10/5/23 

Pilot/Controller Glossary 

SIDESTEP MANEUVER

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 A visual maneuver accomplished by a pilot at the completion of an instrument 

approach to permit a straight-in landing on a parallel runway not more than 1,200 feet to either side of the runway 

to which the instrument approach was conducted. 

(Refer to AIM.) 

SIGMET

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A weather advisory issued concerning weather significant to the safety of all aircraft. SIGMET 

advisories cover severe and extreme turbulence, severe icing, and widespread dust or sandstorms that reduce 

visibility to less than 3 miles. 

(See AIRMET.) 
(See CONVECTIVE SIGMET.) 
(See CWA.) 
(See GRAPHICAL AIRMEN’S METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION.) 
(See ICAO term SIGMET INFORMATION.) 
(See SAW.) 
(Refer to AIM.) 

SIGMET INFORMATION [ICAO]

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 Information issued by a meteorological watch office concerning the 

occurrence or expected occurrence of specified en-route weather phenomena which may affect the safety of 

aircraft operations. 

SIGNIFICANT METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

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(See SIGMET.) 

SIGNIFICANT POINT

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 A point, whether a named intersection, a NAVAID, a fix derived from a NAVAID(s), 

or geographical coordinate expressed in degrees of latitude and longitude, which is established for the purpose 

of providing separation, as a reporting point, or to delineate a route of flight. 
SIMPLIFIED DIRECTIONAL FACILITY (SDF)

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 A NAVAID used for nonprecision instrument approaches. 

The final approach course is similar to that of an ILS localizer except that the SDF course may be offset from 

the runway, generally not more than 3 degrees, and the course may be wider than the localizer, resulting in a lower 

degree of accuracy. 

(Refer to AIM.) 

SIMULATED FLAMEOUT

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 A practice approach by a jet aircraft (normally military) at idle thrust to a runway. 

The approach may start at a runway (high key) and may continue on a relatively high and wide downwind leg 

with a continuous turn to final. It terminates in landing or low approach. The purpose of this approach is to 

simulate a flameout. 

(See FLAMEOUT.) 

SIMULTANEOUS CLOSE PARALLEL APPROACHES

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 A simultaneous, independent approach operation 

permitting ILS/RNAV/GLS approaches to airports having parallel runways separated by at least 3,000 feet and 

less than 4,300

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feet between centerlines. Aircraft are permitted to pass each other during these simultaneous 

operations.  Integral parts of a total system are radar, NTZ monitoring with enhanced FMA color displays that 

include aural and visual alerts and predictive aircraft position software, communications override, ATC 

procedures, an Attention All Users Page (AAUP), PRM in the approach name, and appropriate ground based 

and airborne equipment. High update rate surveillance sensor required for certain runway or approach course 

separations. 
SIMULTANEOUS (CONVERGING) DEPENDENT APPROACHES- An approach operation permitting 

ILS/RNAV/GLS approaches to runways or missed approach courses that intersect where required minimum 

spacing between the aircraft on each final approach course is required. 
SIMULTANEOUS (CONVERGING) INDEPENDENT APPROACHES- An approach operation permitting 

ILS/RNAV/GLS approaches to non-parallel runways where approach procedure design maintains the required 

aircraft spacing throughout the approach and missed approach and hence the operations may be conducted 

independently. 

PCG S

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