AERONAUTICAL ENGLISH – GROUND MOVEMENT VOCABULARY

COMPILED BY CARLA BISSONI

GROUND MOVEMENT VOCABULARY

AIRPORT AREAS:
 APRON: AREA AROUND AIRPORT BUILDINGS USED FOR AIRCRAFT
MOVEMENT AND PARKING. (SYNONYMS: RAMP, TARMAC)
 DE-ICING STATION: DESIGNATED LOCATION WHERE AIRCRAFT ARE
DE-ICED IN COLD WEATHER BEFORE DEPARTURE.
 ENGINE RUN-UP AREA/PAD: REMOTE LOCATION WHERE AIRCRAFT
ENGINES CAN BE TESTED.
 GATE: PARKING STAND DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO THE AIRPORT
TERMINAL BY AN AIRBRIDGE.
 HIGH SPEED EXIT: ANGLED TAXIWAY ALLOWING AIRCRAFT TO
VACATE THE RUNWAY WITHOUT DECELERATING COMPLETELY.
 HOLDING POINT: POSITION WHERE AIRCRAFT MUST STOP BEFORE
ENTERING THE RUNWAY.
 HOT SPOT: INTERSECTION INDICTAED ON THE CHART WHERE THE
RISK OF COLLISIONS AND INCURSIONS IS HIGH.
 INS CHECK POINT: REMOTE LOCATION WITH WELL-DEFINED
GEOGRAPHICAL COORDINATES WHERE AIRCRAFT’S INERTIAL
NAVIGATION SYSTEM (INS) CAN BE RESET.
 INTERSECTION: CROSSING OF TAXIWAYS AND RUNWAYS.
 MAINTENANCE AREA: AREA, USUALLY WITH HANGARS AND
WORKSHOPS, WHERE AIRCRAFT ARE MAINTAINED AND REPAIRED.
 OUTER TAXIWAY: CONTINUOUS TAXIWAY BETWEEN APRON AND
INNER TAXIWAYS AND RUNWAYS.
 RAMP: AREA AROUND TERMINAL BUILDINGS WHERE AIRCRAFT ARE
PARKED AND SERVICED.
 REMOTE/OUTLYING STAND: PARKING POSITION WHICH IS NOT
DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO THE TERMINAL.
 AERONAUTICAL ENGLISH – GROUND MOVEMENT VOCABULARY
COMPILED BY CARLA BISSONI

 RUNWAY: PAVED SURFACE AVAILABLE AND SUITABLE FOR AIRCRAFT

TAKE-OFF AND LANDING.
 RUNWAY EXIT: SHORT TAXIWAY WHICH ALLOWS AIRCRAFT TO LEAVE
THE RUNWAY.
 STAND: PARKING POSITION.
 STOPWAY: ADDITIONAL PAVED AREA BEYOND THE NORMAL END OF
THE RUNWAY TO ALLOW FOR AIRCRAFT OVERRUNING IN AN
EMERGENCY.
 TAXIWAY: PAVED WAY FOR AIRCRAFT TO MOVE BETWEEN THE
TERMINALS AND THE RUNWAYS, ETC.
 THRESHOLD: SERVICEABLE BEGINNING OF THE RUNWAY
(SERVICEABLE HERE MEANS THE LENGTH AND WIDTH OF THE RUNWAY
WHICH CAN ACTUALLY BE USED BE AIRCRAFT; MAINTENANCE MAY BE
BEING CARRIED OUT ON SOME PARTS OF THE RUNWAY OR SNOW MAY
NOT HAVE BEEN CLEARED FROM THE ENTIRE WIDTH).
 TOUCHDOWN AIM-POINT: PAINTED MARKING ON RUNWAY TO
INDICATE TOUCHDOWN ZONE.
 TOUCHDOWN ZONE: AREA AFTER THRESHOLD WHERE AIRCRAFT
USUALLY TOUCH DOWN INITIALLY ON LANDING.

