Aviation and Aerodynamics

Random House Word Menu:

List of words related to Aviation and Aerodynamics

Top

Home > Library > Literature & Language > Word Menu

Random House Word Menu by Stephen Glazier

Word Menu is the ultimate language reference for inexperienced and proficient writers alike — students, learners of English, creative writers, journalists, business executives and office professionals.

Browse Word Menu categories:
Word Menu > Science and Technology > Transportation > Aircraft > Aviation and Aerodynamics

abort - (vb) terminate preplanned maneuver, esp. takeoff
absolute altitude - vertical distance between aircraft and Earth’s surface
absolute ceiling - altitude beyond which aircraft cannot climb in standard atmospheric conditions
aerial reconnaissance camera - camera with extremely long-range focus for high-altitude surveillance
aero- - prefix meaning aircraft or flying
aerobatics - intentional, abrupt maneuvers that alter normal flight pattern, esp. done in performance
aerodonetics - science of flying gliders
aerodynamics - science of the motion of air and other gases and the forces they produce on bodies in relative motion
aeronaut - pilot of balloon or airship
aeronautics - science, art, and business of designing, building, and flying aircraft
aerophotography - long-range photography from aircraft
afterburning - process of fuel injection and combustion for increasing thrust in turbojet exhaust, used only in military aircraft and SST
airborne - (adj) carried through air by aerodynamic forces
airflow - stream of air in motion relative to a body
airframe icing - formation of ice on parts, esp. airfoil, due to certain moisture and temperature conditions, causing instability and control problems
air lane - route regularly used by aircraft: jet route, victor airway
airman - aviator
airsickness - nausea, dizziness, headache, and cold sweat due to motion and altitude of air flight
air space - space extending vertically above area of Earth’s surface
airspeed - speed of aircraft relative to air through which it is moving rather than Earth’s surface
airstream - airflow around aircraft in flight
airway - specific route for air travel
airworthy - (adj) safe and fit for flying
altitude - height above Earth’s surface or sea level
angle of attack - angle between airfoil and relative flow of wind
angle of incidence - angle between chord line of airfoil and thrust of aircraft
approach - final period of descent prior to landing
asymmetric landing - emergency landing in which engine on one side has failed
attitude - position of aircraft expressed as inclination of its three axes (pitch, roll, and yaw) to frame of reference
augmentation - increase of thrust by various methods
autorotation - condition of flight achieved when lift is derived solely by effect of aerodynamic forces on unpowered rotor of autogyro or helicopter, or when power is lost
aviation - art and science of flying aircraft; development of heavier-than-air aircraft
aviator - flier; airplane pilot; airman
aviatrix - female aviator
bank - (vb) roll to attitude in which one wing tip is higher than the other; (n) condition of flight in which aircraft slopes laterally during turn
barnstorm - (vb) tour country to give short demonstration airplane rides and stunt flying exhibitions
barrel roll - complete roll by aircraft around longitudinal axis while simultaneously completing one spiral revolution in air
bearing - horizontal direction to or from any point, measured in degrees clockwise from true north
belly landing - emergency landing directly onto bottom of fuselage with landing gear retracted
blind landing - instrument landing in zero visibility
brake horsepower - actual horsepower of engine measured by brake attached to drive shaft
buffeting - vibration of aircraft part caused by a burble
burble - irregular flow of air around aircraft
buzz - (vb) fly aircraft very low, esp. over structure
calibrated airspeed - indicated airspeed corrected for installation error of cockpit gauge
calibration - correction of airspeed
CAT - clear air turbulence
ceiling - height above Earth’s surface of lowest significant cloud layer; altitude at which rate of climb of given aircraft falls to 100 feet (30 m) per minute
center of gravity - point in body toward which every external particle of matter is attracted by gravity
chandelle - abrupt, steep climb caused by aircraft’s momentum
chord line - imaginary line from leading to trailing edge of airfoil
circling - flight pattern adopted by pilot while awaiting landing clearance or to position aircraft for landing
clear air turbulence - CAT; unpredictable high-altitude turbulence with no clouds present, esp. wind shear due to jetstream
climb - ascent, esp. to cruising altitude
climbout - portion of flight between takeoff and initial cruising altitude
close formation - flying in which several aircraft maintain relative positions near one another, often as exhibition
contrail - white trail of condensed water vapor behind aircraft in flight; vapor trail
corridor - flight route designated by international agreement
crabbing - sideways motion of aircraft with respect to ground due to crosswind
crash landing - forced landing in which aircraft is brought down without landing gear away from airport runway surface
critical altitude - maximum altitude at which it is possible to maintain specified power and manifold pressure in standard atmosphere
crosswind - wind not parallel to path of aircraft or runway
cruise - (vb) maintain constant speed and altitude for period of time
