Pilot/Controller Glossary 

3/21/24 

CONFORMANCE

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 The condition established when an aircraft’s actual position is within the conformance 

region constructed around that aircraft at its position, according to the trajectory associated with the aircraft’s 

Current Plan. 
CONFORMANCE REGION

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 A volume, bounded laterally, vertically, and longitudinally, within which an 

aircraft must be at a given time in order to be in conformance with the Current Plan Trajectory for that aircraft. 

At a given time, the conformance region is determined by the simultaneous application of the lateral, vertical, 

and longitudinal conformance bounds for the aircraft at the position defined by time and aircraft’s trajectory. 
CONSOLAN

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A low frequency, long-distance NAVAID used principally for transoceanic navigations. 

CONSOLIDATED WAKE TURBULENCE (CWT)

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 A version of RECAT that has nine categories, A through 

I, that refines the grouping of aircraft while optimizing wake turbulence separation. 
CONSTRAINT SATISFACTION POINT (CSP)

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 Meter Reference Elements (MREs) that are actively 

scheduled by TBFM. Constraint satisfaction occurs when the Scheduled Time of Arrival generated for each 

metered flight conforms to all the scheduling constraints specified at all the applicable CSPs. 
CONTACT

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a. 

Establish communication with (followed by the name of the facility and, if appropriate, the frequency to 

be used). 

b. 

A flight condition wherein the pilot ascertains the attitude of his/her aircraft and navigates by visual 

reference to the surface. 

(See CONTACT APPROACH.) 
(See RADAR CONTACT.) 

CONTACT APPROACH

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An approach wherein an aircraft on an IFR flight plan, having an air traffic control 

authorization, operating clear of clouds with at least 1 mile flight visibility and a reasonable expectation of 

continuing to the destination airport in those conditions, may deviate from the instrument approach procedure 

and proceed to the destination airport by visual reference to the surface. This approach will only be authorized 

when requested by the pilot and the reported ground visibility at the destination airport is at least 1 statute mile. 

(Refer to AIM.) 

CONTAMINATED RUNWAY

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 A runway is considered contaminated whenever standing water, ice, snow, 

slush, frost in any form, heavy rubber, or other substances are present. A runway is contaminated with respect 

to rubber deposits or other friction-degrading substances when the average friction value for any 500-foot 

segment of the runway within the ALD fails below the recommended minimum friction level and the average 

friction value in the adjacent 500-foot segments falls below the maintenance planning friction level. 
CONTERMINOUS U.S.

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 The 48 adjoining States and the District of Columbia. 

CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES

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 The 49 States located on the continent of North America and the District 

of Columbia

. 

CONTINGENCY HAZARD AREA (CHA)

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 Used by ATC. Areas of airspace that are defined and distributed 

in advance of a launch or reentry operation and are activated in response to a failure. 

(See AIRCRAFT HAZARD AREA.) 
(See REFINED HAZARD AREA.) 
(See TRANSITIONAL HAZARD AREA.) 

CONTINUE

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 When used as a control instruction should be followed by another word or words clarifying what 

is expected of the pilot. Example: “continue taxi,” “continue descent,” “continue inbound,” etc. 
CONTROL AREA [ICAO]

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 A controlled airspace extending upwards from a specified limit above the earth. 

CONTROL SECTOR

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 An airspace area of defined horizontal and vertical dimensions for which a controller 

or group of controllers has air traffic control responsibility, normally within an air route traffic control center 

or an approach control facility. Sectors are established based on predominant traffic flows, altitude strata, and 

PCG C

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