AIRPORT BUILDINGS
 CARGO/FREIGHT TERMINAL: BUILDING USED FOR STORAGE AND
HANDLING OF CONTAINERS, PALLETS, ETC.
 CONTROL TOWER: HIGH ATC BUILDING WITH OVERALL VISIBILITY OF
THE AIRPORT.
 FINGER: EXTENSION FROM MAIN TERMINAL BUILDING JUTTING OUT
INTO THE APRON AND CONTAINING GATES.
 FIRE STATION: BASE FOR FIRE SERVICE AND THEIR FIRE-FIGHTING
EQUIPMENT.
 AERONAUTICAL ENGLISH – GROUND MOVEMENT VOCABULARY
COMPILED BY CARLA BISSONI

 GENERAL AVIATION TERMINAL: TERMINAL FOR PRIVATE, BUSINESS

AND LEAISURE AVIATION.
 HANGAR: SHELTER FOR HOUSING AIRCRAFT ON THE GROUND.
 PASSENGER TERMINAL: BUILDING FOR PASSENGER CHECK IN,
SECURITY, INMIGRATION, ETC.
 PIER: CORRIDOR CONNECTING THE AIRPORT TERMINAL WITH GATES.
 SATELLITE: SUB-TERMINAL AT AIRPORT TO BRING PASSENGERS
NEARER TO THE GATES.

AIRPORT INFRASTRUCTURE
AND EQUIPMENT

 BLAST FENCE: BARRIER WHICH DIVERTS EFFLUX (ENGINE EXHAUST

GASES) BEHIND PARKED OR TAXIING AIRCRAFT.
 FUEL FARM: PLACE WHERE FUEL TANKS ARE LOCATED AND TANKERS
ARE PARKED.
 GLIDESLOPE ANTENNA: ILS AERIAL CONNECTED TO THE
TRANSMITTER OF A RADIO BEAM (SIGNAL) PROVIDING VERTICAL
FLIGHT PATH GUIDANCE.
 HIRL: HIGH INTENSITY RUNWAY LIGHTING.
 LOCALIZER ANTENNA: ILS AERIAL CONNECTED TO THE
TRANSMITTER PROVIDING DIRECTIONAL GUIDANCE.
 MET OFFICE/WEATHER BUREAU: STATION GATHERING AND
DISTRIBUTING UPDATED WEATHER REPORTS AND FORECASTS.
 PAVING: HARD SURFACE OF RUNWAYS, TAXIWAYS AND APRONS.
 PERIMETER FENCING: SECURITY BARRIER AROUND THE OUTER LIMIT
OF THE AIRPORT.
 RADAR ANTENNA (AERIAL): PORTION OF THE RADAR SYSTEM USED
TO RADIATE AND INTERCEPT SIGNALS.
 AERONAUTICAL ENGLISH – GROUND MOVEMENT VOCABULARY
COMPILED BY CARLA BISSONI

 RUNWAY CENTRELINE LIGHTING: LIGHTING ALONG THE

LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE RUNWAY.
 RUNWAY EDGE LIGHTING: WHITE LIGHTS ON EACH SIDE OF THE
RUNWAYS.
 WIND SOCK: TRADITIONAL FABRIC SLEEVE HUNG FROM MAST TO GIVE
ROUGH INDICATION OF LOCAL WIND VELOCITY
(STRENGTH/DIRECTION).

TURNAROUND TIME (BOEING: TURN-TIME): THE TIME BETWEEN THE

ARRIVAL OF A FLIGHT AT ITS PARKING STAND AND ITS DEPARTURE FOR THE
NEXT FLIGHT. IT IS A PERIOD WHEN THE FLIGHT CREW’S ATTENTION IS
TURNED TO A WHOLE SERIES OF ACTIVITIES WHERE THE AIRPORT GROUND
STAFF IS INVOLVED AND CONTACT WITH AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL IS LIMITED.
THE FLIGHT CREW COMMUNICATE WITH DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF
GROUND STAFF BOTH BY RADIO/INTERPHONE AND FACE TO FACE, IN
SITUATIONS WHERE SAFETY IS AN ONGOING CONCERN AND THE
OPERATIONAL TIME CONCERN AND THE OPERATIONAL TIME CONSTRAINTS
TO DEPART ON TIME CREATE WHAT IS A POTENTIALLY STRESSFUL
ENVIRONMENT.

THE FLIGHT CREW COMMUNICATE WITH:

 AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE TECHNICIANS / MECHANICS /

