| Acronym | Term | Definition |
| A/C | Aircraft | Short hand for Aircraft on Advisory and OIS. |
| AADC | Airport Arrival Demand Chart | AADC chart displays the latest arrival demand metrics for selected airports. |
| AAR | Airport Acceptance Rate, Airport Arrival Rate | The published number of landings per hour that can be made at an airport based on specific conditions. |
| ABRG | Adaptive Compression Bridging | Control Times updated by adaptive compression bridging. |
| AC | Adaptive Compression | Adaptive compression is a new approach to compression to help ensure that all slots in a program are used. ETMS continuously monitors each program to see whether a slot is at risk of going unused. If so, ETMS attempts to move the slot back to a time when it can still be used. ETMS does so by selecting other flights to depart earlier, thus providing delay reduction benefits to other flights. |
| AC_CAT | Aircraft Category | Refers to aircraft categories (jet, propeller, turbo prop). |
| AC_RMK | Aircraft Remark | Refers to standard keywords representing flights remarks data. |
| ACARS | ARINC Communications Addressing and Reporting System |
A digital data link system for transmission of small messages between aircraft and ground stations via radio or satellite. |
| ACENTR | Arrival Center | Center responsible for the arrival airport. |
| ACID | Aircraft Identification | Unique alphanumeric aircraft identifier. Also known as call sign. |
| ACTV | Activate Message Command in ETMS | Activates a flight or airline in the ETMS airline database, thus removing a restriction that was previously set with the INHB command. |
| ADC | Airport Demand Chart or Advise Customs |
ADC is a web-based, graphical display of airport arrival information. Also used in the flight remarks as advise customs. |
| ADL | Aggregate Demand List | The ADL is the main data product that drives FSM and the ETMS Ground Delay Program Enhancements operations. ETMS generates an ADL for each element that is being monitored by FSM. The ADL is composed of data extracted from the ETMS hub site databases, which are maintained with a combination of OAG data, CDM Participant provided flight data messages, NAS messages generated from the ATC system, and issued ground delays (EDCTs). |
| ADPT | Adaptive Compression | Flag indicating a flight’s control times are the result of an adaptive compression. |
| ADR | Airport Departure Rate | The published number of departures per hour that can be made from an airport based on specific conditions. |
| ADT | Actual Departure Time | Actual time flight departed airport. |
| ADVZY / ADZY | Advisory Message | An advisory is a message that is disseminated electronically by the ATCSCC or ARTCC. It contains information pertaining to the National Airspace System. |
| AETE | Actual Estimated Time En Route | Actual Estimated Time En Route |
| AF | Flight Plan Amendment, Airway Facilities |
Message sent from host to ETMS to amend the flight plan data for a flight. |
| AFIX | Arrival Fix | Arrival fix is located near the airport that the aircraft will fly over as part of an arrival flow. |
| AFP | Airspace Flow Program | A traffic management (TM) process administered by the ATCSCC. Aircraft are assigned specific airspace arrival slots utilizing flight schedule monitor (FSM) to manage capacity and demand for a specific area of the National Airspace System (NAS). AFPs support the TM mission and mitigate the effects of en route constraints. Please see the AFP Advisory circular for more details. |
| AGT | Actual Ground Time | The difference between the ARTD and the PGTD. |
| AGTA | Actual Gate Time of Arrival | Renamed to ARTA – Name changed as previous name was misleading (it is a runway time not a gate time). ARTA is the time from a NAS AZ message. If no AZ has been received, this field is blank. |
| AGTD | Actual Gate Time of Departure | The actual time the aircraft left the gate. Also the time that the aircraft actually leaves the ground. Renamed to ARTD. |
| ALD | Airline Delay | The carrier imposed a delay on the flight (delay status). |
| ALT | Altitude | |
| AOC | Airline Operations Center | The office where operational control of an airline is exercised. Usually a dispatch office. |
| AOCNet | Airline Operations Center Network | The network used by CDM participants. |
| ARPT | Airport | Short hand for airport. |
| ARSR | Air Route Surveillance Radar | Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) radar used primarily to detect and display an aircraft’s position while en route between terminal areas. The ARSR enables controllers to provide radar air traffic control service when aircraft are within the ARSR coverage. In some instances, ARSR may enable an ARTCC to provide terminal radar services similar to but usually more limited than those provided by a radar approach control. |
| ARTA | Actual Runway Time of Arrival | Actual arrival time from a NAS AZ message or CDM message. If no actual time has been processed, this field is blank. |
| ARTCC | Air Route Traffic Control Center | A facility established to provide air traffic control service to aircraft operating on IFR flight plans within controlled airspace and principally during the en route phase of flight. When equipment capabilities and controller workload permit, certain advisory/assistance services may be provided to VFR aircraft. There are 20 ARTCCs in the continental U.S. |
| ARTD | Actual Runway Time of Departure | Actual departure time from a NAS AZ message or CDM message. If no actual time has been processed, this field is blank. |
| ARTS | Automated Radar Terminal System | A generic term for several tracking systems included in the Terminal Automation Systems (TAS). ARTS plus a suffix roman numeral denotes a major modification to that system. |
| ASD | Aircraft Situation Display | The former ETMS function that allowed you to communicate with the ETMS databases. This has been replaced by Traffic Situation Display (TSD). |
| ASDI | Aircraft Situation Display to Industry | The ASDI stream consists of data elements which show the position and flight plans of all aircraft in U.S. |
| ASECTR | Arrival Sector | An operational control sector containing one or more meter fixes. |
| ASLOT | Arrival Slot | Arrival slot ID currently assigned to a flight as part of an GDP or AFP. Includes the arrival airport or FCA name, period, slot time in 6-digit format, and an alpha character. |
| ASP | Arrival Sequencing Program | The automated program designed to assist in sequencing aircraft destined for the same airport. |
| ASPM | Aviation System Performance Metrics | Provides information on individual flight performance and information on airport efficiency. |
| ASR | Airport Surveillance Radar | Approach control radar used to detect and display an aircraft’s position in the terminal area. ASR provides range and azimuth information but does not provide elevation data. Coverage of the ASR can extend up to 60 miles. |
| ATC | Air Traffic Control | A service operated by appropriate authority to promote the safe, orderly and expeditious flow of air traffic. |
| ATCSCC | Air Traffic Control System Command Center | The mission of the ATCSCC is to balance air traffic demand with system capacity. |
| ATCT | Airport Traffic Control Tower | A terminal facility that uses air/ground communications, visual signaling, and other devices to provide ATC services to aircraft operating in the vicinity of an airport or on the movement area. Authorizes aircraft to land or takeoff at the airport controlled by the tower or to transit the Class D airspace area regardless of flight plan or weather conditions (IFR or VFR). A tower may also provide approach control services (radar or non-radar). |
| ATD | Actual Time of Departure | The actual time an aircraft becomes airborne. |
| ATMS | Advanced Traffic Management System | Provides a centralized integrated platform for traffic signal system control, information management, and graphical data display. |
| ATV | Altitude Reservation (flight remark) | Displays in the flight remark section. |
| AWC | Aviation Weather Center | A service provided by the National Weather Service (NWS) and FAA which collects and disseminates pertinent weather information for pilots, aircraft operators, and ATC. |
| AZ | Arrival Message (Host) | Message sent by host computer to ETMS when a flight is completed. |
| BE | Bridge Event | An event that control times were assigned when creating a bridge for an SCS or ECR request (AFP and GDP) |
| BENTRY | Based Element Entry Time | BENTRY is used to save the ENTRY at the time an AFP is issued or the flight departs. The BENTRY is used to compute the amount of departure delay that can be attributed to an AFP. The BENTRY includes any time-out delay modeled by ETMS. |
| BETA | Base Estimated Time of Arrival | Used to save the last ETA prior to a flight becoming active or controlled. Similar to OETA, but differs in that it includes time-out delay. |
| BETD | Base Estimated Time of Departure | Used to save the last ETD prior to a flight becoming active or controlled. Similar to OETA, but differs in that it includes time-out delay. |
| BLKT | Blanket [EDCT] | A type of control applied to all flights that are part of a specific ground delay program. Control Times updated blanket(+/-) revision of GDP |
