An unpowered, soaring aircraft capable of maintaining level flight for long periods of time after release from tow and of gaining altitude using wind currents, as opposed to a GLIDER.

An unpowered, soaring aircraft capable of maintaining level flight for long periods of time after release from tow and of gaining altitude using wind currents, as opposed to a GLIDER.

A low, foglike cloud layer.

A water-based aircraft with a boat-hull fuselage, often amphibious.The term is also used generically to define a similar Flying Boat and a pontoon FLOATPLANE.

Any stall resulting from pulling back too soon and too hard while recovering from any other stall. Usually a HIGH-SPEED or ACCELERATED STALL.

The height above sea level at which an aircraft with normal rated load is unable to climb faster than 100' per minute under Standard Air conditions.

A mid-wing monoplane with its wing mounted directly to the top of the fuselage without use of cabane struts.

A mid-wing monoplane with its wing mounted directly to the top of the fuselage without use of cabane struts.

A movement of an aircraft in which a relative flow of air moves along the lateral axis, resulting in a sideways movement from a projected flight path, especially a downward slip toward the inside of a banked turn.

Too shallow a bank in a turn, causing an aircraft to slide outward from its ideal turing path.

Movable vanes or auxiliary airfoils, usually set along the leading edge of a wing but able to be lifted away at certain angles of attack.

Too steep a bank in a turn, causing an aircraft to slide inward from its ideal turing path.

The flow of air driven backward by a propeller or downward by a rotor.

A long, narrow, spanwise gap in a wing, usually near the leading edge, to improve airflow at high angles of attack for slower landing speeds.

A flap that, when depressed, exposes a slot and increases airflow between itself and the rear edge of the wing.

"Since Major Overhaul," an acronym seen in reference to the operating hours, or time remaining, on an engine.

Airspace of defined dimensions identified by an area on the surface of the earth wherein activities must be confined because of their nature and/or wherein limitations may be imposed upon aircraft operations that are not a part of those activities: Alert Area - Airspace which may contain a high volume of pilot training activities or an unusual type of aerial activity, neither of which is hazardous to aircraft. Alert Areas are depicted on aeronautical charts for the information of non-participating pilots. All activities within an Alert Area are conducted in accordance with Federal Aviation Regulations, and pilots of participating aircraft as well as pilots transiting the area are equally responsible for collision avoidance. Military Operations Area (MOA) - Airspace established outside of Class A airspace area to separate or segregate certain non-hazardous military activities from IFR traffic and to identify for VFR traffic where these activities are conducted. Prohibited Area - Airspace designated under part 73 within which no person may operate an aircraft without the permission of the using agency. Restricted Area - Airspace designated under FAR Part 73, within which the flight of aircraft, while not wholly prohibited, is subject to restriction. Most restricted areas are designated joint use and IFR/VFR operations in the area may be authorized by the controlling ATC facility when it is not being utilized by the using agency. Restricted areas are depicted on enroute charts. Where joint use is authorized, the name of the ATC controlling facility is also shown. Warning Area - A warning area is airspace of defined dimensions extending from 3 nautical miles outward from the coast of the USA, that contains activity that may be hazardous to non-participating aircraft. The purpose of such warning area is to warn non-participating pilots of the potential danger. A warning area may be located over domestic or international waters or both.

A flap built into the underside of a wing, as opposed to a Full Flap wherein a whole portion of the trailing edge is used.

A long, movable, narrow plate along the upper surface of an airplane wing used to reduce lift and increase drag by breaking or spoiling the smoothness of the airflow.

A short, winglike protuberance on each side of a seaplane to increase lateral stability.

A four-digit number which is dialed into his transponder by a pilot to identify his aircraft to air traffic controllers

A movable horizontal tail that combines the actions of a stabilizer and elevator, increasing longitudinal stability while creating a pitching moment.

The fixed part of a horizontal airfoil that controls the pitch of an aircraft; the movable part being the ELEVATOR.

The relative longitudinal position of the wings on a biplane. Positive Stagger is when the upper wing's leading edge is in advance of that of the lower wing [eg: Waco YKS], and vice versa for Negative Stagger [eg: Beechcraft D17].

(1) Sudden loss of lift when the angle of attack increases to a point where the flow of air breaks away from a wing or airfoil, causing it to drop. (2) A maneuver initiated by the steep raising of an aircraft's nose, resulting in a loss of velocity and an abrupt drop.

An arbitrary atmosphere established for calibration of aircraft instruments. Standard Air Density is 29.92 inches of mercury and temperature of 59° F, equivalent to an atmospheric air pressure of 14.7# per square inch.

A turn in which the heading of an aircraft changes 3° per second, or 360° in two minutes.

A clip-on wire used to ground an aircraft by drawing off static electricity, a potential fire hazard, during refueling.

SEE SPECIAL USE AIRSPACE

Speed of flight at or greater than Mach 1.0; literally, faster than the speed of sound.

A backward inclination of an airfoil from root to tip in a way that causes the leading edge and often the trailing edge to meet relative wind obliquely, as wingforms that are swept back.

A wing whose horizontal angle to the fuselage centerline can be adjusted in flight to vary aircraft motion at differing speeds.