List of Abbreviations
This list of abbreviations contains a consolidated list of definitions from various regulatory sources, including terms referred to in this AMC and GM.
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| A | |
|
A2 CoC |
CofC A2 Certificate of Competency |
|
AAIB |
Air Accidents Investigation Branch |
|
AAE |
Atypical Air Environment |
|
AAM |
Advanced Air Mobility (JARUS SORA) |
|
ACAS |
Airborne Collision Avoidance System |
|
ACP |
Airspace Change Proposal |
|
AD |
Airworthiness Directive |
|
ADS-B |
Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast |
|
ADQ |
Aeronautical Data Quality |
|
AEC |
Airspace Encounter Categories (JARUS SORA) |
|
AEH |
Airspace Electronic Hardware (JARUS SORA) |
|
AFIS |
Aerodrome Flight Information Service AGL Above Ground Level |
|
AIAA |
Area of Intense Aerial Activity |
|
AIC |
Aeronautical Information Circular |
|
AIP |
Aeronautical Information Publication |
|
Airprox |
Air Proximity Hazard |
|
AIS |
Aeronautical Information System |
|
ALARP |
As Low As Reasonably Practicable |
| ALOS | Attitude Line of Sight |
|
ALoSP |
Acceptable Level of Safety Performance |
|
AltMoC |
Alternative Means of Compliance |
|
AM |
Accountable Manager |
| AMA | Airspace Management Cell Managed Area |
|
AMC |
Acceptable Means of Compliance |
| AMC | Airspace Management Cell |
|
AMSL |
Above Mean Sea Level |
|
ANO |
Air Navigation Order |
|
ANSP |
Air Navigation Service Provider |
|
AO |
Airspace Observer |
|
AOC |
Air Operator Certificate |
|
AOO |
Area of Operation |
|
APU |
Auxiliary Power Unit |
|
ARC |
Air Risk Class (JARUS SORA) |
|
AR Ops |
Airspace Regulation Operations (CAA) |
|
ASL |
Above Surface Level |
|
ASTM |
American Society for Testing and Materials |
|
ATC |
Air Traffic Control |
|
ATCO |
Air Traffic Control Officer |
|
ATM |
Air Traffic Management |
|
ATPL |
Airline Transport Pilot Licence |
|
ATS |
Air Traffic Service |
|
ATSU |
Air Traffic Service Unit |
|
ATZ |
Aerodrome Traffic Zone |
|
AUP |
Airspace User Portal |
| B | |
|
BASA |
Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement |
|
BGA |
British Gliding Association |
|
BMFA |
British Model Flying Association |
|
BITE |
Built-In Test Equipment |
|
BR |
Basic Regulation |
|
BRLOS |
Beyond Radio Line of Sight |
|
BSI |
British Standards Institution |
|
BVLOS |
Beyond Visual line of Sight |
|
C |
|
|
C2 |
Command and Control |
|
C3 |
Command, Control and Communication (JARUS SORA) |
|
CAA |
Civil Aviation Authority |
|
CAP |
Civil Aviation Publication |
|
CAS |
Controlled Airspace |
|
CAT |
Commercial Air Transport |
| CD | Maximum UA characteristic dimension |
|
CG |
Centre of Gravity |
|
CofA |
Certificate of Airworthiness |
|
CofC |
Certificate of Conformance |
|
ConOps |
Concept of Operations |
|
COR |
Containment Requirements |
|
COT |
Containment Requirements (Tether) |
|
COTS |
Commercial Off-The-Shelf |
|
CPL |
Commercial Pilot Licence |
|
Crit |
Criterion |
|
CRM |
Crew Resource Management |
|
CS |
Certification Specification |
|
CSP |
Communication Service Provider |
|
CTR |
Control Zone |
|
CU |
Command Unit |
| CV | Contingency Volume |
|
D |
|
|
DA |
Danger Area (Airspace) |
|
DA |
Danger Area (Airspace) |
|
DA |
Design Approval (Airworthiness) |
|
DAA |
Detect and Avoid |
|
DAL |
Design Assurance Level |
|
DfT |
Department for Transport |
|
DG |
Dangerous Goods |
| DLOS | Detection Line of Sight |
|
DMARES |
Drone and Model Aircraft Registration and Education Service |
|
DOA |
Design Organisation Approval |
|
DSCO |
Digitalisation of the Specific Category Operations |
|
DiSCO |
Digitalisation of the Specific Category Operations (project overview) |
|
E |
|
|
EASA |
European Union Aviation Safety Agency |
|
EC |
Electronic Conspicuity |
|
EC |
European Commission |
|
ELS |
Emergency Landing Site |
|
EMI |
Electromagnetic Interference |
|
ENR (X.X) |
En-Route (AIP section) |
|
ENSF |
Enhanced Non-Standard Flight |
|
ERA |
Emergency Response Action |
|
ERF |