| BRG | SCS Bridge Event (No longer used) | Control times were assigned when creating a bridge for an SCS or ECR request |
| BZ | Beacon code (message) | A four-digit transponder code assigned to an aircraft by a NAS center. It is forwarded to the ETMS in a Beacon code (BZ) message subsequent to a flight plan and usually prior to a departure message (DZ). It is also transmitted to the ETMS prior to a center hand-off message (UZ). |
| CAPL | Capacity List (MA function) | Capacity list and refers to the TSD command that shows you the current capacity settings for any airport, fix, or sector. |
| CAPS | Capacity Select (MA function) | Capacity set and refers to the TSD command that allows you to set the arrival or departure limit of any airport, fix, or sector for periods of time that you specify. |
| CC | Alarm Status of Control Time | Alarm Status for flights arriving more than 5 minutes before or more than 5 minutes after their Control Time of Arrival |
| CCAN | Control Times Cancelled | ETMS message that control time was cancelled |
| CCFP | Collaborative Convective Forecast Product | A process that begins with an initial convective weather forecast for the next 2-6 hours being produced every 2 hours (except for the 05/6Z cycle) by the Aviation Weather Center in Kansas City. This forecast then evolves into a final product through collaboration by participating meteorologists at the Center Weather Service Units (CWSUs), various airlines, and the Aviation Weather Center. The CCFP is a critical input to the development of the Strategic Plan of Operation (SPO) teleconference. |
| CCSD | Common Constraint Situation Display | A browser based traffic management tool connected via the CDMnet and designed to emulate the ATC Traffic Situation Display (TSD), but built for the user community. Displays FCA information. The CCSD can be accessed via the ATCSCC Website and CDMnet. |
| CDM | Collaborative Decision Making | Cooperative effort between the various components of aviation transportation, both government and industry, to exchange information for better decision making. |
| CDM_MBR | CDM Member Flag | Flag on ADL to identify CDM participant carriers. |
| CDMNet | Collaborative Decision Making Communications Network | Network used by CDM participants |
| CDR | Coded Departure Route | Predefined departure routes used to route air traffic around areas of severe weather. |
| CDT | Controlled Departure Time | The time of departure for a flight currently controlled at an airport by ground delay programs. |
| CETE | Control Estimated Time En route | The estimated flying time from departure point to destination (lift-off to touchdown). |
| CF | FSM alarm status | Alarm status for flights that were cancelled but later flew without the flight being reinstated properly. |
| CGTA | Controlled Gate Time of Arrival | Stands for Controlled Gate Time of Arrival. Renamed to CTA. |
| CGTD | Controlled Gate Time of Departure | Stands for Controlled Gate Time of Departure. Renamed to CTD. |
| CIGS | Ceilings | The height above the ground of the base of the lowest layer of clouds when over half of the sky is obscured. |
| CLR | Clearance | Short hand for clearance, also an ICAO Clearance message. |
| CLS | Aircraft weight class | Flag on ADL to identify aircraft weight class (heavy, large, or small). |
| CLSD | Closed | Short hand for closed. |
| CMPR [EDCT] | Compression | Control Times updated by compression of GDP or AFP. |
| CNL | Cancel | ICAO Cancel Flight Plan message, short hand for cancelled. |
| CNS | Consolidated NOTAM Service | A service provided by the National Weather Service (NWS) and FAA which collects and disseminates pertinent weather information for pilots, aircraft operators, and ATC. |
| CNX | Cancel | Short hand for cancel. |
| COMP | Compression | Control times were assigned as part of a AFP-Compression or GDP-Compression (AFP and GDP). |
| CONUS | Continental, Contiguous, or Conterminous United States | Stands for both CONtinental United States and CONtiguous United States. Refers to the TSD graphic representation of the U.S. borders with the state outlines shown. |
| CPL | Current Flight Plan | The flight plan that is active or updated with want the flight will fly. |
| CR | Collaborative Routing | A CDM work group that focuses on routing initiatives |
| CR_TIME | Create Time | Used to indicate how long ETMS has known about the flight. |
| CRCT | Collaborative Routing Coordination Tool | A Mitre reroute tool. One-sided automation (no dispatch input). |
| CSG | CDM Stakeholders Group | The purpose of the CSG is to provide recommendations to the FAA on CDM priorities and activities, oversee the general direction and mission of CDM and to provide prioritization and tasking on possible technology, communication tools etc., towards attaining system efficiencies for the NAS. |
| CT messages | Control Time Messages | Messages sent by ETMS to the host computers in order to implemented delays issued as part of a GDP or AFP. A CT message causes an EDCT to be printed on the flight strip at the departure tower. |
| CTA | Controlled Time of Arrival | Arrival time assigned to a flight as part of a GDP or AFP. |
| CTAS | Center TRACON (Terminal Radar Approach Control) Automation System | CTAS is a set of tools designed to help air traffic controllers manage the increasingly complex air traffic flows at large airports. |
| CTD | Controlled Time of Departure | Departure time assigned to a flight as part of a GDP or AFP. Also known as EDCT. |
| CTFM | Collaborative Traffic Flow Management | A systems approach to use collaborative decision making in traffic flow management. |
| CTG | Aircraft type | Flag on ADL to identify aircraft type (jets, props, or turboprops). |
| CTL_ALM | Alarm Flag | Hexadecimal flag on ADL that indicates alarm status such as non compliance to CTD or CTA. |
| CTL_EXMPT | Control Exempt Flag | ADL flag used to indicate whether the flight was exempt when the AFP/GDP is computed. |
| CTL_TYPE | Control Type | Specific source (program) of the current CTD/CTA. |
| CTL-ELEM | Control Element | If a flight is controlled (i.e. has a CTD and CTA) this field indicates the constrained NAS element for which a ground delay program or ground stop was run. Currently the CTL_ELEM can be an arrival airportFEA or FCA. |
| CTT | Collaborative Technology Test bed | A test facility where CDM programs can be tested before it goes operational. |
| CWSU | Center Weather Service Unit | Position in the facility that specializes in weather. |
| CX | Cancel Flag Identifier | Indicator for a cancellation. |
| CXSD | Cancel Flight | A cancelled flight from the schedule database and the TSD command that allows you to cancel the current day’s flight plan for a flight number you specify. A flight canceled with the CXSD command will not appear in alert or request server reports. |
| DA | Delay Assignment | The delay that is assigned to an aircraft during a GDP. |
| DACS | Data Acquisition Communication System (ETMS component) | ETMS system component used for data communication. |
| DARC | Direct Access Radar Control | Raw Radar without data blocks. DARC is generally used when the HOST computer is down. |
| DART | Data Analysis and Reduction Tool | A data analysis tool that can be modified by adding more data reduction functions and thus provide the user with specific analyses. |
| DAS | Delay Assignment | A mode for issuing a GDP or AFP in which pop-up flights are given the same average delay as flights initially controlled in the program. The average delays are referred to as DAS delays (formerly known as FA delays). Also a control type indicating that a flight’s control times are the result of the application of a DAS delay. |
| DCENTR | Departure Center | ARTCC that contains the departure airport. |
| DEP | Departure | Short hand for departure. Can also refer to departure airport. |
| DEST | Destination Airport | Location the aircraft will land. |
| DFIX | Departure Fix | The point at which responsibility for control of departing flights passes from a Terminal Control Area to an Air Route Traffic Control Center. |
| DLY | Delay | Short hand for delay |
| DMGR | Delay Manager | A graphic software tool that allows the user to simulate and evaluate the effects of ground delay programs. It can simulate a program under consideration or already in place, and it can track the progress of programs. |
| DO | Drop Out Flight | Indicates a flight that was originally routed through that area but subsequently changed its route such that it no longer traverses the FEA/FCA. |
| DP | Departure Procedure | Each DP transition is preceded by the full name optionally followed by the DP name and transition fix name, in parentheses, as they would appear in a flight plan. Generally, the root segment ends at the fix, which is the start of the transition. |
| DPAT | Detailed Policy Assessment Tool | A discrete-event computer simulation that models the interactive effects of the National Airspace System (NAS). |
| DRVSM | Domestic Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum | Plan for reducing separation between usable altitudes from 2000′ to 1000′ above FL290, in the US domestic system. |