cruising altitude - constant altitude maintained for portion of flight
decision height - point in ILS at which pilot sees runway and begins visual landing
decompression - formation of nitrogen bubbles in blood or body tissues due to rapid ascent, causing pain in joints and convulsions
density altitude - altitude corresponding to given air density in standard atmosphere; pressure altitude corrected for temperature
depressurization - loss of cabin pressurization
direct stability - propensity of aircraft to remain in stable flight attitude
ditch - (vb) make crash landing in water and abandon aircraft
dive - steep, sudden descent
drag - sum of air resistance encountered in flight plus induced drag created by airfoil
drag ratio - ratio of lift to drag as characteristic of wing; lift ratio
drift - deviation from course, esp. due to crosswinds
egress route - airway used for departure
engine failure - loss of power in one or more engines, often necessitating emergency landing
envelope - operating regime suited to particular aircraft
equivalent airspeed - calibrated airspeed corrected for compressibility of air
external load - cargo attached and carried outside fuselage
feather - (vb) change pitch of propeller blades to reduce drag as engine is stopped
final approach - period of final instrument approach from fixed point to landing, usu. last five to seven miles
flame-out - failure of jet engine combustion in flight
flight - distance covered by aircraft between takeoff and landing
flutter - abnormal vibration in control surface due to aerodynamic force
flying blind - flying by instruments only in low visibility
forced landing - emergency landing on surface other than airport runway prior to completion of flight
formation flying - flying in which several aircraft maintain positions relative to each other in simultaneous flight
goaround - abandoning of approach just prior to landing in order to circle around airport
ground speed - aircraft speed relative to ground it is passing over; airspeed corrected for headwind or tailwind
guidance - direction of course of craft
gust - sudden, brief change of wind speed or direction
heading - compass reading expressing horizontal direction in which aircraft is facing
headwind - wind blowing in direction opposite to course flown by aircraft
hedgehop - (vb) fly very close to ground, esp. for crop-dusting
hypersonic - (adj) designating supersonic speeds of Mach 5 and above
icing - accumulation of ice on exterior of aircraft during flight; airframe icing
IFR - instrument flight rules
ILS - instrument landing system
Immelmann - maneuver in which aircraft makes a half loop followed by a half roll to regain level flight position
indicated airspeed - speed as shown on cockpit gauge
induced drag - portion of wing drag resulting from generation of lift
in-flight - (adj) done or occurring while aircraft is airborne
instrument flight rules - IFR; type of flight plan and rules governing procedures for instrument flight
instrument landing - avionic approach and landing in which ILS, PAR, or VOR is used
instrument landing system - ILS; precision instrument approach based on beams transmitted from glide slope on ground that give vertical and lateral guidance by localizer up to decision height for visual landing
JATO - jet-assisted takeoff
jet-assisted takeoff - JATO; use of jet propulsion in takeoff only
jet blast - jet engine exhaust
jet propulsion - momentum derived from ejection of exhaust stream or rapid flow of gas from within propelled body by mechanical, thermal, or chemical process: turbojet, fanjet, ramjet, pulsejet, rocket
jet route - high-altitude air lane
jet stream - migrating stream of high-speed winds at high altitudes
jettison - (vb) lighten load by dropping objects from aircraft in flight, esp. fuel in emergency
jet wash - slipstream
jump - specific instance of parachuting from aircraft
lateral axis - axis from side to side of aircraft, perpendicular to direction of flight; pitch axis
lateral stability - minimal pitch rotation; tendency of aircraft to return to equilibrium following forces applied to pitch
lazy eight - maneuver in which aircraft gradually climbs, banks, and turns, tracing an imaginary figure eight on its side
lift - upward aerodynamic force exerted on wing
liftoff - vertical takeoff, esp. of helicopter or rocket
lift ratio - drag ratio
limit load factor - maximum pull of gravity to which airframe may be subjected in flight without structural damage
load - in-flight weight carried by aircraft, including cargo, fuel, passengers, crew, and weight of aircraft when empty
load factor - pull of gravity in absence of acceleration (load factor of 4 equals 4G); amount of load an aircraft can carry
longitudinal axis - axis from nose to tail of aircraft, parallel to direction of flight; roll axis
loop - circular figure performed as flight maneuver, beginning with aerobatic pull-up through vertical plane and ending with return to horizontal flight in same direction
mach number - ratio of airspeed of an object to the speed of sound at given altitude and atmosphere, being 762 mph at sea level
manifold pressure - factor used to determine grade of fuel required by aircraft engine
mass ratio - ratio between mass of aircraft with fuel and after fuel has been used up
Mayday - international radiotelephone distress signal, repeated three times to indicate imminent, grave danger
missed approach - approach aborted by pilot at decision height when instrument approach cannot be completed safely
moment - measure of aircraft’s tendency to produce motion about an axis
