun# s+ee#.
ALTI*ETE% - An a#1ustable aneroi#-barometric coc2+it instrument use# to measure an aircraft3s altitu#e.
A*)4IBIA, A*)4IBIO - A SEA)LAE or 5LOAT)LAE $ith retractable $heels for use on lan#, as $ell. The
latter s+elling $as use# in the 367s an# 387s but has since fallen out of favor.
A!LE O5 ATTAC9 - The acute angle at $hich a moving airfoil meets the airstream.
A!LE O5 ICIDECE - The angle at $hich an airfoil is normall& fi"e# in relation to the longitu#inal a"is of an
aircraft.
A4ED%AL - The #o$n$ar# angle of a $ing in relation to a hori:ontal cross-section line; a2a CAT4ED%AL.
See DI4ED%AL.
A))%OAC4 COT%OL see %ADIO A-I!ATIO
A)%O - The har#-surface# or +ave# area aroun# a hangar.
A%TI5ICIAL 4O%I<O - A vacuum-+o$ere# +anel instrument that #is+la&s +itch an# roll movements about the
lateral an# longitu#inal a"es; a2a Attitu#e In#icator.
AS)ECT %ATIO - The ratio of the s+an to the chor# of an airfoil=a high-as+ect ratio $ing has $i#e s+an an#
narro$ chor#, an# vice-versa for a lo$-as+ect ratio $ing.
AUTO-%OTATIO - Automatic rotation of rotar& bla#es from a helico+ter in an un+o$ere# gli#e or the for$ar#
movement of an auto g&ro.
BLEED AI% - 4ot air at high +ressure, usuall& from the b&+ass section of a gas turbine engine, for #e-icing,
heating, an# other uses.
BU*)ED CO.LI! - An engine 5AI%I!, generall& circular, $ith $elts or com+oun# sha+es in its surface to
accommo#ate c&lin#er hea#s.
CABAE ST%UT - .ing strut attache# to the fuselage.
CAA%D - An arrangement in $hich the hori:ontal stabili:er an# elevators of an aircraft are mounte# in front
of the main $ing/s0.
C4O%D - The measurable #istance bet$een the lea#ing an# trailing e#ges of a $ingform.
CLASS ! AI%S)ACE /Uncontrolle# Airs+ace0 - Airs+ace not #esignate# as Class A, B, C, D or E COT%OLLED
AI%S)ACE.
COA*I! - A +a##e#, +rotective rim aroun# an o+en coc2+it.
COLLECTI-E )ITC4 - A coc2+it control that changes the )ITC4 of a helico+ter3s rotor bla#es; use# in climbing
or #escen#ing.
COLLECTO% %I! - A circular #uct on a ra#ial engine into $hich e"haust gases from its c&lin#ers are safel&
#ischarge#.
COTOU% 5LI!4T - Contact 5light in an# aroun# mountainous areas follo$ing visual reference to the terrain3s
count ours.
COT%AIL - Trailing strea2 of con#ense# $ater va+or create# in the air b& heat from an aircraft engine at high
altitu#es; a2a -A)O% T%AIL.
DEADSTIC9 - Descen#ing flight $ith engine an# +ro+eller sto++e#.
DECALA!E - The #ifference in angular settings >Angles of Attac2? of the $ings of a bi+lane or multi+lane.
DELTA-.I! - A triangularl&-sha+e# aircraft $ing having a lo$ as+ect ratio, a shar+l&-ta+ere# lea#ing e#ge, a
straight trailing e#ge, an# a +ointe# ti+.
DE)A%TU%E COT%OL see %ADIO A-I!ATIO
DE)A%TU%E STALL - A stall in the ta2eoff configuration $ith +o$er.
DE-IATIO /*A!ETIC0 - The error of a *agnetic Com+ass #ue to inherent magnetic influences in the
structure an# e@ui+ment of an aircraft.
DE.I< see AI% DE5ESE IDETI5ICATIO <OE
DI4ED%AL - The acute angle, usuall& u+$ar#, bet$een the $ing of an air+lane an# a hori:ontal cross-section
line. O++osite of A4ED%AL.
DI%ECTIOAL !(%O - A +anel instrument +rovi#ing a g&rosco+ic rea#ing of an aircraft3s com+ass hea#ing.
DI%I!IBLE - A lighter-than-air craft ca+able of being +ro+elle# an# steere# for controlle# flight. LatinA #irigo, to
steer.
D*E - Distance *easuring E@ui+ment, a ra#io navigation #evice that #etermines an aircraft3s #istance from a
given groun# station, as $ell as its groun#s+ee# an# time toBfrom the station.
DO)E - )reservative an# +igmente# coloring for fabric aircraft covering an# +aints, generall& nitrate lac@uer
but genericall& use# to #enote all earl& shellac an# coal-tar mi"tures on u+ to +resent-#a& acr&lics.
DO%SAL 5I - A lateral finBru##er e"tension on the to+ of a fuselage. O++osite of -ET%AL 5I.
DO..AS4 - The air #eflecte# +er+en#icular to the #irection of movement of an airfoil.
D%A! - The resisting force e"erte# on an aircraft in its line of flight o++osite in #irection to its motion.
Com+are T4%UST.
D%A! .I%E - A $ire #esigne# to resist D%A! forces, usuall& running from a for$ar# inboar# +oint to an
outboar# aft +oint.
D%I5T - The angle bet$een the hea#ing of an aircraft an# its Trac2 >flight +ath? over the groun# as affecte# b&
$in#s.
D%( .EI!4T - The $eight of an engine e"clusive of an& fuel, oil, an# coolant.