ENGINEERS, WHO INSPECT AND SERVICE THE AIRCRAFT (ENGINE OIL
LEVELS, TYRE PRESSURE AND WEAR, SIGNS OF FUEL OR HYDRAULIC
LEAKS, IMPACT DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE AIR INTAKES AND WING
LEADING EGDES, ETC), PERFORM ANY SMALL REPAIRS AND MAKE
ENTRIES IN THE AIRCRAFT TECHNICAL LOGBOOK. THIS IS LINE
MAINTENANCE.
 THE RAMP SUPERVISOR / LOADMASTER, WHO IS IN CHARGE OF A
TEAM OF HANDLERS LOADING AND UNLOADING CARGO AND BAGGAGE.
BAGGAGE LOADING DEVICES ARE ONE OF THE MAIN CAUSES OF
DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT DURING TURNAROUND.
 THE FUELLING AGENT, WHOM THE CAPTAIN INFORMS ABOUT THE
AMOUNT OF FUEL REQUIRED FOR THE NEXT FLIGHT.
 THE DUTY OFFICER / STATION MANAGER, WHO HANDLES ANY
ADMINISTRATIVE OR FINANCIAL QUESTIONS.
 THE DISPATCHER / RED CAP, WHO PROVIDES THE WEIGHT AND
BALANCE SHEET WHICH MUST BE CHECKED AND SIGNED BY THE
CAPTAIN. THE WEIGHT AND BALANCE SHEET CONTAINS UPDATED
 AERONAUTICAL ENGLISH – GROUND MOVEMENT VOCABULARY
COMPILED BY CARLA BISSONI
INFORMATION ABOUT THE AIRCRAFT PAYLOAD (PASSENGERS,
BAGGAGE, CARGO AND FUEL) AND ITS LOCATION. THIS ALLOWS THE
AIRCRAFT’S CENTRE OF GRAVITY, WHICH MUST BE WITHIN CERTAIN
LIMITS FOR SAFE TAKE-OFF AND FLIGHT, TO BE CALCULATED.
 GROUND HANDLERS, WHO USUALLY INSTALL AND REMOVE WHEEL
CHOCKS AND SUPERVISE THE PUSHBACK OF THE AIRCRAFT WITH A
TRACTOR / TOW VEHICLE / TUG.

IN THE MEANTIME, THE AIRCRAFT IS ALSO ATTENDED BY CATERERS, CABIN

CLEANERS AND WATER AND TOILET SERVICING TRUCKS. THESE ACTIVITIES
TEND TO BE MANAGED BY THE CABIN CREW.

GROUND EQUIPMENT

ACCESS SERVICING CLEARANCE TECHNICAL EMERGENCY

*AIRBRIDGE
*BAGGAGE CART *SANDING TRUCK
*JETTY *ASU
*TROLLEY *GRITTING TRUCK *AMBULANCE
*WALKWAY (AIR START UNIT)
*DOLLY *GRITTER
*JETWAY
*GPU
*PASSENGER STEPS
*CONVEYOR (GROUND *FIRE ENGINE
*STAIRWAY *SNOW BLOWER
*BULK LOADER POWER UNIT) *FIRE TRUCK
*AIRSTAIRS
*GROUND CART
*HIGH LIFT
*PASSENGER *SUCTION *FOAM CRASH
*HYDRAULIC *FUEL BOWSER
COUCH SWEEPER TENDER
LOADER
*FOLLOW-ME CAR
*SNOW PLOUGH
*CREW MINIBUS *CATERING TRUCK *TANKER *LEADER VAN
(SNOWPLOW)
*PUSH-BACK
VEHICLE
*WATER
*MOBILE LOUNGE *DE-ICING VEHICLE *TOW VEHICLE *FRICTION TESTER
SERVICING
*TRACTOR
*TUG
*NOSE-IN DOCKING *LAVATORY (LAV)
*DE-ICING GANTRY *TOW-BAR *POLICE CAR
SYSTEM SERVICE TRUCK
*STEPS
*SURFACE
*ACCESS *FORK-LIFT TRUCK *RUN-UP AREA
CLEANER
PLATFORM
AERONAUTICAL ENGLISH – GROUND MOVEMENT VOCABULARY
COMPILED BY CARLA BISSONI

GROUND VEHICLES
AERONAUTICAL ENGLISH – GROUND MOVEMENT VOCABULARY
COMPILED BY CARLA BISSONI
AERONAUTICAL ENGLISH – GROUND MOVEMENT VOCABULARY
COMPILED BY CARLA BISSONI
 AERONAUTICAL ENGLISH – GROUND MOVEMENT VOCABULARY
COMPILED BY CARLA BISSONI
BIBLIOGRAPHY:

 FLIGHTPATH – AVIATION ENGLISH FOR PILOTS AND ATCOS – STUDENT’S

BOOK, PHILIP SHAWCROSS, CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS, 2011.

 FLIGHTPATH – AVIATION ENGLISH FOR PILOTS AND ATCOS – TEACHER’S

BOOK, PHILIP SHAWCROSS, CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS, 2011.