4/20/23 

Pilot/Controller Glossary 

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VASI

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(See VISUAL APPROACH SLOPE INDICATOR.) 

VCOA

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(See VISUAL CLIMB OVER AIRPORT.) 

VDP

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(See VISUAL DESCENT POINT.) 

VECTOR

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 A heading issued to an aircraft to provide navigational guidance by radar. 

(See ICAO term RADAR VECTORING.) 

VERIFY

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 Request confirmation of information; e.g., “verify assigned altitude.” 

VERIFY SPECIFIC DIRECTION OF TAKEOFF (OR TURNS AFTER TAKEOFF)

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 Used by ATC to 

ascertain an aircraft’s direction of takeoff and/or direction of turn after takeoff. It is normally used for IFR 

departures from an airport not having a control tower. When direct communication with the pilot is not possible, 

the request and information may be relayed through an FSS, dispatcher, or by other means. 

(See IFR TAKEOFF MINIMUMS AND DEPARTURE PROCEDURES.) 

VERTICAL NAVIGATION (VNAV)– A function of area navigation (RNAV) equipment which calculates, 

displays, and provides vertical guidance to a profile or path. 
VERTICAL SEPARATION

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 Separation between aircraft expressed in units of vertical distance. 

(See SEPARATION.) 

VERTICAL TAKEOFF AND LANDING AIRCRAFT (VTOL)

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 Aircraft capable of vertical climbs and/or 

descents and of using very short runways or small areas for takeoff and landings. These aircraft include, but are 

not limited to, helicopters. 

(See SHORT TAKEOFF AND LANDING AIRCRAFT.) 

VERY HIGH FREQUENCY (VHF)

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 The frequency band between 30 and 300 MHz. Portions of this band, 108 

to 118 MHz, are used for certain NAVAIDs; 118 to 136 MHz are used for civil air/ground voice communications. 

Other frequencies in this band are used for purposes not related to air traffic control. 
VERY HIGH FREQUENCY OMNIDIRECTIONAL RANGE STATION

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(See VOR.) 

VERY LOW FREQUENCY (VLF)

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 The frequency band between 3 and 30 kHz. 

VFR

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(See VISUAL FLIGHT RULES.) 

VFR AIRCRAFT

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 An aircraft conducting flight in accordance with visual flight rules. 

(See VISUAL FLIGHT RULES.) 

VFR CONDITIONS

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Weather conditions equal to or better than the minimum for flight under visual flight 

rules. The term may be used as an ATC clearance/instruction only when: 

a. 

An IFR aircraft requests a climb/descent in VFR conditions. 

b. 

The clearance will result in noise abatement benefits where part of the IFR departure route does not 

conform to an FAA approved noise abatement route or altitude. 

c. 

A pilot has requested a practice instrument approach and is not on an IFR flight plan. 

Note: All pilots receiving this authorization must comply with the VFR visibility and distance from cloud criteria 

in 14 CFR Part 91. Use of the term does not relieve controllers of their responsibility to separate aircraft in 

PCG V

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