| DRWP | Diversion Recovery Web Page | The Diversion Recovery Page provides the FAA and NAS users with a common picture of the diversion recovery flights that are currently in the system. |
| DSECTR | Departure Sector | An operational control sector containing one or more meter fixes. |
| DSP | Departure Spacing Program | DSP evaluates aircraft departure flight plans at participating airports, models projected aircraft demand at departure resources such as first and second departure fixes, and provides windows of departure times to controllers. |
| DTO | Director Technical Operations | Responsible for a certain region of facilities. |
| DTRSN | Departure Procedure Transition Fixes | The name of the DP transition fix taken from the historical, early intent, or NAS flight plan. |
| DV | Diverted Flight (cancel status) | The flight was cancelled and diverted to an alternate destination (cancel status). |
| DV-REC | Diversion Recovery | Indicates that the flight is a recovery of a flight that was previously diverted. |
| DVRSN | Diversion Remark | Remark that is placed in a flight plans remark section (field 11) for a diversion recovery flight involved in a GDP. The remark signifies priority handling to controllers. |
| DVT | Diversion Recovery Flight | Flight that has been diverted due to weather or excessive demand that is flagged as a Diversion Recovery. |
| DZ | Departure Message | Message sent by host computer to ETMS when a flight is activated. |
| E_TYPE | Aircraft Equipment Type | Includes both aircraft type (TYPE) and equipment type data. |
| EA | Alarm Status | The actual flight time is greater than a specified value but the flight status is not cancelled. The default value is 15 minutes (alarm status). |
| EAFT | Estimated Arrival Fix Time | Time over the arrival fix as estimated by ETMS. |
| EC | Engineering Change | A requested enhancement to a feature that works per requirements and or design. |
| EC | Alarm Status for Clearance Time | The departure boundaries are more than 5 minutes before or more than 5 minutes after their estimated departure clearance time (alarm status). |
| ECR | EDCT Change Request | An FSM function used to update the EDCT for a flight. Also used as a control type to indicate that the control times are a result of an ECR request. |
| e-CVRS | Enhanced Computerized Voice Reservation System | Web reservation and touch tone phone application system |
| EDCT | Expect Departure Clearance Time | The time issued to a flight to indicate when it can expect to receive departure clearance. EDCTs are issued as part of Traffic Management Programs, such as a Ground Delay Program (GDP). |
| EDFT | Estimated Departure Fix Time | Time over the departure fix as estimated by ETMS. |
| EDT | Estimated Departure Time | Based on either actual departure time or proposed departure time. |
| EENTRY | Earliest Element Entry Time | The earliest possible entry time into the FEA or FCA, as calculated by ETMS. |
| EFTA | Estimated Fix Time of Arrival | Estimated arrival time over fix. |
| EGT | Estimated Ground Time | Ground time that is predicted by Ground Time Predictor. |
| EI | Early Intent Message | CDM message sent by a CDM participant to update the route of flight used by ETMS. |
| EIAT | En-route Impact Assessment Tool | Tool to evaluate historical data of en-routes. |
| EMERG | Emergency | Short hand for Emergency on Advisory and OIS |
| ENTRY | Sector Entry Times | Current best estimated time of entry for a flight into an FEA or FCA considering all data sources. |
| EQUIP | Equipment | Short hand for equipment on Advisory and OIS |
| ERAM | En Route Automation Modernization plan | A HOST computer modernization project |
| ERIDS | En Route Information Display System | A prototype ARTCC information display system that is installed in the TMUs at ZLC, ZJX and ZBW, and will be sending pertinent NOTAMs to TMU positions in the near future. |
| ERTA | Earliest Runway Time of Arrival | The earliest arrival time that the CDM participant would like to have assigned to this flight in a GDP. Based on airline submitted data as the earliest time the flight can arrive. |
| ERTD | Earliest Runway Time of Departure | The earliest departure time that the CDM participant would like to have assigned to this flight in a GDP. Based on airline submitted data as the earliest time the flight can depart. |
| ESC | En route Spacing Coordinator (ZDC) | An Air Traffic Coordinator that specializes in enroute spacing. |
| ESIS | Enhanced Status Information System | A display system designed to provide a large, on the wall, display of currently required control-related information to controllers and TM specialists in each area of the control facilities in which is installed. |
| ESP | En route Sequencing Program, En route Spacing Program | A program designed to fit departing traffic into a densely packed overhead stream. ESP is responsible for smoothing inter/intrafacility traffic flows. TMC’s assigned to this position monitor aircraft destined for specific airports, identify potential problem areas and sectors, and ensure smooth traffic flows by initiating appropriate traffic management strategies. |
| e-STMP | E-Special Traffic Management Program | A web tool that helps manage the flow of arrivals and departures for these events, the FAA requires users (i.e., non-scheduled IFR flight operators) to make arrival and departure reservations to and from these airports. The e-STMP web application allows users to request, confirm, update, and cancel a reservation online for a specific special event. |
| ETA | Estimated Time of Arrival | Best estimated runway arrival time, as computed by ETMS considering all available data sources.Updated Estimated (wheels on) Arrival Time. Prefixes can be E (estimated) L (airline-provided) C (controlled) A (actual) |
| ETD | Estimated Time of Departure | Best estimated runway departure time, as computed by ETMS considering all available data sources. Updated Estimated (wheels off) Departure time. Prefixes can be S (scheduled) N (early intent) R (rerouted) P (proposed) L (airline-provided) T (taxi) E (estimated) A (actual) |
| ETE | Estimated Time Enroute | Estimate time are displayed in minutes. ETE = max ((ETA – ETD) (CTA – CTD)) if configured to use Max ETE. ETE = ETA – ETD if configured to use ETE. |
| ETMS | Enhanced Traffic Management System | A term describing an array of functionality in the ATC system, but mostly referring to the ETMS database. A database of all flight information sent by both ATC and users, used to drive many of the traffic management tools. |
| EWG | Enroute Working Group | A CDM workgroup that discusses, evaluate and resolve enroute issues. |
| EX | Exempt flag | Indicates whether the flight was considered exempt when the last controls were computed by FSM. Values are Y or N. |
| EXIT | Sector Exit Time | Estimated time of departing an NAS element. |
| FA | Changed Value message | Flight Amendment (ETMS Generated) |
| FACET | Future ATM Concepts Evaluation Tool | Same data as CRCT. NASA product. Funding running out in 2004. ADF bought off on FACET. Allows dispatcher input. |
| FAD | Fuel Advisory Delay | Should mention that this has been replaced by DAS. |
| FADD | FA Delay message | General FA Delay Message (No longer used) |
| FADE | FAA/Airline Data Exchange | Interface that is used to exchange data. |
| FADT | Fuel Advisory Delay Table | Specifies delays that apply to pop-up flights arriving at a controlled airport during a controlled interval. |
| FADT List | Fuel Advisory Delay Table List | Contains information about all ground delayed flights (all flights that have been issued an OrigEDCT). If a center or an airline has ground delayed flights their call signs departure airports PTimes EDCTs and CTAs are given for each appropriate center and airline. |
| FAO | FAA Order | Guideless the FAA has published for organizations to follow. |
| FC | Flight Plan Create Message (Airline) | CDM message sent by a CDM participant to create a flight. |
| FCA | Flow Control Area | An area defined by a traffic manager in order to constrain the traffic flying through that area. FCAs can be used in conjunction with AFPs or reroutes to constrain the traffic flow. FCAs can include filters help define the traffic to which the constraint applies. |
| FCT | Future Concepts of Flow Management Sub-Team | A CDM work group that focuses on concepts of the future. |
| FDAD | Full Digital ARTS Display | Display system that provides TRACON controllers and traffic managers with monochrome displays of radar targets for flights within and adjacent to the terminal area. |
| FDB | Flight Data Base (ETMS) | A ‘live’ flight database of all flight information for up to 12 hours in the past and 24 hours in the future. |
| FDIO | Flight Data Input/Output | A printer that provides hard copy of TM advisories |
| FEA | Flow Evaluation Area | FEAs provide reroute modeling using the Create Reroute capability. Stakeholders can monitor shared FEAs through reroute monitor in traffic situation display (TSD). |
| FET | Flow Evaluation Team | The Flow Evaluation sub-team will strive to increase system efficiency by reducing route coordination time and enhancing system planning through the creation of common situational awareness of potential route alternatives, procedures and coordination processes. This sub-team will develop any potential opportunities having to do with routes or issues generally within the en route domain. |