Emergency Restriction of Flying |
|
ERP |
Emergency Response Plan |
|
ESD |
Electrostatic Discharge |
|
ETSO |
European Technical Standard Order (EASA) |
|
EU |
European Union |
|
EUROCAE |
European Organisation for Civil Aviation Equipment |
|
EVLOS |
Extended Visual Line of Sight |
|
e-VTOL |
Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing |
|
F |
|
|
FAA |
Federal Aviation Administration |
|
FHSS |
Frequency-Hopping Spread Spectrum |
|
FIR |
Flight Information Region |
|
FIS |
Flight Information Service |
|
FISO |
Flight Information Service Officer |
|
FL |
Flight Level |
|
FLARM |
Flight Alarm |
|
FMC |
Flight Management Computer |
|
FMS |
Flight Management System |
|
FOD |
Foreign Object Debris |
|
FPV |
First Person View |
|
FRTOL |
Flight Radio Telephony Operators’ Licence |
|
FRZ |
Flight Restriction Zone |
|
FSTD |
Flight Simulation Training Device |
|
FTB |
Functional Test Based |
| FV | Flight Volume |
|
FW |
Fixed Wing |
|
G |
|
|
GA |
General Aviation |
|
GM |
Guidance Material |
|
GNSS |
Global Navigation Satellite System |
|
GPS |
Global Positioning System |
| GRB | Ground Risk Buffer |
|
GRC |
Ground Risk Class (JARUS SORA) |
| GV | Ground Visibility |
|
GVC |
General VLOS Certificate |
| H | |
|
HALE |
High Altitude Long Endurance |
|
HF |
Human Factors |
|
HF |
High Frequency (Radio Communication) |
|
HIRF |
High Intensity Radiated Field |
|
HIRTA |
High Intensity Radio Transmission Area |
|
HLS |
Helicopter Landing Site |
|
HOD |
Hook-On Device |
|
HMI |
Human-Machine Interface |
|
HZ |
Hertz |
|
I |
|
|
IAP |
Instrument Approach Procedure |
|
iARC |
Initial Air Risk Class (JARUS SORA) |
|
ICAO |
International Civil Aviation Organisation |
|
ICO |
Information Commissioner’s Office |
|
ID |
Identification |
|
IFP |
Instrument Flight Procedures |
|
IFR |
Instrument Flight Rules |
|
iGRC |
Intrinsic Ground Risk Class (JARUS SORA) |
|
IMC |
Instrument Meteorological Conditions |
|
IMSAFE |
Illness, Medication, Stress, Alcohol, Fatigue, Emotion |
|
IP |
Ingress Protection |
|
IR |
UAS Implementing Regulation |
|
ISA |
International Standard Atmosphere |
|
ISM |
Industrial, Scientific, and Medical |
|
ISO |
International Organization for Standardisation |
|
ITU |
International Telecommunication Union |
|
J |
|
|
JARUS |
Joint Authorities for Rulemaking on Unmanned Systems |
|
K |
|
|
KE |
Kinetic Energy |
|
L |
|
|
LFA |
Low Flying Area |
|
LIDAR |
Light Detection and Ranging |
|
LMA |
Large Model Association |
|
LOA |
Level of Assurance |
|
LOC |
Loss of Control |
|
LODA |
Letter of Design Approval |
|
LOI |
Level of Integrity |
|
LUC |
Light Unmanned Aircraft System Operator Certificate |
|
M |
|
|
MAA |
Military Aviation Authority |
|
MAC |
Mid-Air Collision |
|
MAMC |
Military Airspace Management Cell |
|
MASPS |
Minimum Aviation System Performance Standards |
|
MCC |
Multi-Crew Coordination (JARUS SORA) |
|
METAR |
Meteorological Terminal Aviation Report |
|
MOD |
Ministry of Defence |
|
MOPS |
Minimum Operational Performance Specification |
|
MOR |
Mandatory Occurrence Report |
|
MORS |
Mandatory Occurrence Report Scheme |
|
MoU |
Memorandum of Understanding |
|
MR |
Multirotor |
| MSA | Market Surveillance Authority |
|
MSO |
Multiple Simultaneous Operations |
|
MTOM |
Maximum Take-Off Mass |
|
N |
|
|
NAA |
National Aviation Authority |
|
NATS |
National Air Traffic Services |
|
NOTAM |
Notice to Aviation |
|
NM |
Nautical Miles |
|
NMAC |
Near Mid-Air Collision |
|
NSF |
Non-Standard Flight |
|
O |
|
|
OAT |
Outside Air Temperature |
|
Ofcom |
Office of Communications |
|
OA |
Operational Authorisation |
|
OC |
Operating Certificate |
|
OM |
Operations Manual |
|
ORA |
Operational Risk Assessment |
|
OSC |
Operating Safety Case (Legacy Term superseded by ORA) |
|
OSD |
On Screen Display |
|
OSO |
Operational Safety Objective |
| OV | Operational Volume |
|
P |
|
|
PBO |
Performance-Based Oversight |
|
PBR |
Performance Based Regulation |
|
PDRA |
Pre-Defined Risk Assessment |
