ANAC Private Pilot Airplane (PPA) (ANAC) key terms

A set of rules under which a pilot may operate an aircraft mainly by looking outside the cockpit, provided minimum visibility and cloud separation from the surface are maintained.

The minimum flight visibility and minimum distance from cloud, plus any ceiling requirement, that must exist for flight under visual flight rules in a given airspace class and altitude band.

An air traffic control authorization allowing a flight to operate inside a control zone in conditions below visual meteorological minima, normally only after the pilot requests it and accepts responsibility for separation from other traffic.

A lettered system (A to G) that defines which services are provided, whether a clearance is required, and what equipment and pilot qualifications are needed to enter a given block of airspace.

Controlled airspace extending upward from the surface around an aerodrome, within which air traffic control clearance is normally required before entry and special rules may apply to departing and arriving aircraft.

Airspace of defined dimensions in which air traffic control service is provided to all flights in accordance with the applicable class, and in which an ATC clearance is required for entry.

An official document confirming that an individual aircraft conforms to its approved type design and is maintained in a condition safe for flight, issued after registration and inspection requirements are met.

The document that records the legal owner and nationality marks of an aircraft and must be carried on board for international flight and shown on request by an authorized inspector.

A mandatory instruction issued by the state of design or registry requiring inspection, modification, or limitation of an aircraft or component to correct an unsafe condition, with a stated compliance time.

A manufacturer-issued notice recommending inspection or modification of a product, which is advisory unless the authority adopts it as a mandatory airworthiness directive.

The acute angle between the wing chord line and the relative airflow approaching it; increasing this angle raises lift up to the critical value, beyond which the airflow separates and the wing stalls.

The angle of attack at which airflow over the wing separates and lift suddenly decreases, producing a stall regardless of airspeed, weight, or bank angle.

The rearward component of aerodynamic force created as a by-product of lift, greatest at low speed and high angle of attack, and reduced by higher aspect ratio and higher speed.

The relationship between a wing's span and its chord, obtained by dividing the square of the span by the wing area; higher values reduce induced drag and improve glide performance.

The ratio of total lift produced to the aircraft's weight, expressed in g; it rises steeply in turns and pull-ups, raising stall speed and structural stress on the airframe.

The lowest indicated airspeed at which the aircraft can maintain level flight in a given configuration and weight, increasing with weight, load factor, and forward centre of gravity.

The point at which the aircraft's total weight is considered to act; it must stay within a certified range because its position affects stability, stall behaviour, and control forces.

The horizontal distance between a component's weight and the reference datum, used to calculate its moment for weight and balance purposes.

The highest total mass, including aircraft, fuel, crew, passengers, and baggage, at which the aircraft is certified to begin the take-off run.

The pressure altitude corrected for non-standard temperature, representing the altitude at which the aircraft and its engine behave as if they were at that height in the standard atmosphere.

The altitude indicated when the altimeter subscale is set to the standard datum of 1013.25 hPa, used for flight levels and for performance calculations independent of local weather.

The local pressure value, such as QNH or QFE, entered into the altimeter subscale so that the instrument indicates elevation above mean sea level or above the aerodrome.

The altitude above an aerodrome at which pilots change the altimeter subscale from local pressure to the standard setting and begin reporting altitudes as flight levels.

A surface of constant atmospheric pressure expressed in hundreds of feet referenced to 1013.25 hPa, used above the transition altitude so that all aircraft share the same pressure datum.

The horizontal distance an aircraft travels forward for each unit of altitude lost in a power-off glide, largely fixed by design but affected by weight, wind, and configuration.

The airspeed that maximises the distance covered per unit of height lost with the engine at idle, used to reach the nearest suitable landing area after a power failure.

A condition in which body tissues receive insufficient oxygen, causing impaired judgement, euphoria, and loss of consciousness; it may develop slowly without noticeable warning above certain altitudes.

Abnormally rapid or deep breathing that removes excessive carbon dioxide from the blood, producing dizziness, tingling, and symptoms that can be mistaken for hypoxia.

The period after exposure to a given altitude during which a person can still perform useful, deliberate actions before hypoxia renders them incapable.

A pilot's mistaken perception of the aircraft's attitude or motion, often caused by conflicting vestibular and visual cues in cloud or darkness, leading to loss of control if instruments are ignored.

A false sensation of pitching up or down caused by linear acceleration or deceleration, which tempts a pilot to push or pull the controls in the wrong direction during take-off or go-around.

The altimeter subscale setting that makes the instrument read aerodrome elevation when the aircraft is on the ground, based on the pressure reduced to mean sea level.

The altimeter subscale setting that makes the instrument read zero when the aircraft is on the ground at the reference point, so the indication shows height above that point.

A magnetic bearing from a VOR station, displayed on the course deviation indicator; tracking inbound or outbound means keeping the selected radial aligned with the needle.

A radio navigation aid that measures slant range to a ground station by timing signal exchanges, giving continuous distance readout that can be paired with a VOR for position fixing.

Disturbed air left behind by a passing aircraft in the form of counter-rotating wingtip vortices, strongest when the generating aircraft is heavy, slow, and clean, and hazardous to following traffic.

The required spacing or time interval behind a heavier aircraft on approach or departure, designed to keep a following aircraft clear of its wingtip vortices.

A standard manoeuvre in which a pilot abandons an approach or landing, applies full power, and climbs away, typically following a published missed approach or instructions from air traffic control.

A published sequence of turns, climbs, and altitude limits to be flown when an instrument approach cannot be completed, ensuring obstacle clearance and orderly return to the traffic pattern or holding fix.

The pilot's repetition of safety-critical elements of an air traffic control clearance, such as route, altitude, heading, and frequency, confirming that the instruction was correctly received.

A four-digit octal number set on the transponder to identify the aircraft to air traffic control radar, often assigned by ATC or fixed for a specific contingency such as radio failure.

The supervised phase in which a student pilot flies alone to practise manoeuvres and circuits already demonstrated, building confidence and judgement before the final skill test.

A document issued to a person under training that permits solo flight only when endorsed by an authorized instructor and only while the associated medical and currency requirements remain valid.