| FFP | Free Flight Phase/Program | The concept of Free Flight will give operators maximum flexibility, consistent with safety, to fly fuel-efficient routes. |
| FH | Historical Flight Route message | An internal ETMS message used to apply a historical route to a flight created from a CDM message. |
| FIXL | Fix Loading | The manager can request a count of the number of flights traversing a specified arrival fix or all arrival fixes for a specified airport. |
| FL | Flight Level | The attitude the aircraft is located. e.g., FL290 for 29,000 feet. |
| FM | Flight Plan Modification Message | CDM message sent by a CDM participant to update data, such as times, for a flight. |
| FMSS | ETMS Message by User | Control Times updated by user substitution |
| FOC | Flight Operations Center | A facility that has flight operations. |
| FOS | Flight Operations System | American Airlines’ homegrown tool for flight schedule database. |
| FP | Flight Plan message | A message used by a NAS user to send a flight plan to the host computer. Also can be used to send an early intent flight plan to ETMS. |
| FPA | Flight Plan Area | The geographical area assigned by regional air traffic divisions to a flight service station for the purpose of search and rescue for VFR aircraft, issuance of NOTAMs, pilot briefing, in-flight services, broadcast, emergency services, flight data processing, international operations, and aviation weather services. |
| FPL | Filed Flight Plan message | ICAO identifier for filed flight plan. |
| FPPP | Flight Plan Pre-Processor | a.k.a. FP3. A CDM application developed by Mitre that analyzes user flight plan data against a database of ATC facility LOAs and SOPs. Emulates the HOST environment. |
| FPSD | Flight Plan Schedule Database | The TSD command that allows you to add a flight plan record to the Official Airline Guide (OAG) database. The flight plan will remain in the database marked as an “added flight” until the next OAG update. |
| FR | Flight Route message | An internal ETMS message used to model a flight on an assigned reroute rather than on its historical route. |
| FS | Flight Schedule message | An internal ETMS message used to create a flight entry based on OAG schedule data. |
| FSA | Flight Schedule Analyzer | Real-Time Flight Schedule Analyzer (RT-FSA) is a web-based analysis tool developed by Metron Aviation to assess the performance of ground stops (GS), ground delay programs (GDPs), and airspace flow programs (AFPs) in real-time. |
| FSM | Flight Schedule Monitor | A CDM application designed by Metron that is used by both the ATCSCC and CDM member airlines. FSM is used to create and run GDPs and Ground Stops. |
| FTM | Flight Table Manager | A program that maintains the database of flight information used for the TSD display. |
| FU | Using Historical Route | An internal ETMS message used to put a flight back on its historical route after it had been modeled on an assigned reroute. |
| FX | Flight Cancellation Message (Airline) | A CDM message used by the CDM participants to indicate a cancelled flight (cancel status). |
| FZ | Flight Plan Message (Host) | NAS flight plan messages, which are received by the ETMS and include the proposed departure time of each flight. |
| GA | General Aviation | An organization that represents aircraft other than airliners. |
| GA CDR | General Aviation Coded Departure Routes | The CDR program provides a rapid means to reroute aircraft when the filed route is constrained by either weather or congestion. Historically, abbreviated CDR clearances have only been issued to airline customers who have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the facilities that issue abbreviated CDR clearances. Recently, general aviation customers have requested the use of this reroute capability. This change permits general aviation customers to communicate to Air Traffic Control (ATC) facilities their ability and willingness to accept CDRs and their capability to accept abbreviated clearances associated with CDRs. Please see the GA CDR Advisory circular for more details. |
| GAAP | General Aviation Airport Program | GAAP is a type of GDP that allocates arrivals in an equitable manner to an airport temporarily in a high demand situation such as the NBAA conference, Indianapolis 500 Race, etc. It improves predictability and reliability for all operators – scheduled and unscheduled. The significant difference between a traditional DAS GDP and a GAAP is the way in which delays are assigned to fights that are unknown at the time of program implementation. |
| GAEL | General Aviation Estimates List | Refers to the TSD command that allows you to view the estimated number of General Aviation (GA) flights that will arrive and depart within each 15 minute interval from an airport you specify. |
| GAES | General Aviation Estimates Set | Refers to the TSD command that allows you to change the estimated number of General Aviation (GA) flights that will arrive and depart during each 15 minute interval from an airport you specify for periods of time that you specify. |
| GCD | Great Circle Distance | The distance between the departure airport and arrival airport. |
| GDP | Ground Delay Program | Ground Delay Programs are implemented to control air traffic volume to airports where the projected traffic demand is expected to exceed the airport’s acceptance rate for a lengthy period of time. Lengthy periods of demand exceeding acceptance rate are normally a result of the airport’s acceptance rate being reduced for some reason. The most common reason for a reduction in acceptance rate is adverse weather such as low ceilings and visibility. |
| GDPE | Enhanced Ground Delay Program | The GDPE team, formerly the Airport Arrivals and Departures (A&D) group in CDM is responsible for identifying, developing and implementing ways to make flight arrivals into airports and departures from airports more efficient. |
| GDT | Ground Delay Tools | GDT have capabilities that provide the ‘What If’ functions that allow specialists to analyze impacts of implementing other alternatives using the same event scenario. |
| GI | General Information Message (Host) | A capability that allows facilities to electronically sort and deliver NOTAM information to sectors using the Host General Information (GI) messaging function. |
| GS | Ground Stop | Ground Stops are implemented for a number of reasons. The most common reasons are: To control air traffic volume to airports when the projected traffic demand is expected to exceed the airport’s acceptance rate for a short period of time; To temporarily stop traffic allowing for the implementation of a longer-term solution, such as a Ground Delay Program. The affected airport’s acceptance rate has been reduced to zero.Control Times assigned by Ground Stop |
| GS | Ground Speed | Flight speed measured relative to the ground, expressed in knots. |
| GTM | Ground Time Method | A method for making predictions of flights. |
| GTP | Ground Time Predictor | A metric that helps reduce departure time error. |
| GTP ACID | Ground Time Predictor Aircraft Identifier | Displays information about the most recent departures for a specified flight from a specified airport. Up to 14 aircraft. |
| GTP AIRP | Ground Time Predictor Airport | Displays a summary overview of ground times experienced by flights at specified airports over a 24-hour period. |
| GUI | Graphical User Interface | A graphical interface that allows the human to interact with the system. |
| HADDS | Host/ATM Data Distribution System, Host Acquisition Data Distribution System | The host system that the FAA uses to distribute data through the ATC system. |
| HCS | Host Computer System | Contains two ETMS file servers that contain all data for ETMS program functions. |
| HDTA | High Density Traffic Airports | High Density Traffic Airports are specified in title 14 of the code of Federal Aviation Regulations, Part 93, and Subpart K. Includes |
| HID | Host Interface Device | The program that runs between the two ETMS file servers. |
| HITL | Human in the Loop | Term used in to describe operational testing of various procedures and software. |
| HOST | ARTCC Computers | Main center computer that handles radar information, flight plans, and a variety of other functions. |
| HVR | Historically Validated Restrictions | Term used to describe restrictions to air traffic imposed by various FAA facilities based on past requirements in similar situations. |
| ICD | Interface Control Document | Document specifying technical interface details |
| ICR | Integrated collaborative rerouting | A process that builds on FEA/FCAs. The ICR process requires that a constraint is identified early. Traffic management may issue a planning (PLN) advisory describing the system constraint and providing route guidance. System stakeholders are allowed an opportunity to consider the area of concern, and provide early intent (EI) messages that communicate their decisions in response to the constraint. EI messages update enhanced traffic management system (ETMS) flight trajectories, monitor alert values and routing intentions. At the expiration of the EI window, traffic management can then analyze the customer responses and decide if the actions taken have resolved the issue, or if recommended routes, required routes, airspace flow programs (AFP) and/or other traffic management initiatives (TMIs) will be necessary to further reduce demand. |