| PFA | Practical Flight Assessor |
|
PfCO |
Permission for Commercial Operations (Legacy Term superseded by OA) |
| PFI | Practical Flight Instructor |
|
PSR |
Primary Surveillance Radar |
|
PTF |
Permit to Fly |
|
R |
|
|
R |
Requirement |
|
R(TC) |
Restricted Type Certificate |
|
R&D |
Research and Development |
|
RA |
Risk Assessment |
|
RA(T) |
Restricted Area (Temporary) |
|
RADAR |
Radio Detection and Ranging |
|
RADALT |
Radio Altimeter |
|
RAE |
Recognised Assessment Entity |
|
RAE(F) |
Recognised Assessment Entity for Flightworthiness |
|
RAE(PC) |
Recognised Assessment Entity (Pilot Competence) |
|
RCM |
Remote Crew Member (JARUS SORA) |
|
RCP |
Required Communication Performance (JARUS SORA) |
|
RF |
Radio Frequency |
| RID | Remote Identification |
|
RLOS |
Radio Line of Sight |
|
RLP |
Required C2 Link Performance (JARUS SORA) |
|
RMZ |
Radio Mandatory Zone |
|
RP |
Remote Pilot |
|
RPA |
Remotely Piloted Aircraft |
|
RPAS |
Remotely Piloted Aircraft System |
| RPC | Remote Pilot Certificate |
|
RPL |
Remote Pilot’s Licence |
|
RPS |
Remote Pilot Station (ICAO) |
|
RPZ |
Runway Protection Zone |
|
RSMS |
Regulatory Safety Management System |
|
RT |
Radiotelephony |
|
RTCA |
Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics (US) |
|
RTH |
Return to Home |
|
RTSA |
Railway and Transport Safety Act |
|
S |
|
|
S&A |
See and Avoid |
|
SAA |
Scottish Aeromodellers Association |
|
SAIL |
Specific Assurance and Integrity Level |
|
SARPs |
Standards and Recommended Practices |
|
SARG |
Safety and Airspace Regulation Group (CAA) |
|
SB |
Service Bulletin |
|
SC |
Safety Culture |
|
SC |
Special Conditions |
|
SD |
Safety Directive (CAA) |
|
SERA |
Standardised European Rules of the Air |
|
SI |
Statutory Instrument |
|
SID |
Standard Instrument Departure |
|
SIL |
Service Information Letter |
|
SKU |
Stock Keeping Unit |
|
SLA |
Service Level Agreement |
|
SMM |
Safety Management Manual |
|
SMS |
Safety Management System |
|
SN |
Safety Notice (CAA) |
|
SOP |
Standard Operating Procedure |
|
SORA |
Specific Operations Risk Assessment |
|
SPI |
Safety Performance Indicator |
|
SPOF |
Single Point of Failure |
| SPT |
Safety Performance Target |
|
SRG |
Safety Regulation Group |
|
SSD |
Significant Standards Differences |
| SSR |
Secondary Surveillance Radar |
| STANAG | Standardization Agreement |
|
STAR |
Standard Arrival Route |
|
STC |
Supplemental Type Certificate |
|
STS |
Standard Scenario (JARUS SORA) |
|
SUA |
Special Use Airspace |
|
SUAAIS |
Special Use Airspace Activity Information |
|
SUACS |
Special Use Airspace Crossing Service |
|
SW |
Software (JARUS SORA) |
|
T |
|
|
TAF |
Terminal Area Forecast |
|
TC |
Type Certificate |
|
TCB |
Type Certification Basis |
|
TCDS |
Type Certificate Data Sheet |
|
TCAS |
Traffic Collision Avoidance System |
|
TDA |
Temporary Danger Area |
|
TIP |
Technical Implementation Procedures |
| TKI | Theoretical Knowledge Instructor |
|
TLOS |
Target Level of Safety |
|
TMPR |
Tactical Mitigation Performance Requirements |
|
TMZ |
Transponder Mandatory Zone |
|
TOAL |
Take-Off and Landing |
|
TOLA |
Take-Off and Landing Area |
|
TPM |
Technical Procedures Manual |
|
TRA |
Temporary Reserved Area |
|
TSA |
Temporary Segregated Area |
|
TSO |
Technical Standard Order (FAA) |
|
TTA |
Tactical Training Area |
|
U |
|
|
UA |
Unmanned Aircraft |
|
UAM |
Urban Air Mobility UAS Unmanned Aircraft System(s) |
| UAS | Unmanned Aircraft System(s) |
|
UHF |
Ultra High Frequency |
|
UIR |
Upper Flight Information Region |
|
UK |
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland |
|
UN |
United Nations |
|
UTM |
Uncrewed Aircraft System (UAS) Traffic Management |
|
V |
|
|
VFR |
Visual Flight Rules |
|
VHF |
Very High Frequency |
|
VLOS |
Visual Line of Sight |
|
VO |
Visual Observer |
|
VTOL |
Vertical Take-Off and Landing |
|
VMC |
Visual Meteorological Conditions |
|
W |
|
|
WA |
Working Arrangement |
| WS | Wingspan |
Last updated: December 2025