AAK PPL (Kazakhstan) key terms

The altimeter subscale setting that makes the instrument read aerodrome elevation when the aircraft is on the ground, derived from station pressure reduced to mean sea level using the standard atmosphere.

The altimeter subscale setting that makes the instrument read zero on the aerodrome reference point, so the altimeter indicates height above that point rather than altitude above sea level.

The altitude above the aerodrome, published in national procedures, at which pilots change the altimeter from the aerodrome pressure setting to the standard pressure setting when climbing.

The lowest flight level available for use above the transition altitude, at which descending aircraft change the altimeter from the standard pressure setting back to the aerodrome pressure setting.

A surface of constant atmospheric pressure related to the standard pressure setting of 1013.2 hPa, expressed in hundreds of feet and used above the transition altitude for vertical separation.

The fixed altimeter subscale value of 1013.2 hectopascals (29.92 inches of mercury) used for flight levels, ensuring all aircraft above the transition altitude share a common pressure datum.

The rule assigning cruising levels by magnetic track: tracks from 000 to 179 degrees use odd levels, tracks from 180 to 359 degrees use even levels, keeping opposite-direction traffic vertically separated.

Airspace of defined dimensions within which air traffic control service is provided to flights in accordance with airspace classification, and within which some or all aircraft require an ATC clearance.

An authorisation for an aircraft to proceed under conditions specified by an air traffic control unit, which the pilot must read back and comply with unless safety requires deviation.

The repetition by the pilot of a controller instruction or clearance to confirm correct reception and understanding, mandatory for safety-related items such as route, level, heading and frequency changes.

The standardised set of words and sentence patterns used for air-ground communication, designed to be unambiguous and understood internationally regardless of the speakers' native languages.

The four-digit code set on the aircraft transponder, assigned by air traffic control or selected from published procedures, which identifies the flight on secondary surveillance radar displays.

A conspicuity code selected by the pilot to signal an emergency or abnormal situation without voice communication, such as 7700 for distress, 7600 for radio failure and 7500 for unlawful interference.

The published sequence of actions a pilot follows when two-way communication is lost, including setting the transponder to 7600, continuing according to the last clearance and following the applicable lost-communication rules.

A lettered category (A to G) defining the services provided, the clearance requirements, the separation applied and the visibility and cloud-distance minima applicable to flights within that volume of airspace.

The minimum flight visibility and distance from cloud that a flight must maintain to remain in visual meteorological conditions, varying with airspace class, altitude and speed.

Instrument meteorological conditions, in which visibility and cloud separation fall below the visual minima, so flight must be conducted under instrument flight rules by an appropriately rated pilot.

A document filed with an air traffic services unit describing the intended route, level, time and duration of a visual flight, enabling alerting services and, where required, entry into controlled airspace.

A radio transmission giving the aircraft's identification, position, time, level and next position with estimated time, used where procedural control or alerting requires periodic reporting.

The ratio of the total aerodynamic lift produced to the aircraft's weight, equal to one in steady level flight and increasing in turns or when the wings are loaded by manoeuvre.

The lowest airspeed at which the wing can produce the lift required in a given configuration and weight, rising with load factor and therefore higher in a level turn than in straight flight.

The angle between the wing chord and the relative airflow at which the airflow separates and lift reaches its maximum, beyond which the wing stalls regardless of airspeed or attitude.

The acute angle between the wing chord line and the direction of the relative airflow, the primary control of lift and the parameter that determines when a stall occurs.

The rearward component of aerodynamic force caused by the generation of lift, greatest at high angles of attack and low speeds, and reduced by higher aspect ratio or increased speed.

The maximum speed at which full or abrupt control deflection can be applied without exceeding the design load factor, marked on the airspeed indicator as the upper limit of the green arc.

Never-exceed speed, the maximum airspeed at which the aircraft may be operated in any condition, marked by the red radial line on the airspeed indicator and reduced in turbulence.

The recommended airspeed for flight in turbulent air, providing a margin above the stall and below the manoeuvring speed so that gust loads remain within structural limits.

The point through which the total weight of the aircraft acts, whose position along the chord must remain within the certified forward and aft limits for controllability and stability.

The rearmost permitted centre of gravity position, beyond which longitudinal stability and stall recovery degrade and control forces become unusually light, making the aircraft difficult to recover.

The horizontal distance from the reference datum to a mass item, multiplied by that mass to give its moment, which is summed to locate the aircraft centre of gravity.

An arbitrary fixed reference point on the aircraft, defined in the weighing report, from which all moment arms are measured when calculating the centre of gravity position.

The pressure altitude corrected for non-standard temperature, representing the altitude in the standard atmosphere at which the air density would be the same as the actual conditions.

The altitude indicated when the altimeter subscale is set to the standard pressure of 1013.2 hPa, used as the basis for performance charts and for flight levels.

The runway length required from the start of the take-off roll to reaching a defined height, increased by higher mass, altitude, temperature, headwind loss and runway slope or contamination.

A condition in which the body tissues receive insufficient oxygen, causing impaired judgement, euphoria and loss of consciousness, and which can develop insidiously without the pilot noticing symptoms.

The period after loss of oxygen supply during which a person can still take effective corrective action, becoming shorter as altitude increases above about 10,000 feet.

Over-breathing that lowers blood carbon dioxide, producing dizziness, tingling and confusion whose symptoms resemble hypoxia, so the pilot should slow the breathing rate and check oxygen supply.

A false perception of the aircraft's attitude or motion arising when the pilot's vestibular senses conflict with instrument indications, most likely without a clear external horizon.

A misleading perception of reality, such as a black-hole approach making the aircraft seem higher than it is, which the pilot must anticipate and counter by reference to instruments.

The systematic pattern of eye movements used to cross-check attitude, airspeed, altitude and heading instruments, avoiding fixation on a single instrument so that errors are detected early.