| ID | Identification | Short hand for identification, can be referring to the aircraft ID |
| IDENT | Flight Identifier | Unique alphanumeric aircraft identifier. Also known as call sign. |
| IDFL | Interactive Dynamic Flight List | Flight list as generated by TSD that is dynamic where as flights update based on time. |
| IDS | Information Display System | Displays status of the facilities airports. |
| IENTRY | Initial Element Entry Time | Stands for “Initial Entry Time” – This is the original entry time for a flight into an area defined by an FEA or FCA. It is used to determine the order for assigning flights to slots in an AFP. |
| IFR | Instrument Flight Rules | A set of rules governing the conduct of flight under instrument meteorological conditions. |
| IGTA | Initial Gate Time of Arrival | This is the arrival time when the flight was first created. It is used to determine the order for assigning flights to slots in a GDP. |
| IGTD | Initial Gate Time of Departure | This is the departure time when the flight was first created. It is used to positively identify a flight leg. |
| III | Category III | Short hand for CAT III (flight remark) |
| IN | In | Actual Time reported by the airlines for gate arrival. |
| INHB | Inhibit Flight | Inhibit flight in schedule database and the TSD command that allows you to inhibit (or cancel temporarily) either a specific flight or all flights for a specific airline in the schedule database. |
| ITWS | Integrated Terminal Weather System | Provides automated weather information and forecasts to air traffic controllers and supervisors. Its products require no meteorological interpretation to air traffic controllers, air traffic management systems, pilots, and airlines. |
| KVDT | Keyboard Video Display Terminal | Input device that emulates a window on the DSP display to send flight plan amendments/reroutes back to the Host. |
| LAADR | Low Altitude Alternate Departure Routing | LAADR is a procedure whereby flight altitudes may be limited to flight level 230 and below. |
| LAHSO | Land and Hold Short Operations | Operations which include simultaneous takeoffs and landings and/or simultaneous landings when a landing aircraft is able and is instructed by the controller to hold short of the intersecting runway/taxiway or designated hold-short point. Pilots are expected to promptly inform the controller if the hold short clearance cannot be accepted. |
| LAWRS | Limited Aviation Weather Reporting Service | At stations without Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) or Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) – A facility where observations are taken, prepared, and transmitted by National Weather Service (NWS) certified personnel at FAA control towers or Flight Service stations on a limited basis to support aviation requirements. |
| LFG | Lifeguard | Short hand for a Lifeguard Flight (flight remark). |
| LGTA | Airline Gate Time of Arrival | Predicted gate time of arrival provided by the CDM Participant in a CDM message. |
| LGTD | Airline Gate Time of Departure | Predicted gate time of departure provided by the CDM Participant in a CDM message. |
| LIFP | List Flight Plan | Lists of flight plans for selected aircraft. |
| LO CIGS | Low Ceilings | Referring to the location of the ceilings. |
| LOC | Localizer | The component of an ILS that provides course guidance to the runway. |
| LOCID | Location Identifier | Refers to a prompt often used to request a place name. It can refer to an airport, navaid, fix, sector, ARTCC, or other FAA place designator. |
| LOG | ETMS Log | Contains information on previous day events. |
| LRTA | Airline Runway Time of Arrival | Predicted runway time of arrival provided by the CDM Participant in a CDM message. |
| LRTD | Airline Runway Time of Departure | Predicted runway time of departure provided by the CDM Participant in a CDM message. |
| LTOD | Length of Time Out Delay | The length of the time that the flight has currently been time out delayed, in minutes. |
| MA | Monitor Alert | The ETMS uses the flight event data produced during flight modeling to estimate the traffic demand at each monitored airport, sector, and fix, to generate a monitor alert whenever a traffic demand is projected to exceed a pre-defined alert threshold. |
| MAMS | Military Airspace Management System | Similar to the ETMS system but for military. |
| MAP | Monitor Alert Parameters | The level of traffic at which a sector should be alerted. The level is defined as the number of aircraft predicted to be in the sector at the same time. |
| MBO | Military Base Operations | Operations that occur on military base. |
| METAR | Aviation Routine Weather Report | A type of weather report produced through the Report command in the Weather menu. |
| Micro-EARTS | Micro En route Automated Radar Tracking System | An exchange of track data messages between the ETMS and the Alaskan En-Route Automated Radar Tracking System (Micro-EARTS) by way of a TMU collocated at Anchorage ARTCC facility. This ARTCC does not have a Host Computer System. Instead, Micro-EARTS provides the same services and functions as the HCS. Micro-EARTS also supplies position reports from San Juan, Honolulu, and Guam. |
| MINIT | Minutes-in-Trail | A specified interval between aircraft expressed in time. |
| MIS | Meteorological Impact Statement | Weather information that is given verbally or written on paper. |
| MIT | Miles-in-Trail | A specified interval between aircraft expressed in nautical miles. |
| MOA | Military Operating Area | A type of Special Use Airspace reserved for military activities. Can also mean Memorandum of Agreement. |
| MOS | Mission Operations Specialist | Military specialist who approves military operations in the NAS with the help of ATC specialist. |
| MOU | Memorandum of Understanding | Letter between a facility and some other entity outlining agreed upon procedures. |
| MP | Mission Flight Plan message (Host) | Message to the Host computer system about the flight. |
| MP | RVR Middle Point | Runway Visual Range from the middle point of the runway. Its values range from 00 to 60+, representing hundreds of feet. |
| NADIN | National Airspace Data Interchange Network | The operational strings have the necessary communications equipment to connect to various external carriers. |
| NARP | North American Route Program | An operational concept that is based on NAS Services. |
| NAS | National Airspace System | The common network of U.S. airspace; air navigation facilities, equipment and services, airports or landing areas. |
| NASSI | NAS Status Information | A general term for real-time data that shows the state of the NAS. RVR is an example of NASSI data. |
| NCAR | National Center for Atmospheric Research | Weather service station for aviation. |
| NCWF | National Convective Weather Forecast | Displays the current and 1-hour forecast of existing thunderstorms |
| NESP | National Enroute Spacing Position | Position in the ATCSCC designed to handle enroute traffic flow management initiatives. |
| NFDC | National Flight Data Center | Graphical data that is sent to ETMS for use with weather programs. |
| NGRVR | New Generation Runway Visual Range | Provides visual range products at specific points along a precision runway, enabling operators to determine the Visual or Instrument category under which the airport is operating. |
| NM | Nautical Mile | International unit equal to 6076.115 feet (1852 meters). |
| NMCC | National Maintenance Control Center | Maintenance center that all facilities can call with maintenance issues. |
| NOC | Canadian National Operations Control Centre | Canadian Control Center is similar to ATCSCC |
| NOCC | National Operations Control Center | A system that monitors the NAS for outages and other equipment problems. |
| NOM | National Operations Manager | Is responsible for planning and directing the national traffic management program and all control room operations. |
| NOS | National Ocean Service | Data Explorer offers interactive mapping tools that allow users to locate NOS products in any area in the United States and its territories through a metadata catalog. |
| NOWRAD | WSI’s Weather Radar Mosaic Product | Radar-determined precipitation data using a six level color-coded solid overlay, drawn below the other map elements so that they are still visible. |
| NRP | North American Route Program | The NRP is a set of rules and procedures which are designed to increase the flexibility of user flight planning at or above FL290 by allowing users to file as desired, within published guidelines. |
| NSSFC | National Severe Storms Forecast Center | Provides short-term forecasts of hazardous weather to the public and the National Weather Service’s local field offices. |
| NTAP | National Track Analysis Program – NOTAM Publ. | Analysis program to determine if an operational error has occurred. Also known as Notices to Airmen Publication |