nose dive - swift, steep downward plunge of aircraft with nose toward ground
octant - 45-degree angle, being one-eighth of a circle, used to state heading
over-the-top - (adj) indicating position of aircraft above cloud layer or other obscuring phenomena forming ceiling
Pan - international radiotelephone distress signal
parachute - umbrellalike cloth contrivance used to retard falling speed of person or object dropped from aircraft
payload - commercial revenue-producing load; expendable or deliverable load, such as bombs, used in military operations
pilot - person who operates aircraft controls
pitch - distance advanced by propeller in one revolution; movement of aircraft about lateral axis
polar - (adj) having directional setting at north magnetic pole
power loading - ratio of gross weight of airplane to its power
precision approach - standard instrument approach in which electronic glide slope is provided by precision approach radar or instrument landing system
pressure altitude - altitude relative to given pressure in standard atmosphere, uncorrected for temperature
pressurization - regulation of cabin pressure for comfort of crew and passengers at high altitudes with low atmospheric pressure
probe and drogue - method of in-air refueling in which tanker plane extends hose and funnel, or drogue, to which trailing plane extends intake pipe, or probe
propulsion - driving force in engine that moves aircraft
prop wash - slipstream
pull out - (vb) exit from dive
pull-up - maneuver in which nose of plane is lifted from level flight through vertical plane
quadrant - quarter of circle centered on navigational aid, oriented clockwise from magnetic north
ram - force of air being compressed into engine inlet by high velocity of aircraft
ram effect - pressure resulting from ram
range - distance aircraft is capable of flying without refueling or landing
reaction propulsion - forward thrust due to engine expelling jet of fluid or particle stream
roll - rotation of aircraft about longitudinal axis
service ceiling - altitude at which rate of climb of given aircraft falls to 100 feet (30 m) per minute
skyway - air lane, flight route
skywriting - tracing words or figures in sky by trail of smoke released from small aircraft
slipstream - current of air thrust backward by spinning propeller or jet; jet wash; prop wash
solo flight - operation of aircraft by one person, esp. as part of pilot training
sonic - (adj) designating speed of sound at given altitude
sonic barrier - critical speed at which shock waves cause increased drag by exceeding speed of sound; sound barrier
sonic boom - loud shock wave formed when speed of body exceeds speed of sound in same medium
sound barrier - sonic barrier
spin - nose-first descent along spiral path of large pitch and small radius; tailspin
spiral - circling around longitudinal axis
stall - loss of lift, sudden drop, and possible loss of control due to exceeding critical angle of attack and disruption of airflow around airfoil
straight-in landing - landing on runway aligned within 30 degrees of final approach course
stunt pilot - expert flier who performs exhibitions of formation flying and stunt maneuvers
supersonic - (adj) greater than speed of sound at given altitude
tailspin - nose-first spiraling descent with tail up
tailwind - wind blowing in same direction as course flown by aircraft
takeoff - act or moment of lifting off from ground to begin flight
thrust - force in direction of motion of aircraft produced by jet exhaust
torque - force that tends to produce rotation
touchdown - point at which aircraft makes contact with landing surface
transonic - (adj) just below or just above speed of sound
true airspeed - indicated airspeed on cockpit gauge corrected for installation error, compressibility of air, pressure, and temperature; equivalent airspeed corrected for pressure and temperature
turbulence - irregular motion of air that disrupts smooth flight
vapor trail - contrail
vector - compass heading; course followed by aircraft, provided by air-traffic control
velocity - rate of motion in particular direction
VFR - visual flight rules
victor airway - low-altitude air lane
visibility - distance at which unlighted objects can be seen under existing atmospheric conditions on ground or in flight
visual flight rules - VFR; flight plan or maneuvering and rules governing conduct of flight based on pilot’s visual observations in acceptable weather conditions
volplane - downward glide with engine turned off
wake turbulence - turbulence caused by passage of aircraft through atmosphere
washin - increase in angle of incidence from root to tip of wing
washout - decrease in angle of incidence from root to tip of wing
wind shear - change of wind speed or direction over short distance, esp. due to thunderstorm
wing flex - design of wings to flex and not remain rigid, providing smoother flight by allowing apparent flapping
wing loading - gross weight of aircraft expressed as weight per unit area of wing surface
wingover - flight maneuver beginning with climbing turn to point of stall, after which nose falls as turn continues so that aircraft emerges flying in opposite direction
yaw - rotation of aircraft about vertical axis; deviation from line of flight, controlled by rudder
zero-lift angle of attack - angle of attack at which no lift is created
zero visibility - weather condition in which pilot can see nothing and must rely on instrument flight and air-traffic control
zoom - (vb) climb suddenly and sharply at greater than normal angle