Pilot/Controller Glossary 

3/21/24 

ARO

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(See AIRPORT RESERVATION OFFICE.) 

ARRESTING SYSTEM

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 A safety device consisting of two major components, namely, engaging or catching 

devices and energy absorption devices for the purpose of arresting both tailhook and/or nontailhook-equipped 

aircraft. It is used to prevent aircraft from overrunning runways when the aircraft cannot be stopped after landing 

or during aborted takeoff. Arresting systems have various names; e.g., arresting gear, hook device, wire barrier 

cable. 

(See ABORT.) 
(Refer to AIM.) 

ARRIVAL CENTER

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The ARTCC having jurisdiction for the impacted airport. 

ARRIVAL DELAY

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 A parameter which specifies a period of time in which no aircraft will be metered for arrival 

at the specified airport. 
ARRIVAL/DEPARTURE WINDOW (ADW)

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 A depiction presented on an air traffic control display, used by 

the controller to prevent possible conflicts between arrivals to, and departures from, a runway. The ADW 

identifies that point on the final approach course by which a departing aircraft must have begun takeoff

. 

ARRIVAL SECTOR (En Route)

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 An operational control sector containing one or more meter fixes on or near 

the TRACON boundary. 
ARRIVAL TIME

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 The time an aircraft touches down on arrival. 

ARSR

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(See AIR ROUTE SURVEILLANCE RADAR.) 

ARTCC

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(See AIR ROUTE TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER.) 

ASDA

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(See ACCELERATE-STOP DISTANCE AVAILABLE.) 

ASDA [ICAO]

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(See ICAO Term ACCELERATE-STOP DISTANCE AVAILABLE.) 

ASDE

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(See AIRPORT SURFACE DETECTION EQUIPMENT.) 

ASLAR

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(See AIRCRAFT SURGE LAUNCH AND RECOVERY.) 

ASR

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(See AIRPORT SURVEILLANCE RADAR.) 

ASR APPROACH

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(See SURVEILLANCE APPROACH.) 

ASSOCIATED

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 A radar target displaying a data block with flight identification and altitude information. 

(See UNASSOCIATED.) 

ATC

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(See AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL.) 

ATC ADVISES

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 Used to prefix a message of noncontrol information when it is relayed to an aircraft by other 

than an air traffic controller. 

(See ADVISORY.) 

ATC ASSIGNED AIRSPACE

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 Airspace of defined vertical/lateral limits, assigned by ATC, for the purpose of 

providing air traffic segregation between the specified activities being conducted within the assigned airspace 

and other IFR air traffic. 

(See SPECIAL USE AIRSPACE.) 

PCG A

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