| NTML | National Traffic Management Log (same as TMLog) | The National Traffic Management Log (NTML) is utilized to record TM activities in the facility. |
| NTMO | National Traffic Management Officer | The NTMO stays abreast of the key events and initiatives within the assigned area, often assisting the specialists during busy situations and making key decisions affecting the area. |
| OADR | On or About Date of Release | Declassify date and time for the use of the military to negotiate an early release date and time to allow for the proper planning of the mission and the timely dissemination of NOTAM information. |
| OAG | Official Airline Guide | Publisher of the standard airline schedule information. |
| OCS | Offshore Computer System | Is the oceanic flight data processing capability provided by Offshore Computer System (OCS) at the Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC). It will soon be replaced by a new Oceanic System. |
| OCTA | Original Control Time of Arrival | OCTA preserves the first controlled arrival time (CTA) for a flight. |
| OCTD | Original Control Time of Departure | OCTD preserves the first controlled departure time (CTD, a.k.a. EDCT) for a flight. |
| OD_DIF | Difference of Departure Times | The difference between AGTD and OGTD, with a designator showing the status of the comparison. |
| ODAPS | Oceanic Display and Planning System | The Flight Data Processing 2000 (FDP2000) system is the oceanic flight data processing capability. |
| OENTRY | Original Element Entry Time | OENTRY is used to save the ENTRY last modeled by ETMS before either an AFP is issued and the flight departs, or the flight is “time-out” delayed by ETMS. |
| OEP | Operational Evolution Plan | The OEP Associates Team is responsible for the development and implementation of the Operational Evolution Partnership (OEP), FAA’s plan for realizing the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). |
| OETA | Original Estimated Time of Arrival | OETA is used to save the ETA last modeled by ETMS before either a TMI is issued, or the flight departs, or the flight is “time-out” delayed by ETMS. |
| OETD | Original Estimated Time of Departure | OETD is used to save the ETD last modeled by ETMS before either a TMI is issued, or the flight departs, or the flight is “time-out” delayed by ETMS. |
| OETE | Original Estimated Time En route | The original estimated flying time from departure point to destination (lift-off to touchdown). |
| OFDPS | Offshore Flight Data Processing System | System that processes flight data from oceanic flights. |
| OFF | Off | Actual time reported by airlines for wheels up. |
| OGTA | Original Gate Time of Arrival | Original time flight was intended to arrive. Renamed to OETA. |
| OGTD | Original Gate Time of Departure | Original time flight was intended to depart. Renamed to OETD |
| OIS | Operational Information System | A web-based application that displays up to the minute Ground Delay, Ground Stop, deicing, and general airport delay information. |
| OMP | Offshore Message Processing | Messaging process that the OCS uses to send messages. |
| ON | Runway On Time | Time at which a flight touches down |
| OOOI | Out, Off, On, and In | OUT/OFF/ON/IN Time that the flight was out of the departure gate, off the departure runway on the arrival runway and in the arrival gate. |
| OP | Operations Plan | A plan managers can use in the facilities |
| OPSNET | Operations Network | The official source of historical NAS air traffic Delays and Operations. Daily Data is available on a next day basis. |
| ORB | Operational Review Board | It explores the interdependencies of various agency activities, providing a cross-agency perspective that will assist with integration, timely rulemaking, identification of required policy changes, and understanding of funding impacts. |
| ORIG | Origin airport | FAA designator showing the airport of origin. |
| OSF | Operational Support Facility | Is an organization within the FAA that modifies software and/or special purpose databases for ATC systems. The OSF matches the software database of each airport to its local area terrain, and implements software to facilitate local procedures, among other things. |
| OSIC | Operations Supervisor in Charge | When two or more operations supervisors (OS) are on duty, one shall be assigned as operations supervisor-in-charge. |
| OT&E | Operational Test & Evaluation | Is a system test in a test bed used by the FAA to verify that requirements have been met and that the system is ready for conditional operational use. |
| OTS | Out of Service | Short hand for out of service. |
| OUT | Out | Actual time reported by airlines for gate pushback. |
| PA_DIF | Difference of Arrival Times | The difference between AGTA and PGTA, with a designator showing the status of the comparison. |
| PD_DIF | Difference of Departure Times | The difference between AGTD and PGTD, with a designator showing the status of the comparison. |
| PDARS | Performance Data Analysis and Reporting System | PDARS calculates a range of performance measures, including traffic counts, travel times, travel distances, traffic flows, and in-trail separations. It turns these measurement data into information useful to FAA facilities through an architecture that features (1) automatic collection and analysis of radar tracks and flight plans, (2) automatic generation and distribution of daily morning reports, (3) sharing of data and reports among facilities, and (4) support for exploratory and causal analysis. |
| PDC | Pre-Departure Clearance | The PDC function automates the Clearance Delivery operations in the ATCT for participating users. The PDC function displays IFR clearances from the ARTCC to the ATCT. |
| PETE | Proposed Estimated Time Enroute | Refers to the filed estimated time enroute |
| pFAST | Passive Final Approach Spacing Tool | Provides advisories for landing sequence, landing runway, speed, and heading that assist controllers in managing arrival traffic and achieving an accurately spaced flow of traffic on final approach. |
| PFWP | Pathfinder Web Page | Is an online browser-based freight forwarding solution that delivers up-to-the-minute air cargo information online, without the need for installing or maintaining software. The platform integrates our dynamic flight routing engine with passenger and cargo flight schedules, weather, real-time FAA airport status, flight on-time statistics and other information, to deliver the comprehensive, real-time information needed to optimize your air freight scheduling decisions. |
| PGTA | Proposed Gate Time of Arrival | Arrival time from NAS. Generally this is initially set from the flight plan, and then updated when DZs and UZs are processed. |
| PGTD | Proposed Gate Time of Departure | Departure time from NAS flight plan. This is initially set from the flight plan and may be updated if the flight plan is amended. |
| POET | Post Operations Evaluation Tool | A Post Analysis tool that allows users to review a flight history, associated messages, and route of flight |
| PSP | Playbook Spacing Program | The National Playbook is a collection of Severe Weather Avoidance Plan (SWAP) routes that have been pre-validated and coordinated with impacted ARTCCs. The National Playbook is designed to mitigate the potential adverse impact to the FAA and users during periods of severe weather or other events that affect coordination of routes. These events include, but are not limited to, convective weather, military operations, communications, and other situations. |
| PT | Planning Team, Planning TELCON | Conference calls to discuss an issue or update status. |
| PTR | Program Trouble Report | A report that is compiled of all the errors that occur during testing the are discussed and tracked. |
| PURG | Purge Flight Record | The cancellation of a TMI. The purge process removes from ETMS all TMIs currently in place for a specific element. |
| QA | Quality Assurance | Are the activities needed to provide adequate confidence that processes are established and continually improved in order to produce products that meet specifications. |
| QAR | Quality Assurance Review | A review is done on the processes conducted to make sure the products are meeting specifications. |
| RAL | Last Reported Altitude | Displayed in a data block as last altitude reported. |
| RAPT | Route Availability Planning Tool | Is a decision support tools that combine state-of-the-art weather forecasts with operational flight data to help FAA traffic managers and airlines answer questions. |
| RAT | Reroute Advisory Tool | A CDM application used by the command center to publish reroute advisories and lists of flights affected by each advisory. |
| RBS | Ration By Schedule | For scheduled carriers, the rationing is based upon the original schedule, and not the current arrival time projections for CDM GDPs. |
| RBS++ | Enhanced Ration By Schedule | An enhanced version of RBS where all flights with the same MAJOR value are considered together during the intra-airline swapping portion of RBS++ and Compression. |
| RCTL | Re-controlled Control Times | Control Times assigned to re-controlled flight |
| RCWF | Regional Convective Weather Forecast | The NCWF uses national mosaic radar information, echo top mosaics, cloud-to-ground lightning data and GOES satellite/RUC model-retrieved cloud-top heights combined together to produce a convective hazards detection field. |
| RLSD | Released | Short hand for released. |
| RM | Removed | The flight has been removed from the ETMS database (cancel status). |
| RMGR | Route Manager | ETMS tool that allows a user to look up details about routes. |
| RMT | Route Management Tool | A CDM application developed by Metron designed to map and display CDRs, Preferred Routes, airport and navigation facilities, and any changes to those routes during the 56-day cycle. |
| RO | Rollout | Runway Visual Range from the Rollout point of the runway. Its values range from 00 to 60, representing hundreds of feet. |
| ROG | Route Option Generation | ROG allows users to view CDRs, national preferential routes, and playbook routes. The ROG workspace provides customers with the capability to identify pre-coordinated reroute options for their flights affected by a constraint or traffic management initiative. |
| RPL | Replace Flight Plan message | ETMS message for replace flight plan. |
| RRTES | Reroutes | A new path of flight. |
| RS | RS Cancelled | Indicates whether the flight is currently cancelled and an RS message has been processed for this flight. An RS message is an internal ETMS message generated when an Authorized FAA User takes an OAG flight out of the database. |
| RT | Route message | ETMS message for route. |
| RT FSA | Real Time Flight Schedule Analyzer | Is a web-based analysis tool developed by Metron Aviation to assess the performance of ground stops (GS), ground delay programs (GDPs), and airspace flow programs (AFPs) in real-time. |
| RTE | Flight Route | The Individual aircraft’s route of flight, it either be a written notation of the route or a graphic depiction of the flight path. |
| RT-Find | Stand Alone ZDC Local Departure Route Tool | A program that ZDC has developed themselves to help with local departure. |
| RUC | Rapid Update Cycle (Grid Weather data) | Provides accurate numerical forecast guidance for weather-sensitive users for the next 12 hour period. The RUC runs at the highest frequency of any forecast model at the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP), assimilating recent observations aloft and at the surface to provide very high frequency updates of current conditions and short-range forecasts using a sophisticated mesoscale model. |
| RVR | Runway Visual Range | RVR data includes visibility, ambient light, and runway lighting intensity along an airport runway. |
| RVSM | Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum | The goal of RVSM is to reduce the vertical separation above flight level (FL) 290 from the current 2000-ft minimum to 1000-ft minimum. This will allow aircraft to safely fly more optimum profiles, gain fuel savings and increase airspace capacity. |
| RWY | Runway | Shorthand for runway. Its numeric values are from 01 through 36. A sub-runway value might be appended to the RWY. The sub-runways are defined as L (left), R (right), or C (center). |
| RZ | Cancellation Message | A NAS flight plan cancellation message. Also used as a flag to indicate that a flight is considered cancelled due to an RZ message. |
| S2K | Spring 2000 Committee | Committee formed to explore immediate remedies for the 2000 thunderstorm season. Committee continued it’s work in subsequent years with S2K+1, S2K+2, etc. |
| SAIDS | Systems Atlanta Information Display System | A total digital facility at ATL TRACON. |
| SAM | Special Air Mission | Is an aircraft that provides safe, comfortable, and reliable air transportation for the President, Vice President, Cabinet, members of Congress, and other high-ranking American and foreign dignitaries. |
| SAMS | Special Use Airspace Management System | SAMS will display and record SUA and other types of airspace area transactions tracked in the National Airspace System (NAS). |
| SBRG | SCS Bridge Event | Control Times updated by SCS or ECR bridging (formerly BRG) |
| SC | Slot Create | A CDM message used by a NAS user to create a slot for a flight arriving past the end of a GDP for the purpose of putting that flight into proper order with other controlled flights. Also, a control type indicating that a flight’s control times are the result of an SC message. Also can stand for Shift Coordinator. |
| SCDT List | Selected Control Departure Time List | Contains flight delay information for the airport that has been issued a ground delay. Contains information such as flight’s call sign, equipment type, departure point, Ptime, Etc. |
| SCS | Slot Credit Substitution | A message used by a NAS user to swap a slot that can’t be used for a slot that can be used. Also, a control type indicating that a flight’s control times are the result of an SCS request. |
| SDB | Schedule Database (ETMS) | A database that consists of airline schedules for one month. This database is structured to provide fast look-up of airline schedules by both airport and time. |
| SF | Spurious Flights | Spurious Flights or flights submitted as SI cancellations with no corresponding entries in the OAD (alarm status). |
| SGTA | Scheduled Gate Time of Arrival | Scheduled gate arrival time from OAG. |
| SGTD | Scheduled Gate Time of Departure | Scheduled gate departure time from OAG. |
| SH | Slot Hold Flag | Slot hold flag indicates whether the slot associated with this flight is being held, or would be held, by the NAS User for the next compression. The compression algorithm will not automatically fill slots that are held. |
| SI | Substitution Request | Substitution processing messages received from airlines. |
| SIA | Status Information Area | Is the second part of the ESIS system. SIA is the location the information is displayed. It uses the administrative PC at each supervisor workstation to support the preparation and display of status type information on ESIS. |
| SL_HOLD | Slot Hold Flag | ADL flag used to indicate whether the slot for this flight is being held, by the NAS user for the next compression. |
| SMA | Surface Movement Advisor | SMA provides aircraft arrival information, at 20-second intervals, to airline ramp personnel and towers. Its primary purpose is to increase awareness of traffic flow into the airport, giving ramp control operators precise touchdown times. |
| SMS | Surface Management System | an enhanced decision support tool that will help controllers and airlines manage aircraft surface traffic at busy airports. |
| SOP | Standard Operating Procedure | Written document published after each SPT telcon outlining the constraints and plans of action in the NAS. |
| SPD | Speed | Refers to the ground speed filed in a flight plan. |
| SPO | Strategic Plan of Operation | See SPT |
| SPT | Strategic Planning Team | The Strategic Planning Team acts as a focal point for the development of collaborative Strategic Plans of Operation. Their goal is to provide advanced planning information for system users and air traffic facilities in order to maximize the utilization of the NAS in an organized and equitable manner. |
| SR | Special Route (military) | Special routes that are given to military to complete their mission. |
| STAR | Standard Terminal Arrival Route | A STAR is an ATC coded IFR arrival route established for application to arriving IFR aircraft destined for certain airports. |
| STMC | Supervisory Traffic Management Coordinator | The shift supervisor at the TMU who oversees the work of the TMCs. |
| STMP | Special Traffic Management Program | A STMP is a long range strategic initiative that is implemented when a location requires special handling to accommodate above normal traffic demand, e.g. Master’s Golf tournament, NBAA Convention, etc. |
| STRSN | Standard Terminal Arrival Route Transition | Set procedure fixes to establish a flow into an airport. |
| SUA | Special Use Airspace | Special use airspace and volumes of airspace for which aircraft flight has been limited for one reason or another. They include alert areas, MOAs, prohibited areas, restricted areas, and warning areas. |
| SVRWX | Severe Weather | Severe weather that affects traffic flows. |
| SWAP | Severe Weather Avoidance Plan | An approved plan to minimize the effect of severe weather on traffic flows in impacted terminal and/or ARTCC areas. SWAP is normally implemented to provide the least disruption to the ATC system when flight through portions of airspace is difficult or impossible due to severe weather. |
| SWP | SWAP flight (flight remark) | A flight that has been routed around due to weather. |
| TCA | Tactical Customer Advocate | Position in the ATCSCC designed to handle users questions and concerns. |
| TCA | Terminal Control Area | A volume of airspace above an airport in which all flights are subject to operating rules and pilot and equipment requirements. |
| TCAP | Traffic Count Automation Program | Is a program that automatically counts the takeoffs and landing at the airports. |
| TD | Touchdown Point | RVR touchdown point that is depicted on IFR charts. Values range from 00 to 60+, representing hundreds of feet. |
| TDB | Traffic Demand Database (ETMS) | The database contains traffic demand count and alert threshold for each element, each event type, and each 15-minute interval. |
| TDWR | Terminal Doppler Weather Radar | TDWR is an automated radar system that provides air traffic controllers in terminal radar approach facilities and air traffic control towers with detailed real time information about severe weather conditions, including wind shear, in and near an airport’s approach and departure corridors. |
| TDWRWS | Terminal Doppler Weather Radar Wind Shear | A weather system that tries to determine the location and severity of low-altitude wind shear phenomena and other weather hazards (e.g. tornadoes and turbulence) and to provide the pertinent information to real-time air traffic control users. |
| TFC | Traffic | Short hand for traffic. |
| TFM | Traffic Flow Management | Generic term referring to the flow management side of ATC. |
| TFM-I/TFMI | Traffic Flow Management Infrastructure | TFM Infrastructure between all the programs. |
| TFM-M | Traffic Flow Management Modernization | Replacement for ETMS. A major new program to modernize the FAA traffic flow management infrastructure. The program goals include enhancing information sharing between commercial aviation system users as well as improving system-wide cooperative and collaborative planning, decision-making and congestion management. |
| TM | Traffic Management | Generic term for traffic management. |
| TMA | Traffic Management Advisor | Help traffic management coordinators (TMCs) anticipate future demand and regulate traffic flow into the TRACON. |
| TMA-MC | Traffic Management Advisor – Multiple Center | Assists in planning and managing streams of arrival traffic into selected Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facilities that receive traffic from two or more en route centers. |
| TMC | Traffic Management Coordinator | The person or persons who work in the TMU and manage the flow of air traffic in the Center’s airspace. |
| TMCIC | Traffic Management Coordinator in Charge | Insure all duties of the day are completed. |
| TMI | Traffic Management Initiative | When TMCs coordinate with other facilities and implement some kind of traffic management program, it is called a TMI. This initiative could include MIT (miles-in-trail) restrictions on aircraft bound for specific airports or to help alleviate a sector being overloaded with aircraft. |
| TMLog | Traffic Management Log (same as NTML) | The National Traffic Management Log (NTML) is utilized to record TM activities in the facility. |
| TMO | Traffic Management Officer | Head of the Traffic Management Unit of a facility. |
| TMP | Traffic Management Program | A special program implemented at airports that are expected to become busy enough that demand will exceed the capacity of the airport. Events such as the Indy 500 or the Super Bowl , or even unusually large amounts of traffic into some of the resorts like Aspen , Sun Valley, and Jackson during holiday periods, will prompt the need for a TMP. These programs are also called STMPs (Special Traffic Management Programs). They are initiated nationwide by the ATCSCC. Pilots are notified of these programs and are required to get special reservation times for arriving at the airport. |
| TMS | Traffic Management Specialist (at ATCSCC) | A specialist that oversee traffic in a specified area. |
| TMU | Traffic Management Unit | Unit responsible for the management and balance of air traffic within the ARTCC’s control area in order to optimize air traffic flow through the NAS. The actions of the TMU are coordinated by the Command Center (ATCSCC). |
| TO | Time Out | A flag indicating that a flight is considered cancelled because its expected departure time is too far in the past and the flight has not been activated. |
| TOC | Time-Out Cancel | A message logged when a flight is time-out cancelled (see TO). |
| TOD | Time Out Delay | Indicates that a flight’s expected departure time is in the past without it being activated, but the flight has not yet been time-out cancelled. |
| TOM | Oceanic Position Update | Message from ETMS about an Oceanic Position Update |
| TRACON | Terminal Radar Approach Control | A terminal ATC facility that uses radar and non-radar capabilities to provide approach control services to aircraft arriving, departing, or transiting airspace controlled by the facility. |
| TSD | Traffic Situation Display | A tool used by Traffic Management Specialists to monitor the position of air traffic and to determine the traffic demand on airports and sectors. |
| TSTMS | Thunderstorms | Short hand for thunderstorms on advisory or OIS |
| TT-FCA | Time To Reach FCA | For custom FEA/FCAs, displays the Time To Reach FCA data, which is estimated in minutes. |
| TYPE | Type | Refers to the type of control last applied to this flight. Types include GDP, GS, SUB, UPD, FA, COMP, BLKT; or aircraft type (B747, DC10, etc.) Aircraft Type. |
| TZ | Position Update message (Host, ARTS) | Messages transmitted from the ARTCCs, which update the position and speed of each airborne flight every five minutes. Based on the NAS track tables. |
| UDG | User Defined Group | Refers to a group from the Open Data Set component. |
| UDP | Unified GDP | Shorthand for Unified Ground Delay Program. |
| UPD [EDCT] | Update | Control message meaning update |
| URET | User Request Evaluation Tool | An automated tool provided at each Radar Associate position in selected En Route facilities. This tool uses flight and radar data to determine present and future trajectories for all active and proposed aircraft and provides enhanced, automated flight data management. |
| USER/USR | User Category | Refers to the User Category (air taxi, cargo, commercial, general aviation, military, and other). |
| UTC | Coordinated Universal Time (Zulu) | Abbreviated as UTC, and therefore often spelled out as Universal Time Coordinated and sometimes as Universal Coordinated Time. It is the standard time common to every place in the world. Formerly and still widely called Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and also World Time, UTC nominally reflects the mean solar time along the Earth’s prime meridian. |
| UX | Update Cancelled | Indicates whether the flight is currently cancelled due to an EDCT UPDATE cancel. An Authorized FAA User may utilize the EDCT UPDATE command to cancel a flight that is part of a TMI. |
| UZ | Boundary Crossings message (Host) | Message sent from host computer to ETMS when a flight crosses a center boundary. |
| VACAPES | Virginia Capes | Airspace Routes are in military controlled airspace off the East Coast and are used only when identified on an OP or on the Severe Weather Reroute Advisory. The use of VACAPES areas requires coordination with the military. |
| VAPS | Visual Approaches | An approach conducted under Instrument Flight Rules that authorizes the pilot to proceed visually and clear of clouds to the airport. Usually this will be used in conjunction with Visual Separation. When using Visual Separation, a pilot sees the other aircraft involved, and upon instructions from the controller, provides his own separation by maneuvering his aircraft as necessary to avoid it. Visual Separation requires less spacing between aircraft than radar separation allowing more aircraft to land in a given period of time. |
| VNTSC | Volpe National Transportation Systems Center | The heart of the TFM Infrastructure. Located at Cambridge, MA, the ETMS Hub provides the centralized, real-time, continuous data collection and processing functions to support the entire TFM infrastructure. |
| VOL | Volume | Short hand for volume. |
| VS Route | VACAPES SWAP Route | VS routes are coded routes used only for SWAP contingencies, the FAA does not intend to publish the routes on any charts that are for public use. |
| VSBY | Visibility | The ability, as determined by atmospheric conditions and expressed in units of distance, to see and identify prominent unlighted objects by day and prominent lighted objects by night. |
| VT | Verify Time | Short hand for verify time. |
| WET | Weather Evaluation Team | The overall role of the Weather Evaluation sub-Team (WET) is to provide recommendations on user requirements for the CCFP; Consider/establish draft requirements for a terminal, TRACON, or ‘hub’ area forecast. |
| WJHTC | William J. Hughes Technical Center | FAA’s Technical Center located in Atlantic City New Jersey |
| WND | Wind | Short hand for wind on advisory or OIS |
| WSD | Web-based Situation Display | Web based version of a Traffic Situation Display (TSD) |
| WU | Weather Unit | Refers to any weather system that provides information. |
| WX | Weather | Short hand for weather. |
| WX DEV | Weather Deviation | A deviation from flight plan due to weather. |
| WXR | Severe Weather Route | Flight has been rerouted due to severe weather. |
| XML | Machine Readable Mark-up Language | Computer language of standardized mark-up tags |
| Z | Zulu Time | Another term used to designate Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), the standard time common to every place in the world. Formerly and still widely called Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and also World Time, UTC nominally reflects the mean solar time along the Earth’s prime meridian. |